For the last couple of months, the Great Lakes Region has been the theatre of a series of international diplomatic shuttles. The world suddenly woke up to the fact that in order to silence the gunfire in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and quell the wails of hundreds of thousands, meaningful and urgent action was needed. The first consensus was to neutralise all armed groups as a requisite for putting the DRC back on its feet again. The UN-backed intervention brigade (Malawi, South Africa and Tanzania) backed by Italian drones, helped the DRC army dislodge and disband one of the main armed groups, the M23. Next in the crosshairs were supposed to be the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), the Ugandan ADF-NALU, Burundian FNL and over 30 smaller Mayi Mayi outfits. But nothing happened. But why should one be surprised? Reports are rife of an opposition coalition (that includes the FDLR) meeting in one of the countries supposed to be part of the UN forces hunting down FDLR. Their agenda, in their own words, is to bring down the Rwandan government by force of arms. Therein lies the reasons behind the lack of willingness to pursue the FDLR and other negative forces in the DRC. The region will only see peace if everyone honours their part of the bargain instead of some falling under the spell of pyromaniacs who also happen to be the ones driving the fire truck.
