This message did not originate from an internet café in either Congo or Rwanda. Izzi’s comment originated from the third floor of the Ebene Cyber Tower in “Cyber City,” Mauritius. The organization whose offices “Izzie” was using when this comment was issued is African Network Information Center AFRINIC Some member countries include Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

AfriNIC is the responsible regionally Internet Registry (RIR) for Africa. The inaugural signing of the NEPAD Broadband ICT Infrastructure Network was held in Kigali, Rwanda on 29 August 2006. The annual report of this corporation can be accessed here: http://www.afrinic.net/annual_report2007.htm These questions merit a measured response and also beg the questions “how” and “why” they originated from the offices of a corporation with a vested financial interest in Rwanda and Congo.

Izzie: “On what grounds does she make these claims that operation Umoja Wetu was a spectacular failure?”

A. Read the Interim report of the Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo dated May 4, 2009 and linked in the article. Also, read the full reports of Human Rights Watch at http://www.hrw.org which detail an additional 250,000 refugees since Umoja Wetu began. Read reports at http://www.monuc.org which detail escalating, rapes, burnings, pillaging. Look ate the photos of charred buildings and tiny coffins provided by HRW. “In at least 12 villages in North Kivu province, including Miriki, Bushalingwa, and Kishonja in Lubero and Walikale territories, soldiers burned to the ground hundreds of homes and numerous schools and health centers. They pillaged and looted homes, and arbitrarily arrested at least 85 persons whom they accused of supporting rebel forces. Many of these people have been held without charge, subjected to beatings, and often released only after significant sums were paid. Civilians told Human Rights Watch researchers that they feared army soldiers as much as the Rwandan militias the army is supposed to be neutralizing.” (HRW)

Izzie: The governments of DRC and Rwanda expressed deep satisfaction not only about the results of the 1 month joint operation, but the even more significant issue, the partnership between the two countries to solve a problem that has threatened and continues to threaten their people since the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

A. Two agreements had been reached previously (in March 2005and November 2007) between the Hutu militia (FDLR) and Rwanda. In both of them Hutu rebels agreed to disarm and the Rwandan government offered repatriation. But in both cases Kigali failed to implement this and there are instead IDP camps in Rwanda. 85% of the Hutu rebels are under 25 meaning that were at maximum 12 years old during the 1994 genocide and could not have participated. There is no doubt, however, that the leadership of the FDLR is former Interahamwe.

Izzie: Rwanda certainly did not abandon the mission – it had an agreed timeframe which was respected by both sides.

A: Read the Interim report of the Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo dated May 4, 2009 and linked in the article which clearly sates that Rwanda abandoned the timetable.

Izzie: The challenge of Kimia II is to build on the breakthroughs of Umoja and sustain the momentum and determination to rid DRC of the FDLR menace.

A: Marcel Stoessel, head of Oxfam in DRC, said: “Four months ago an offensive against the FDLR set in train a spiral of violence against civilians which has forced 250,000 to flee their homes and caused untold death and suffering that continues to this day. By any yardstick it has been a humanitarian disaster, and one the world has ignored. The UN force’s top priority in Congo must be to protect the lives of innocent civilians. The UN needs to be aware of the full implications of continuing to support military action in the present circumstances.” (http://www.oxfam.org/en/pressroom/pressrelease/2009-05-13/un-backed-military-operation-drc-likely-cause-widespread-suffering)

on what grounds does she make these claims?

Both the governments of DRC and Rwanda expressed deep satisfaction not only about the results of the 1 month joint operation, but the even more significant issue, the partnership between the two countries to solve a problem that has threatened and continues to threaten their people since the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

One just has to reference the statements made by armies on both sides in the media – they recognize that the FDLR problem is not completely dealt with, but their operation bases were destroyed and their capacity to continue fighting weakened. And many who were held hostage in those forces – both fighters and dependents, were able to abandon and return to Rwanda, where they are being reintegrated and tell nightmare stories of life within the FDLR.

The undisputed fact is that the one month campaign registered more success than any other initiative, even the UN force there (MONUC) – which is the largest UN force yet shows itself incapable to make any progress in protecting Congolese or neutralizing aggressors. Even MONUC’s Public relations officer acknowledged the joint operation’s success related to unprecedented voluntary surrender of FDLR and freeing of populations held captive by FDLR. Indeed, it was reported that the local populations were welcoming of this joint mission’s efforts to rid their areas of the FDLR whose trademark is vicious rape, pillage and destruction.

Rwanda certainly did not abandon the mission – it had an agreed timeframe which was respected by both sides. That also was clearly reported in media so the comments in this article are false. A recent UN Security Council mission to Africa congratulated President Paul Kagame of Rwanda on the Umoja Wetu campaign, recognizing it as a milestone in both the r/ship between DRC and Rwanda, but also of African countries working together to solve their problems, especially when it is clear that foreign attempts at intervening have produced no tangible results.

The challenge of Kimia II is to build on the breakthroughs of Umoja and sustain the momentum and determination to rid DRC of the FDLR menace.

Readers must question why this author seems keen to misinform them.