The Ugandan libertarian journalist opines: "It may be politically convenient for elites in Kinshasa to bury their heads in the sand and blame their country’s woes on meddlesome neighbors. It is also appealing for human rights groups and mass media to present the problem of Congo as one of external interference. But seeking external scapegoats is not a formula for success. For those interested in helping Congo out of its crisis, the first objective should be to help Kinshasa build a functional state; a state that can perform basic tasks like ensuring law and order and the protection of individual life and property. In this endeavor, Congo would need the help of Uganda, Rwanda and its other neighbours."
He continues his commentary: "Without rebuilding the capabilities of the Congolese state, there is very little diplomatic engineering and political blame-game that can stop widespread atrocities against innocent civilians. Indeed, the main cause of atrocities in most of Congo is the lack of discipline among the armed forces. This is partly because the army in Congo is a collection of many militias. The central government often negotiates a truce with a militia controlling a given territory and integrates them into its army. But such agreements (as the one with the M23) have proved tenuous because Kinshasa often fails to keep its part of the bargain. And in mineral rich regions, the militias may do better retaining territorial control than ceding power to Kinshasa. Thus, these alliances keep changing, thereby causing uncertainty and violence."
Andrew Mwenda Op-Ed: Dealing With The Congo Question
