By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, September 23 -- When Mary Robinson, now UN envoy on the Great Lakes, took four questions at the UN on Monday, Inner City Press asked her why the UN Mission MONUSCO continued to provide support to Congolese Army units implicated in 135 rapes in Minova in November. Video here, from Minute 5:54.
Seemingly in criticism of what has come before, Robinson answered that there will now be stricter implementation of zero tolerance. But what about accountability?
Already UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous, with a long history in the Great Lakes including arguing for the escape of Rwanda genocidaires into Eastern Congo, has seemed exhilarated by the M23 rebels "licking the wounds." Robinson may have caught this disease -- she bragged how Goma residents were now happy with MONUSCO.
Many in Sri Lanka, for example, would have been happy in the UN came in and killed their perceived enemies. But is that the UN's role?
Robinson's stakeout ended with Inner City Press asking, "What about the shelling of Rwanda?" Video here, at 11:13. Robinson did not answer the question.
Asked by the FDLR, Robinson said the UN would get around to them. But this stage has not. When US envoy Russ Feingold was recently interviewed by France 24, he said that going after FDLR is imperative for the UN's credibility. Martin Kobler has told Inner City Press that it will happen. But when?
The UN Security Council scheduled a trip in early October to the region. Inner City Press was first to report on it. But when Inner City Press inquired and applied to go on the trip as it went in 2010, this time the answer was no - and that it was France which was allowed to make the decision, as the "pen holder" on DRC. This is why the UN is not seen as, and is not, impartial. Watch this site.
