January 28 - February 6, 2015

FDLR military operations

(Agence Congolaise Presse, government-owned news agency, article dated 6 February 2015, in English)

La RDC compte toujours sur l’appui de ses partenaires dans l’offensive contre les FDLR

• The DRC did not refuse the help of its partners in the military offensive against the FDLR but the decision to launch it is the responsibility of the government. Government spokesperson Lambert Mende added that the FARDC has a duty to fight national terrorism (Operation Sukola2 was launched Jan 25th)
• He assured that the government would do all it can to prevent collateral damages and excessive violence, and guarantee the security of Congolese and Rwandan civilians.

(Agence Congolaise Presse, government-owned news agency, article dated 29 January 2015, in English)

La Monusco salue le lancement officiel des opérations militaires contre les FDLR en RDC

• The Special Representative of the UNSG in the DRC, Martin Kobler, welcomed the start of military operations against the FDLR. He reiterated the UN mission’s support to the FARDC.
• Only combatants will be targeted and everything will be done to protect civilians, Monusco’s chief said. 

(L’Observateur, independent/privately-owned newspaper, article dated 29 January 2015, in English)

Par anticipation du lancement des opérations militaires contre les FDLR, plusieurs localités vidées de leur population au Nord Kivu

• In North Kivu, populations are fleeing several localities since the end of the ultimatum given to the FDLR. OCHA says civilians fear abuses and collateral damages. Rutshuru and Walikale are empty. More than 2 800 people have arrived in Kitchanga, Muheto, Mweso/Bukama and Kashuga but populations movements can be observed in several areas.
• Humanitarian agencies believe that more humanitarian movement could take place once military operations against the FDLR start.
• In Masisi, armed groups committed abuses against civilians when they controlled the area. Civilians now fear reprisal attacks. 
• Tensions between the FDLR and the Nduma defence of Congo (NDC) could also lead to fighting in Fatua, South-west of Lubero. 

ADF-Nalu commits massacres in Beni

(L’Observateur, independent/privately-owned newspaper, article dated 6 February 2015, in English)

Bien organisés et aux modes opératoires identiques, les ADF-Nalu , c’est pratiquement les Boko Haram en RDC

• The massacres committed in the eastern DRC by Ugandan rebel group ADF-Nalu could be compared to those committed by Boko haram in Nigeria and Cameroon. The group uses similar weapons (rifles, spears, machetes…) but Boko Haram is better equipped and also commits suicide attacks.
• While Boko Haram is on the top of the agenda of regional institutions, the African Union and the members of the ICGLR should do the same for the ADF-Nalu. The journalist regrets the lack of attention to the massacres.
• The ADF-Nalu headed by Jamil Muluku recruits militants in the DRC and in Uganda - some are forcibly recruited, others join voluntarily. The group has also kidnapped civilians to use them as slaves and convert them to Islam.
• A UN report has found no connections between the ADF and terrorist groups such as Al Shabaab or Al-Qaeda but their modus operandi are similar.
• The links that the ADF has in DRC, Uganda, Rwanda and Great Britain allows the group to have access to funds and armament.
• They should be eradicated.

(L’Observateur, independent/privately-owned newspaper, article dated 6 February 2015, in English)

Comme poursuivi par un signe indien : Beni endeuillé par un nouveau massacre

• 17 people were killed by alleged ADF-Nalu militants in Beni in the night of February 4.
• The victims were killed with machetes. There were several massacres between October and December.
• This is the first massacre since the launched of a new military offensive against the Ugandan rebel group in December.
• The ADF has been weakened but two sections exist and the leadership remains intact.
• The ADF is an Islamist group with no apparent links with Al Shabaab or Al Qaeda. But the group has support network in the DRC, Uganda, Rwanda, and the UK. Networks in Britain allow the group to have access to money and weapons.

Humanitarian Action

(Agence Congolaise Presse, government-owned news agency, article dated 5 February 2015, in English)

Lancement à Kinshasa du Plan d’action humanitaire

• The VP Minister and Minister of the Interior Evariste Boshab met with local and international humanitarian actors who elaborated the 2015 Humanitarian Plan with the government.
• The government is determined to respect its engagements taken with the UN and humanitarian partners.

Other armed groups

(Agence Congolaise Presse, government-owned news agency, article dated 28 January 2015, in English)

Reddition de 95 combattants Raïya Mukombozi de deux groupes opérationnels dans le territoire de Shabunda

• In Shabunda, 95 Raïya Mukombozi fighters were introduced to the Governor pf South Kivu after their surrender. 15 of them are minors and will be taken care of by Monusco. The other combatants will be sent to training camps in North Kivu. 
• Other Raïya Mukombozi fighters attacked the village of Bizalugulu, in Mwenga, South Kivu. They abused civilians and stole some of their belongings. The victims are asking for the help of NGOs and security forces. 

(L’Observateur, independent/privately-owned newspaper, article dated 6 February 2015, in English)

Aboutissement des engagements de Nairobi : Kinshasa et Kigali d’accord sur le rapatriement des ex combattants M23.

• The governments of the DRC and Rwanda have finally agreed on the modalities of the repatriation of former M23 combatants who found refuge in Rwanda. This is part of the Nairobi Agreement that officially ended the M23 rebellion.
• There are more or less 453 former M23 combatants in Rwanda.
• The repatriation also includes the recovery of weapons.
• M23 rebels also found refuge in Uganda. An communiqué will have to be signed with Uganda for their repatriation.

Child soldiers

(Agence Congolaise Presse, government-owned news agency, article dated 28 January 2015, in English)

Cinquante-trois enfants séparés des groupes armés dans 4 provinces de la RDC

• 53 children were taken away from armed groups, including the Mai Mai Raïa Mutomboki, Mai Mai Morgan, Mai Mai UPCP and the FDLR. Monusco spoke to the armed groups and encouraged them to hand over the children.
• This is part of a national awareness campaign titled “Never again Kadogo” organized by Monusco to convince armed groups to free child soldiers in order to let them return to civilian life. Monusco’s Child protection section works with community leaders to make this happen. 

Protests in Kinshasa

(Agence Congolaise Presse, government-owned news agency, article dated 5 February 2015, in English)

27 morts, nouveau bilan des troubles des 19 et 20 janvier 2015

• 27 people, including 2 police men, were killed during protests in Kinshasa and North Kivu, according to government spokesperson Lambert Mende. Criminal prosecution authorities have opened an investigation. 
• 130 young people arrested during the protests have been released. 49 minors will face a juvenile court judge.
• The “intellectual authors” of these events will have to answer for their acts. Being a member of a political party or an NGOs does not confer any immunity whatsoever .

Media

(Agence Congolaise Presse, government-owned news agency, article dated 5 February 2015, in English)

Rétablissement prochain de l’internet mobile et les SMS

• Internet and SMS services will be reestablished soon, according to the Minister of Communication and Media. Lambert Mende apologized for the inconvenience but denounced the instrumentalisation of media platforms to disseminated false images in order to incite civil war in the DRC. He said the government had been right to stop social media. 
• In an article titled “Désintox ; ceci n’est pas la révolte congolaise”, France 24 also denounced lies used to incite civil war, according to Mende. The article accused “social forces” of instrumentalizing social media and disseminating supposed atrocities committed by security forces or protesters - but the pictures were taken in Haiti, the Seychelles, Congo Brazzaville or Burkina-Faso.