By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, November 6 -- After the UN Security Council met Wednesday behind closed doors about the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Inner City Press asked French Ambassador Gerard Araud if France expects the DRC to go forward and sign an agreement or accord with the M23.
Araud replied that the DRC is now hesitating, but told Inner City Press to ask the UN and its peacekeeping mission. Minutes earlier, UN spokesperson Farhan Haq told Inner City Press the UN still expects an agreement to be signed. So which is it?
Meanwhile while Araud at the stakeout said that there was agreement that the UN Mission MONUSCO must now go after the FDLR militia, sources in the meeting tell Inner City Press that some tried to mix the FDLR in with other militias like the Mai Mai. The FDLR should be second, they said. It seems some others do not agree.
Inner City Press asked the DRC Permanent Representative about the 135 rapes in Minova by the Congolese Army, Battalions 41 and the US-trained 391st Battalion. He replied that MONUSCO is reporting on these -- in fact, the UN has repeatedly told Inner City Press to "ask the Congolese authorities," as it tried on Wednesday.
Inner City Press followed up, it has been almost a year since the rapes, last November 20. The DRC Permanent Representative said the case is ongoing. We'll see.
Araud said if the UN Force Intervention Brigade in DRC is a test of a new approach for UN Peacekeeping, this should be reviewed, perhaps at a retreat. Next stop would seem to be Mali, where France insists it will leave in January, leaving the UN's MINUSMA behind.
For a longer analysis of this trend in UN Peacekeeping by this author, on BeaconReader.com, click here.
