Masisi meanders…
It has been relatively quiet again for a couple of months in North Kivu’s Masisi territory – at least considering the frequency and amount of reports and news out in the wires. But as often before, this goes without prejudice to the fact Masisi remains sort of an epicentre in over two decades of cyclical … Continue reading
The never-ending FDLR casse-tête
A few days ago, a so-called ‘midterm review’ on the FDLR demobilisation imbroglio was due. In his latest report on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon underlined that ever since the two waves of voluntary surrender in late May/early June 2014 no more serious action was observed on the side of … Continue reading
28 North Kivu civil society organisations reply to the Open Letter
Please find below, in French, a reply to the earlier published open letter on so-called conflict minerals. It was co-ordinated by Prince Kihangi, a well-respected and experienced expert and signed by 27 other representatives. While we do not agree with all points raised and refute certain allegations, we are immensely pleased to see a further … Continue reading
Reshuffle in the Congolese army – cui bono?
On September 18, DRC’s president Joseph Kabila – shortly before heading off to the 69th session of the UN general assembly – finally announced a major round of rotations with the Forces Armés de la République Démocratique du Congo (FARDC), the country’s national army. This reshuffle features a few remarkable changes, both in personnel and … Continue reading
Peaceland – A review of Séverine Autesserre’s latest book
Peaceland – Conflict Resolution and the Everyday Politics of International Intervention A review of Séverine Autesserre’s newly published book Recently, a Congolese friend of mine taught me how to use condoms to clean your shoes before going out. On average, it takes three condoms per shoe and you come out classy within a few minutes. … Continue reading
‘Conflict Minerals’ – An Open Letter
Over a few months, we have been working on de-mystifying the discourses on so-called “conflict minerals” in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and to constructively but critically assess the policy response these discourses have provoked so far. The outcome is a letter signed by 70 Congolese and international observers. In the following paragraphs, first published with … Continue reading
Trouble all over – where is Raia Mutomboki heading to?
Later this year, I am going to have a peer-reviewed article in the Annuaire des Grand Lacs, but the situation on the ground develops as quickly and unexpectedly that it asks for a current overview. In particular the set-up of this ‘franchise’ (as Jason Stearns coined it) presented in this paper will already be outdated … Continue reading
Third and revised mapping of armed actors in eastern DRC
With a slight delay, a new version of the armed actors mapping has now been launched and can be found here & here respectively. At a first glance, it does not entail major changes, but a closer look shows how recent military operations (especially those involving MONUSCO’s Force Intervention Brigade) have impacted on the region’s conflict landscape. … Continue reading
Annual Salaam Kivu International Film Festival (SKIFF) takes on its 9th edition
Guest Blog by Gaius Kowene and Timo Mueller The 9th edition of the Salaam Kivu International Film Festival (SKIFF) will take place in Goma, in the east of Congo from 4-13 July. SKIFF is a 10-day festival that regularly brings together over 14,000 people from around the globe. Through workshops, community discussions, film screenings and debates SKIFF provides … Continue reading
MONUSCO’s Force Intervention Brigade: un état des lieux
Roughly 16 months ago (in March 2013), the United Nations has strengthened its peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo – MONUSCO – with a robust force to “neutralise armed groups”. In sequence to waves of criticism MONUSCO has experienced for its passive stance during the capture of Goma by M23 troops, the … Continue reading
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