{UAH} Mbu UN Forces ( TZ, SA, & Malawi) To Take Lead In Fighting M23

Subject: UN forces expected to "take lead" in fighting DRCongo rebels - Analyst

AF1-DRCONGO-REBELS
UN forces expected to "take lead" in fighting DRCongo rebels - Analyst

Text of report in English by Qatari government-funded news channel Al-Jazeera English TV on 27 August

[Interview via video link with Michael Amoah, political analyst specializing in African politics in London by Al Jazeera announcer Dareen Abu Ghaida on the "News Hour" programme - live]

　

　

[Announcer Dareen Abu Ghaida] Let's talk to Michael Amoah. Michael is a political analyst specializing in African politics joining us out of London. Michael, so we know that the new UN intervention brigade now has a stronger mandate. That happened on Thursday [22 August]. They are working closer with the Congolese Army, but who is taking the lead here? Is it the United Nations or the Congolese army to fight the M23 [March 23 Movement]?

[Amoah] Dareen, that is a very good question. I mean paragraph 12B of the Resolution 2098 that established the intervention brigade says that the brigade can jointly, or unilaterally, make their own moves. We know that the Congolese army have not been very effective in the past. So, we are actually expecting the intervention brigade to tactfully, or tactically, be in the lead.
It is not clear exactly why the Congolese Army is actually being allowed the current role that it is playing, because already it is making the mistake of shelling Rwandan positions and causing angst from the enemy.
And I think that the key decision here now will be how the intervention brigade decisively decides that perhaps the Congolese Army should stay in the background and allow the Tanzanian and South African forces to actually take the lead in dealing with the M23 rebels.

[Abu Ghaida] And can they take on the rebels, Michael?

[Amoah] Oh yes. The intervention brigade is 3,069 strong and are actually made up of an artillery section, special forces, as well as a reconnaissance section, and they are very well equipped to do the task. And I think that at the moment what is causing the problem is that, you know, the undisciplined Congolese Army has been sort of allowed to try and, you know, make some moves ahead of them, and that is causing the problem. But definitely the intervention brigade is very well equipped to do what it has been actually mandated to do. And for the first time within the history of MONUSCO [United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo] that the UN has gone to the length of actually setting up a resolution to allow MONUSCO to change its mandate to be able to deal with M23.

 And this is the time that the intervention brigade should actually be seen to be doing what it has been set up to do.

[Abu Ghaida] But certainly, Michael, people there feel that the United Nations has not done enough to protect them, but it is a very complicated situation with the rebels, with the M23 rebels, because a lot of them in fact are made up of Congolese soldiers?

[Amoah] Yes, that is precisely the reason why the Congolese Army should not be taking the lead in this particular advance, because otherwise Rwanda thinks that the Congolese army is actually fighting Rwanda. Whereas, you know, if the Tanzanian, and South African, and Malawian Forces, who actually constitute the intervention brigade, are actually dealing with things then that looks better on the ground.

Apart from that there is historical, you know, things. The historical animosity between Rwanda and Congo for which reason the intervention brigade has to be seen to be actually acting without the involvement of the Congolese Forces.

[Abu Ghaida] Okay, Michael. Good to talk to you. Thank you. That is Michael Amoah speaking to us out of London.

　

Source: Al Jazeera English, Doha, in English 1038 gmt 27 Aug 13

BBC Mon AF1 AFEauwaf 270813 or

　

_____________________________________________________________________________________________