Yesterday Nkunda again threatened war. It’s a credible threat: Nkunda has a strong grip on North Kivu; some government troops have abandoned their positions and are instead looting the local population; MONUC’s internal reports document government troops switching sides; the country is frustrated by the government’s failure to deliver on its election promises; the population of Kinshasa and the west is increasingly vocal in its anger that money is now being redirected to fund the war in the east; and the UN peacekeeping mission in North Kivu is fundamentally flawed.
Indian troops make up 95% of the peacekeeping troops in North Kivu; the least diverse peacekeeping contingent in all DRC’s provinces. It’s a reflection of how hard it is for the UN to secure troop contributions from the international community for the peacekeeping mission in North Kivu. Which means the UN is more wary about raising grievances with the contributing government and the mission is exposed to significant risks.
According to sources within MONUC, the Indian troops are fully equipped but spend most of their time barricaded in their barracks. The soldiers themselves see no reason to put their life on the line for the people of North Kivu; they have no empathy for the Congolese. The Indian government are similarly reluctant to fulfil the role and responsibilities of their lucrative mission, perhaps fearful of the public outcry if there are casualties.
Instead the Indian troops are trading the arms they have recovered in the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration process for minerals provided by Nkunda’s forces. Witnesses report that Indian troops have been using UN helicopters to fly arms into rebel held territory at night and take minerals out.
The UN and Congolese government have no recourse when there receive these reports. Or reports of Indian troops sexually exploiting girls and women. The command and control structures, and their dependence on these peacekeepers, mean they are unable to hold them to account and secure improvements.
However, when the UN approved the deployment of an additional 3,000 peacekeeping troops for the Kivus, and the Indian government offered to deploy 1,000 of these additional peacekeeping troops, the Congolese government sent a formal letter to Delhi declining the offer.
Indian troops make up 95% of the peacekeeping troops in North Kivu; the least diverse peacekeeping contingent in all DRC’s provinces. It’s a reflection of how hard it is for the UN to secure troop contributions from the international community for the peacekeeping mission in North Kivu. Which means the UN is more wary about raising grievances with the contributing government and the mission is exposed to significant risks.
According to sources within MONUC, the Indian troops are fully equipped but spend most of their time barricaded in their barracks. The soldiers themselves see no reason to put their life on the line for the people of North Kivu; they have no empathy for the Congolese. The Indian government are similarly reluctant to fulfil the role and responsibilities of their lucrative mission, perhaps fearful of the public outcry if there are casualties.
Instead the Indian troops are trading the arms they have recovered in the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration process for minerals provided by Nkunda’s forces. Witnesses report that Indian troops have been using UN helicopters to fly arms into rebel held territory at night and take minerals out.
The UN and Congolese government have no recourse when there receive these reports. Or reports of Indian troops sexually exploiting girls and women. The command and control structures, and their dependence on these peacekeepers, mean they are unable to hold them to account and secure improvements.
However, when the UN approved the deployment of an additional 3,000 peacekeeping troops for the Kivus, and the Indian government offered to deploy 1,000 of these additional peacekeeping troops, the Congolese government sent a formal letter to Delhi declining the offer.
Worldwide, peacekeeping missions are flawed by similar issues. The solution? Perhaps recruiting a permanent peacekeeping force, that is committed to the peacekeeping mission.
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