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UN 'failing' in Congo rebel fight Congo rebel offensive 'failing'
(about 1 hour later)
UN-backed operations against rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have failed, a leaked report says.UN-backed operations against rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have failed, a leaked report says.
The document, seen by the BBC, says Rwandan-Hutu rebels continue to receive arms supplies and recruit fighters. The document, seen by the BBC, says mineral resources are being plundered with impunity and there has been a new surge of rapes and killings.
It says the UN, fighting alongside Congolese government troops, has failed to halt the illegal mineral trade and has inflamed the humanitarian crisis. It says UN forces supporting Congolese government troops have failed to stop supply lines to Rwandan-Hutu rebels.
The report was written by a group of experts mandated by the UN to look into violations of an arms embargo. The report, written by UN-mandated experts, will be discussed by the Security Council later.
The Security Council is due to discuss the findings later. The BBC's East Africa correspondent Peter Greste says in many ways the report vindicates rights groups who have been criticising the Congolese government offensive against the rebels, known as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).
Jason Stearns, a DR Congo analyst, called them "astounding". 'Crisis made worse'
The UN has actively supported the operation as a way of stopping one of the most feared militias in a very bad neighbourhood, our correspondent says.
But the leaked report says: "Military operations have not succeeded in neutralising the FDLR and have exacerbated the humanitarian crisis."
Jason Stearns, a DR Congo analyst, called the conclusions of the report "astounding".
He told the BBC's Network Africa programme the group had concluded there was a "complete lack of transparency" in the mineral trade in DR Congo.He told the BBC's Network Africa programme the group had concluded there was a "complete lack of transparency" in the mineral trade in DR Congo.
"This allows many actors to continue to buy tin and gold from areas controlled by rebel groups - thereby financing these rebels groups," he said."This allows many actors to continue to buy tin and gold from areas controlled by rebel groups - thereby financing these rebels groups," he said.
"They have implicated some of the most important gold dealers in DR Congo, in Burundi and in Rwanda - these are very high level officials involved in this.""They have implicated some of the most important gold dealers in DR Congo, in Burundi and in Rwanda - these are very high level officials involved in this."
'Terminator' at large'Terminator' at large
The report states that the UN-backed military operation against Rwandan-Hutu rebels has failed to dismantle the organisation's political and military structure. The report says FDLR rebels - some of whose leaders were involved in the Rwandan genocide - have been able to use vast international networks to bolster their supply of arms and recruit extra soldiers.
Instead, these rebels - some of whose leaders were involved in the Rwandan genocide - have been able to use networks in Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania, and overseas in Europe and North America, to bolster their supply of arms and to recruit extra soldiers. And it says the Rwandan fighters are also supported by senior members of the Congolese military - the very people who are supposed to be fighting them.
The report says Rwandan fighters continue to enjoy support from senior members of the Congolese military who are supposed to be opposing them.
This militia, known as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), controls parts of the illegal trade in gold and tin, worth millions of dollars a year.
FDLR: Congo's multinational rebels Congo gold 'still funding' rebels In pictures: Behind rebel linesFDLR: Congo's multinational rebels Congo gold 'still funding' rebels In pictures: Behind rebel lines
The report says that former Rwandan-backed Congolese Tutsi rebels are operating as a parallel armed group, despite integrating with the national army. It says the Congolese army has factions within it operating effectively as separate militias.
It adds that they have expanded their influence throughout the region under the command of Bosco Ntaganda, and unleashed a wave of killings, rapes and looting within the framework of the military operation. One such group, under the leadership of former warlord Gen Bosco Ntaganda, has expanded its influence since the military operation began earlier this year and unleashed a wave of killings, rapes and looting.
Known as "the Terminator", Gen Ntaganda is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged forced enrolment of child soldiers in 2002-2003. Gen Ntaganda, known as "the Terminator", is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged forced enrolment of child soldiers in 2002-2003.
He formerly served in a Tutsi-dominated rebel militia, the Congress for the Defence of the People, but joined the national army at the beginning of this year. He formerly served in a militia known as the Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP) but joined the national army at the beginning of this year.
The report found that Gen Ntaganda's men were deployed in some of the region's most lucrative mining areas, which they now control.The report found that Gen Ntaganda's men were deployed in some of the region's most lucrative mining areas, which they now control.
The UN experts have found that some companies, already named in a report last year, continue to work against UN sanctions. The UN experts have found that some companies continue to work against UN sanctions and that significant amounts of gold are being trafficked throughout the region.
The report says that significant amounts of gold are being trafficked throughout the region, particularly through Uganda and Burundi and then sold to individuals in the United Arab Emirates. The report's authors also recognise that there may be a contradiction in the mandate of Monuc, the UN peacekeeping force in the DR Congo.
The Group of Experts recognises that there may well be a contradiction in the mandate of Monuc, the UN peacekeeping force in the DR Congo. It has to both protect civilians as well as back a military operation that has aggravated a humanitarian crisis.
They say it has to both protect civilians as well as back a military operation that has aggravated the humanitarian situation in eastern Congo.