UN Peacekeeping Forces Begin Their Departure from the Tense Eastern Region of DR Congo
The United Nations (UN) initiated the withdrawal of its peacekeeping forces from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Wednesday. This move signifies the end of the UN’s 25-year long presence in the African nation which is currently experiencing an escalation of violence in its eastern regions.
The Genesis of the Withdrawal
The call for the removal of the remaining 13,500 troops and 2,000 police from the regions bordering Rwanda and Burundi was made by the DRC, despite the international anxiety over the violence perpetrated by armed factions.
The decision for the UN forces to leave comes at a time when thousands of civilians are being displaced due to intense combat between the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) and the M23 rebel group in North Kivu, a province in the country that has been afflicted with strife in recent weeks. Since January, the conflict has led to the death of dozens and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of individuals.
A Glance Back at the UN’s Presence in DRC
The UN’s stabilization mission in the DRC, known as MONUSCO, was established in 1999 with the objective to cease the second DRC war. This war drew local forces backed by Angola, Namibia, and Zimbabwe into a conflict against armed groups that were supported by Uganda and Rwanda.
At the height of the mission, there were 20,000 UN troops stationed in the country. According to the data released by the UN, more than 270 MONUSCO peacekeepers have lost their lives during this mission.
Criticisms and Accusations
The UN force has been repeatedly accused by Kinshasa, the capital of DRC, of failing to safeguard civilians from the armed factions that have been causing turmoil in the eastern part of the country for the past 30 years.
The series of conflicts since the 1990s have resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths. The DRC’s Foreign Minister, Christophe Lutundula, has expressed his desire for the withdrawal to be completed by the end of this year. However, the UN Security Council has not yet set a definitive date.
The troops are stationed in the provinces of Ituri, South Kivu, and North Kivu, which have been the most affected over the decades. Approximately six million people have been killed and an equal number displaced since 1996.
The Phased Withdrawal
The withdrawal is set to be carried out in three phases. The first phase will see the departure of peacekeepers from 14 bases in South Kivu by the end of April. The next phases will follow, involving troops in North Kivu and Ituri.
The UN, Kinshasa, and Western countries have accused Rwanda of providing support to the M23 group, which has been advancing on Goma in recent weeks. Rwanda has denied any involvement.
The Aftermath of the Withdrawal
Concerns have been raised by some local people about a potential security vacuum following the criticism of the UN troops for their inability to protect civilians in the mineral-rich eastern region.
The UN has insisted that the DRC’s security forces must be reinforced and take care of the civilian population at the same time as MONUSCO withdraws.
