OWN CORRESPONDENT, New York | Saturday 8.00pm.
UN chief Kofi Annan on Friday informed the UN Security Council that “thousands” of UN troops and personnel would be required to implement a ceasefire deal in Democratic Republic of Congo.
But in a report to the council which warned of the risks involved, Annan said that he would only seek authorization for specific numbers of peacekeeping troops “once I have carefully reviewed the situation on the ground” following a report by a survey team.
He urged Congolese rebel factions which did not sign the peace deal on Saturday to do so.
The ceasefire was signed in Lusaka, Zambia, by the six governments involved in the conflict — the DRC, Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe on the one side, and Rwanda and Uganda on the side of DRC rebels.
But it was not signed by the rebels themselves because of a leadership wrangle within the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD).
Annan called on the 15-member council to immediately authorize the deployment of “up to 90” UN military personnel, together with civilian political, humanitarian and administrative staff, to the central African region.
He also said that he intended to deploy “as a second stage” 500 military observers in Democratic Republic of Congo, and possibly in other states involved in the conflict.
Annan struck a cautious note in the report as he warned the Security Council of the numerous risks in deploying a peacekeeping force in the sprawling central African country.
He noted that the peace accord provided for the United Nations to disarm Hutu rebels from the former Rwandan government and other armed groups, pointing out that the peace accord provided for the “tracking down” of the militias.
He notably referred to the size of the country, the degradation of its infrastructure, the intensity of the climate, the intractable nature of some aspects of the conflict, the number of parties, the high levels of mutual suspicion and the displacement of an estimated 700000 people within the country.
He also highlighted the free availability of small arms, “the general climate of impunity,” and the use of armed force as a substitute for the rule of law in the former Zaire.
Diplomats say Annan could eventually call for a force of some 15000-20000 soldiers. They would be deployed as foreign forces begin withdrawal from DRC under the peace pact.
US officials acknowledge that two weeks must elapse before the US delegation can approve the dispatch of any military observers by the Security Council.
In the light of the US debacle in Somalia in the early 1990s, the US Congress now insists on a two-week delay before authorizing UN missions, even if no US troops are involved. — AFP