Editor,

Reference is made to the article, "UK calls on regional countries to support FDLR disbandment” (The New Times, January 10).

I’m sometimes at a loss of words when diplomacy negates the truth.

Honestly, should we expect any serious intervention or action with South Africa and Tanzania in the lead in as far neutralising FDLR is concerned? Do we really need microscopic lenses to tell that they are part and parcel of the negative forces by design?

Bob Kirenga

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Bravo to the Angolan Government for cancelling the unnecessary umpteenth talking shop convened by Jacob Zuma, the South African President, as SADC security and defence organ chair, on 15th this month allegedly to discuss what to do now that the FDLR génocidaires have shown they have no intention to voluntarily disband. The time for talking ended long ago. Time for action is now.

However, as long as initiating military action to disarm and disband the genocidal FDLR is conditioned on DR Congo President Joseph Kabila giving the go-ahead and the military action itself supposed to be undertaken by the FARDC, Monusco or the Tanzanian and South African-dominated FIB, there is almost certainly no likelihood of effective military action to dismantle this band of genocidal murderers.

President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania and his government have made it clear they look very kindly at these génocidaires and are prepared to give them diplomatic and political support. Zuma and his government are less vocally supportive of the genocidal FDLR, but are allied to the FDLR’s RNC allies whose senior leadership Pretoria hosts. The FARDC is heavily infested with members of the FDLR and will therefore not take any serious action against a group from which they draw their most motivated, and arguably most effective, shock troops.

As for the rest of Monusco, well, enough said: President Museveni described them best—they are no more than military tourists.

In view of the refusal, reluctance or inability of the current forces in eastern DRC to tackle and militarily disband the genocidal FDLR, those forces should get out of the way and let other more motivated and capable contingents from the region undertake the task.

And certainly, the UN Security Council should not be extending the mandate of the Monusco-FIB contingents that have either demonstrated their incompetence, inability or lack of interest in executing the Council’s mandate to eliminate the FDLR menace from eastern DR Congo.

Any likelihood of this as long as France holds the UN Security Council pen for the Great Lakes of Africa or Mr. Hervé Ladsous of France is in charge of UN peacekeeping? We should not be too hopeful, even though we might yet be pleasantly surprised.

Mwene Kalinda