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| Rwakakamba |
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is rich and for some, war is a means to wealth. For example, the
coltan reserves in Congo constitute 80% of the world’s coltan, 60% of its
cobalt and provides higher grade copper to the world. Many sources have graded
DRC’s mineral net worth at around $ 15 trillion - $1 trillion bigger than the
GDP of the United States of America. The war in Congo is cooked in backyards of
global war entrepreneurs- and these entrepreneurs must be reined in if we are
to ever have a peaceful Congo and a prosperous Africa. Therefore, to accuse,
isolate, mudsling and sanction some African Countries is to really miss the
point.
But we must begin by identifying, speaking out and reprimanding
war entrepreneurs- who are safely decked in global capitals like New york,
London, Brussels, Beijing etc. These war merchants are in form of countries,
companies, aid groups, warlords and individuals. They are beneficiaries of
chaos and can only harvest gold, uranium, timber and other resources in
situations of war. Because of war they dig minerals free of charge and continue
to facilitate black market and prodding kangaroo economies around the world. In
fact various reports by United Nations (UN) panel of experts found that 85
global companies had violated international norms, including the Guidelines for
Multinational Enterprises promulgated by the Paris-based Organization of
Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in connection with their purchase
of key natural resources from parties engaged in fighting in the DRC. The
reports called on governments to place financial restrictions on 29 of the
companies and impose travel restrictions and other sanctions against more than
50 specific individuals. Of the 85 companies
named in the October 2002 report of UN experts, eight, including Cabot
Corporation, Eagle Wings Resources International, Trinitech International,
Kemet Electronics Corporation, OM Group (OMG); and Vishay Sprague, are United States
of America owned. But nay- no action has ever been taken by countries
where most these companies come from. What happened to the January, 2003 Security Council resolution that strongly
condemned the illegal exploitation of natural resources in the DRC and demanded
that all governments act immediately to end business engineered abuses?
Because of the foregoing,
by 2012 over 7.4 million people have died since 2008 in DRC.– The Human Security Report
Project of Simon Fraser University has contested the
foregoing toll of war-related deaths but the consensus is that Congo
remains a never-ending menace, one of
the bloodiest conflicts since World War II. The story of DRC remains
a story of pain, agony, squander, squalid livelihoods, warlordsim, huge
external debt, jungle, international action etc. Why should the people of Congo
and entire Africa accept this?
It’s time for a concert of
Africa that underpins autonomy in management of its own affairs. The issue of
an African organized and financed standby army/force is now. The time for
Trans-boundary infrastructure projects that link the continent and deepen
social economic integration is now. The time for an African joint stock market
is now. From the Example of African Development Bank, we have seen the waning
influence of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund on the
Continent. Therefore, we can do this.
President Joseph Kabila
should therefore disentangle his country from the jungle of global mineral
vendors, savvy mercantilists and Eurocentric diplomacy and embrace efforts of
African Union and The International Conference on the Great Lakes Region
(ICGLR) to find lasting solution for peace in his country. African countries
have continued to show goodwill and brotherhood to DRC and its people. Millions
of refugees are scattered across the African Continent. It the African
continent that has honest vested interests in the Democratic Republic of Congo-
period
Morrison Rwakakamba
Special Presidential Assistant – Research and Information
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