BRIEFING

16 – 22 May 2013

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EDITORIAL

This week has seen much action on the ground with the resumption of hostilities between the Congolese army and the M23 in Mutaho, 10 km from Goma, North Kivu. Three days of fighting, which commenced on Monday morning, have so far culminated in 4 deaths and many wounded as shells hit suburbs of Goma during heavy fighting between the two forces. Both parties have claimed the other attacked first and reports of military causalities have so far been contested.

Earlier on in the week rebel attacks on civilians had been reported in Mpeti, whilst the final death toll of last week’s clashes between the FARDC and Mai-Mai in Beni were confirmed at 40. Congolese troops are reported to have dislodged newly formed FDDH rebels and Nyatura militia from Mbuyi and Kashanje hills. Meanwhile, Ugandan ADF-NALU fighters have been causing displacement through their activities in Beni, and fears of potential clashes between the FARDC and the FDLR in Masisi territory are reported. In Province Orientale the Congolese army have been accused of human rights abuses along Lake Albert.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and World Bank president, Jim Yong Kim, commenced their tour of the Great Lakes in Kinshasa this week. The start of the tour, which is expected to see the pair make a series of pledges to restore stability to the region, saw the announcement of a US$1 billion World bank investment package for the African Great Lakes. It was shortly preceded by the appointment of a new commander to head the UN’s MONUSCO force.

As the Central African Republic struggles to contain the violence that has erupted at the hands of Seleka rebels, the Economic Community of Central African States has decided to more than double its troop deployment to the troubled country.

Finally, the DRC has taken prominence in news regarding the natural resource sector with a North Kivu mine collapse killing at least 20 artisanal coltan miners and a date finally set for the commencement of the construction of the controversial Great Inga Dam

 

Arms Trade and Security in the Great Lakes Region

Recent news on conflict, security and arms trade across the Great Lakes Region. 
Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)

USA Shows Strong Support for New Global Arms Trade Treaty | 16 May 2013 | Amnesty International | allAfrica
A senior US diplomat has said his government will be quick to sign the new Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), a move Amnesty International said raises hopes for swift implementation of the potentially lifesaving treaty around the world.

Traité sur le commerce des armes – La RDC doit poser des actes avant la cérémonie de signature de New York | 22 May 2013 | Le Potentiel | allAfrica
Le 3 juin 2013, à New York (Etats-Unis), les Nations unies organisent une importante cérémonie de signature du Traité sur le commerce des armes (TCA). Cérémonie qui représente une occasion en or pour une entrée en vigueur rapide du TCA après la date du 3 juin 2013. L’objectif de la coalition « Contrôler les armes », que relaie l’ONG « Femmes des médias pour la justice au Congo », est d’obtenir un minimum de 100 signatures des Etats, ce qui est bien au-delà du seuil d’au moins 50 signatures pour que le TCA soit mis en œuvre, selon les prescrits du texte.

Lancement en RDC de la campagne de sensibilisation sur le TCA | 22 May 2013 | Digitalcongo.net
Adopté au mois d’avril dernier par les Etats membres de Nations Unies, le Traité sur les Commerces des Armes (Tca) va être ouvert aux états, le 3 juin 2013 prochain, pour sa signature au siège de l’Onu à New York.

Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA)

Kony’s LRA has killed more than 100,000: UN | 20 May 2013 | AFP | Reliefweb
La sanguinaire LRA de Joseph Kony a tué plus de 100.000 personnes (ONU) | 20 May 2013 | AFP | Reliefweb
The Lord’s Resistance Army has killed more than 100,000 people during a reign of terror in Central Africa over the past 25 years, UN leader Ban Ki-moon said Monday.
The guerrilla group led by Joseph Kony, whose global notoriety was increased by the Invisible Children Internet video, is also blamed for the abduction of between 60,000 and 100,000 children and the displacement of 2.5 million people.

Poaching in Central Africa

Libya war weapons may be killing central Africa elephants : UN | 20 May 2013 | Reuters
Armed groups in central Africa are using powerful weapons, some of which may be left over from the civil war in Libya, to kill elephants for their ivory, the United Nations said on Monday.

DRC

Commentary on security in eastern DRC

What next in Kampala? | 17 May 2013 | Congo Siasa
News in the Congo has been surprisingly M23-deficient in the past few days. A group of Mai-Mai attacked Beni yesterday, killing several Congolese army officers (although their commander Hilaire has links well- to the M23); Kinshasa prepares for the visit of the United Nations Secretary-General and the head of the World Bank next week; and the country awaits a new head of the election commission (Appollinaire Malu Malu is the favorite, but his Catholic church seems opposed).

Ban Ki Moon and Jim Yong Kim (World Bank) Tour of the Great Lakes

Grands Lacs : la paix et la stabilité « dépendront des dirigeants de la région » | 17 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim to Make Historic Joint Visit to Africa’s Great Lakes Region May 22-24 | 20 May 2013 | UN, World Bank | Reliefweb
In Africa’s Great Lakes Region, Peace Dividend Must Follow Peace Deal | 20 May 2013 | World Bank | allAfrica
Ban Ki-Moon est arrivé à Kinshasa | 22 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
Ban Ki-Moon appelle le peuple congolais à ne pas renoncer à l’espoir | 22 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
Pacification de l’Est de la RDC : Ban Ki-Moon se dit optimiste | 22 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
On joint visit to DR Congo, UN and World Bank chiefs voice support for latest peace effort | 22 May 2013 | UN News Centre
À Kinshasa, Ban exhorte à traduire en actes les nouvelles perspectives de paix en RDC | 22 May 2013 | UN News Centre
Ban Ki-moon promet un engagement soutenu pour résoudre la crise en RDC | 22 May 2013 | RFI
UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, has stated that he is optimistic about the pacification of eastern DRC. Following his meeting with Joseph Kabila, Bank Ki-Moon stated that “the time has come to address the root causes of conflict in order to provide a solid foundation for economic and social development.” He was accompanied by the President of the World Bank, Jim Yong Kim as the pair began their tour of the Great Lakes Region in Kinshasa. They are expected to offer the leaders of these countries a series of commitments aimed at accelerating the development and consolidation of peace in the region.

World Bank Announces US$1 Billion Pledge to Africa’s Great Lakes Region, Targeting Energy, Roads, Agriculture, Cross-Border Trade, Health, and Jobs | 22 May 2013 | World Bank
World Bank pledges $1 billion to aid peace in Africa’s Great Lakes | 22 May 2013 | Reuters
World Bank Pledges $1 Billion for African Great Lakes Region | 22 May 2013 | Bloomberg
On the first day of an historic joint United Nations/World Bank Group mission to the Great Lakes region, the World Bank Group announced $1 billion in proposed new funding to help countries in the region provide better health and education services, generate more cross-border trade, and fund hydroelectricity projects in support of the Great Lakes peace agreement that was signed by 11 countries in February.

RDC : le M23 prêt pour une trêve « pour faciliter » la visite de Ban Ki-Moon à Goma | 22 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
RDCongo : la rébellion du M23 prête à une “cessation immédiate des hostilités” | 22 May 2013 | AFP | Reliefweb
FR: La rébellion du Mouvement du 23 mars (M23) s’est déclarée mercredi prête à “une cessation immédiate des hostilités” avec l’armée afin de faciliter la visite du secrétaire général de l’ONU Ban Ki-moon à Goma, dans l’est de la République démocratique du Congo. ENG: The M23 has said that it is ready to immediately cease hostilities against the Congolese army to facilitate the visit of the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon in Goma (North Kivu). It has demanded that the truce be formalized by a cease-fire signed by both parties, and for the resumption of the Kampala talks to reach an agreement that will give Congolese “true peace”.

UN Force Must Speedily Deploy in Eastern DR Congo – Ban | 22 May 2013 | New Vision | allAfrica
The deployment of a rapid UN intervention force in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo should be speeded up in view of this week’s fresh unrest, UN chief Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday.

UN Envoy for Great Lakes Region

Mary Robinson’s Next Steps to Help End Congo’s Deadly War | 16 May 2013 | Enough Project
Peace has a better chance to take root in eastern Congo now than at any time since the cycle of conflict began in the early to mid-1990s. This report analyzes the factors that contribute to the unique role the U.N. special envoy Mary Robinson can play in establishing a more comprehensive and inclusive peace process that addresses the core drivers of violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

UN envoy proposes set of principles to guide peace efforts in DR Congo | 21 May 2013 | UN News Centre
RDC : L’envoyée spéciale de l’ONU propose des principes de sortie de crise dans l’est du pays | 21 May 2013 | UN News Centre
The United Nations Envoy for Africa’s Great Lakes Region today proposed a set of principles to guide immediate peace efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while voicing concerns over renewed fighting in the eastern part of the country.

Mary Robinson se dit préoccupée par la reprise des combats dans l’Est de la RDC | 22 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
The Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General for the Great Lakes region, Mary Robinson, met in Kinshasa, with members of civil society, women’s organizations and political parties on Tuesday and stated that she was very concerned about the renewed fighting between the M23 and the Congolese military.

Security, arms and poaching in eastern DRC

The (LRA) Conflict: Beyond The LRA Lobby & The Hunt For Kony… And Towards Civilian Protection | 17 May 2013 | African Arguments
Article stating that the fight against the LRA has led to a strong militarization of LRA-affected areas such as Garamba National Park, of which various armed actors are taking advantage. These are not only Congolese soldiers, but also armed poachers and bandits.

Province Orientale : 2 personnes tuées dans un accrochage à Dungu | 21 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
FR: Deux personnes ont été tuées et une autre blessée par balle, samedi 18 mai, dans un accrochage entre les gardes du parc National de la Garamba en territoire de Dungu (Province Orientale) et des hommes armés non identifiés. Selon le bataillon marocain de la Monusco basé à Dungu, les gardes-parcs qui effectuaient une patrouille de routine auraient découvert le corps d’un éléphant tué dans le parc. ENG: Two people were killed and another injured by a bullet Saturday, May 18, in a clash between guards at Garamba National Park in Dungu (Eastern Province) and unidentified gunmen. According to the Moroccan  MONUSCO battalion based in Dungu, the park wardens were conducting a routine patrol and discovered the body of an elephant killed in the park and went to investigate.

New MONUSCO military commander

Secretary-General Appoints Lieutenant General Carlos Alberto dos Santos Cruz of Brazil Force Commander for UN Mission in Democratic Republic of Congo | 17 May 2013 | UN Secretary-General | Reliefweb
Ban Ki-moon nomme le général brésilien Santos Cruz commandant des forces de la Monusco | 17 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, announced the appointment of Lieutenant General Carlos Alberto Dos Santos Cruz of Brazil as Force Commander for the UN Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO). The Brazilian military officer succeeds Indian General Chander Prakash who completed his term on 31 March 2013.

Province Orientale

Province Orientale : les militaires accusés de violations de droits de l’Homme à Mahagi | 18 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
Military Naval Forces were responsible for more than eight cases of murder by gunfire, two rapes and forced marriages, and several cases of extortion and arbitrary arrest from 2010 to 2013 in Mahagi. Civil Society has identified these human rights violations in a report released on Thursday, 16 May. These abuses were committed along Lake Albert in the chiefdoms of Mokambo and Wagongo.

Province Orientale: les militaires quittent une carrière minière à Baye | 20 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
Dozens of soldiers were evacuated last week from a mining quarry in Baye in Bondo territory (Eastern Province). This decision was taken by the provincial government security investigation joint command and mission of the 9th Military Region after the murder, on Monday, May 6, of two miners by Congolese soldiers.

Province Orientale: les militaires quittent une carrière minière à Baye | 20 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
Dozens of soldiers were evacuated last week from a mining quarry in Baye in Bondo territory. This decision was taken by the provincial government security investigation joint command and mission of the 9th Military Region after the murder, on Monday, May 6, of two miners by Congolese soldiers.

Province Orientale : plus de 3 kilos de munitions ont été détruits à Buta | 21 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
The NGO Handicap International conducted the destruction of ammunition in the town of Buta in the northern city of Kisangani.

Province Orientale : 2 personnes tuées dans un accrochage à Dungu | 21 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
Two people were killed and another injured by a bullet Saturday, May 18, in a clash between guards at Garamba National Park in Dungu (Eastern Province) and unidentified gunmen. According to the Moroccan  MONUSCO battalion based in Dungu, the park wardens were conducting a routine patrol and discovered the body of an elephant killed in the park and went to investigate.

Province Orientale : Cobra Matata boycotte une rencontre avec le gouverneur Bamanisa | 22 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
The militia leader Cobra Matata did not attend a scheduled meeting on Tuesday, May 21, with the provincial governor Jean Bamanisa Bogoro, 25 km south of Bunia. The pair were to discuss how to reintegrate the militias Patriotic Resistance Force in Ituri (FRPI) into the army. The government delegation, which should continue its mission in other parts of the region, returned to Bunia without making a declaration.

North Kivu

Nord-Kivu: les activités reprennent à Beni au lendemain de l’attaque des miliciens | 16 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
Activities have returned to normal in Beni this Thursday, May 16, following an attack by militia against the city. Violent clashes killed forty eight Congolese soldiers and thirty-two militiamen, according to the spokesman for the Congolese government.

DR Congo clashes leave 40 dead: officials | 16 May 2013 | AFP | Reliefweb
Violent clashes between rebels and soldiers in the restive east of the Democratic Republic of Congo have left 40 people dead, government and military officials said Thursday. Fighting broke out between Mai-Mai militia and government troops on Wednesday in the town of Beni, some 250 kilometres (155 miles) north of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, Colonel Richard Bisamaza said.

Aid Group Condemns Attack on Civilians in Eastern DRC | 17 May 2013 | Voice of America
The medical aid group Doctors Without Borders, known by its French acronym MSF, has condemned a brutal attack on civilians living in Mpeti village in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.  MSF says frequent attacks by armed groups in the villages and towns of North Kivu province have made it difficult for the group to provide medical assistance.

Nord-Kivu: les localités de Ngite, Matukaka et Mukida se vident de leurs habitants | 17 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
The localities Ngite, Matukaka and Mukida in the area of ​​Beni-Mbau, north-east of Beni (North Kivu) have emptied of their populations over the last two days as people flee an upsurge in cases of abduction and activism by Ugandan ADF-NALU rebels.

Nord-Kivu : La police chassée de plusieurs localités de Kitchanga par les miliciens | 18 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
Militia from various armed groups have driven police from several localities near Kitchanga. During a meeting about local security on Friday, May 17, one  police leader said it was difficult for the police to work in some villages controlled by the armed groups. Civil Society has requested the involvement of the army to repel the militias from the villages.

Nord-Kivu: les FARDC ont délogé les miliciens de la localité de Mbuyi | 18 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
FARDC dislodged the militia, Forces for the Defence of Human Rights (FDDH) of Colonel Kasongo, from the Mbuyi and Kashanje hills towards Mwesso on Saturday, May 18. After an hour of fighting the army managed to repel the militiamen to the town of Bweru in Northwestern Mwesso and the Nyatura fled to Kinyana.

Nord-Kivu : des Maï-Maï menacent d’attaquer Lubero, selon la Société Civile | 19 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
Hundreds of Mai-Mai have been grouped in villages in Lubero territory (North Kivu) for five days, said local sources. The President of Civil Society in Lubero said that the militia had been preparing to attack several villages and Lubero town. The fifth sector commander of FARDC said he was not aware of this situation.

Nord-Kivu: le calme revient à Masisi après une opération de l’armée contre des miliciens | 19 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
Calm has returned to the localities of Mwesso, Busumba and around the city of Kitshanga in Masisi since Saturday, after people fled a “stalking operation launched earlier this week by the army against  militias”.

Nord-Kivu: affrontements entre FARDC et M23 au Nord de Goma | 20 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
Congo Rebels Clash With National Army Near Eastern City of Goma | 20 May 2013 | Bloomberg
Congo’s army clashes with rebels near Goma | 20 May 2013 | Reuters
DR Congo: UN voices concern as fighting resumes between Government and M23 forces | 20 May 2013 | UN News Centre
RDC : l’ONU préoccupée par la reprise des combats entre le M23 et les forces gouvernementales autour de Goma | 20 May 2013 | UN News Centre
Fresh Congo Fighting Threat to Regional Peace | 20 May 2013 | New Vision | allAfrica
FARDC and the M23 commenced fighting on Monday, May 20, in Mutaho, nearly 10 km north of the city of Goma. MONUSCO reports that nearly a thousand people who fled the fighting have fled to camps for displaced persons in Mugunga. The clashes on Monday morning are the first since the withdrawal of the M23 from Goma at the end of November 2012. FARDC used combat helicopters to bombard rebel fighters.

Nord-Kivu : le vice-gouverneur appelle la population au calme | 20 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
The vice-governor of the province of North Kivu, Feller Lutahichirwa, called for calm on Monday, reassuring that “the situation is under the control” of the FARDC after the clashes in the morning between the Congolese army and the M23 in Mutaho, 10 kilometers from the city of Goma.

Nord-Kivu: les notables de Kalembe redoutent des combats entre les FARDC et des miliciens | 21 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
Notables from Kalembe in Masisi have stated that they fear clashes between the Congolese military, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) militia and the Alliance of Patriots for a Free and Sovereign Congo (APCLS) cohabiting in this locality. Sources  indicate that both armed groups bear the same outfit as the Congolese military, which would create confusion on the part of local residents.

Nord-Kivu: nouveaux affrontements entre militaires et rebelles du M23 à Mutaho | 21 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
Congolese army, rebels clash for a second day, 19 dead | 21 May 2013 | Reuters
DR Congo fighting: Goma clashes ‘kill 19’ | 21 May 2013 | BBC Africa
RDC : affrontements au nord de Goma avant l’arrivée de Ban Ki-Moon | 21 May 2013 | Jeune Afrique
A Goma, la guerre attend Ban Ki-moon | 21 May 2013 | Le carnet de Colette Braeckman
Field Update: Goma’s Destiny | 21 May 2013 | Enough Project
Clashes between the M23 and the Congolese military resumed on Tuesday, May 21 in Mutaho. The spokesman of the Congolese army, Colonel Olivier Hamuli, confirmed the fighting and accused the rebels of attacking Congolese army positions in the town about ten kilometers from Goma. At least 19 people have been reported to have been killed.

Democratic Republic of Congo Army Fights Rebels for Second Day | 21 May 2013 | Bloomberg
Democratic Republic of Congo’s army fired mortars and used helicopter gunships against rebel targets near the eastern city of Goma for a second day, spokesmen for the rebels and the United Nations said.

Julien Paluku : « Le M23 veut faire douter la force internationale » | 21 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
The governor of North Kivu, Julien Paluku, said the M23 have resumed fighting in North Kivu to create doubt about the international brigade. Both sides in the clashes between the FARDC and the M23 accuse each other of attacking first.

RDC: les combats entre l’armée et le M23 ont fait 19 morts, selon le gouvernement | 21 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
The spokesman for the Congolese government, Lambert Mende, said on Tuesday, May 2, that fifteen M23 rebels have been killed and twenty-one others  wounded in the fighting against the FARDC in Mutaho. Four Congolese soldiers have also died in the clashes. Six others were injured. The M23 denies this report.

Nord-Kivu : les combats entre les FARDC et le M23 s’intensifient à Mutaho | 22 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
DRC: Shelling Kills Civilians in Goma | 22 May 2013 | Voice of America
Artillery lands in east Congo city, humanitarian camp | 22 May 2013 | Reuters
RDC: des obus tombent sur Goma | 22 May 2013 | BBC Afrique
RDC : arrivée de Ban Ki-moon en pleine reprise des combats au Kivu | 22 May 2013 | Jeune Afrique
The clashes between the FARDC and the M23 intensified on Wednesday, May 22, in Mutaho. Local sources report that the two sides are in clashes with heavy weapons and that the rebels are supported by tanks. Explosions of shells are heard in several peripheral areas of Goma, with rockets and artillery shells landing in the city just a day before UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is due to visit.

Goma: les activités tournent au ralenti à cause des combats à Mutaho | 22 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
Activities came to a standstill in Goma on Wednesday, May 22, due to intensified fighting between the FARDC and the M23 in Mutaho, a locality about 10 km north of the city. Sources say that many on-site nursery and primary schools did not work and that schools that had opened in the morning had sent students home a few hours later.

Nord-Kivu: des tirs d’obus ont fait 4 morts et 17 blessés à Goma | 22 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
The fighting between the FARDC and the M23 in Mutaho occasioned casualties in Goma on Wednesday, May 22. Hospital sources report four dead and seventeen wounded by shells that fell in the Ndosho and Mugunga neighborhoods.

Nord-Kivu: la société civile dénonce la présence des militaires rwandais aux côtés du M23 | 22 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
The vice president of civil society in North Kivu, Omar Kavota, has denounced the presence of Rwandan soldiers alongside the M23  in their clashes against the Congolese army since Monday. He states that more than three hundred people from the Rwandan army crossed the Gasizi border to join the M23.

Katanga

Katanga: return to Lubumbashi 30 children militia Bakata Katanga | 18 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
Thirty children from the Bakata Katanga militia that raided Lubumbashi on March 23, returned to the city on Friday to be greeted by the child protection section of UNICEF, and handed over to the NGO Comfort for reintegration.

Rwanda

Kagame in UK

Kagamé offensif à Londres et Oxford | 19 May 2013 | Jeune Afrique
Le chef de l’État rwandais, Paul Kagamé, était en visite à Londres et à l’université d’Oxford, samedi 18 mai. Au programme : messages offensifs et défense de sa politique, auprès de la diaspora mais aussi à destination de ses opposants.

Paul Kagame: I asked America to kill Congo rebel leader with drone | 19 May 2013 | The Guardian
In an exclusive interview with Chris McGreal in Kigali, Rwanda’s president denies backing an accused Congolese war criminal and says challenge to senior US official proves his innocence.

Is Kagame Africa’s Lincoln or a tyrant exploiting Rwanda’s tragic history? | 19 May 2013 | The Guardian
In the second part of his special report, Chris McGreal meets President Paul Kagame in Kigali – and finds him angry.

Rwanda’s Paul Kagame denounces UN force in DR Congo | 20 May 2013 | BBC Africa
Rwandan President Paul Kagame says the UN peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of Congo has “in some cases” made the situation worse.

Burundi

Armed attack

Two killed in ambush on Burundi bus: officials | 19 May 2013 | AFP | Reliefweb
Burundi: embuscade meurtrière près de Gatumba | 20 May 2013 | RFI
Two people were killed when a bus carrying 30 passengers was ambushed by armed men believed to be ex-rebels near Burundi’s capital Bujumbura, officials said Sunday. The bus was attacked Saturday near Gatumba on the outskirts of Bujumbura and close to the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, a local government official, Jean-Marie Mutabazi, told AFP.

CAR

Increase in troop deployment by Central African bloc

Regional force boosts troop numbers in Central African Republic | 18 May 2013 | Reuters
Centrafrique: une réunion à Libreville pour sortir la Fomac de l’impasse | 18 May 2013 | RFI
Nicolas Tiangaye appelle la France à désarmer les éléments de Séléka | 18 May 2013 | Le Potentiel | allAfrica
La CEEAC va envoyer 1200 soldats de plus en RCA début juin 2013 | 19 May 2013 | RFI
More Regional Troops Going to Central African Republic | 20 May 2013 | Voice of America
African military chiefs agreed on Saturday to more than double the size of a regional peacekeeping force deployed in Central African Republic, where authorities have struggled to contain violence after a rebel takeover.

Security situation in the CAR

Centrafrique : échanges de tirs entre la Séléka et l’armée camerounaise à la frontière | 16 May 2013 | Jeune Afrique
Des éléments de la Séléka, coalition au pouvoir en Centrafrique, ont échangé des tirs, mardi 14 et mercredi 15 mai, avec l’armée camerounaise. Cette dernière a décidé, jeudi, de renforcer sa présence à la frontière.

New Big Man, Old Politics: The Challenging Road Ahead for CAR’s Djotodia | 16 May 2013 | ThinkAfricaPress
Since independence, the Central African Republic has experienced five coups. What chance does the country’s latest strongman have of seeing out his term in office?

Centrafrique: « Malgré le retour au calme, nous rentrons dans la phase la plus délicate » | 16 May 2013 | MSF | allAfrica
Serge St-Louis revient de neuf mois en République centrafricaine (RCA) où il était chef de mission pour MSF. Il était donc sur le terrain quand – fin 2012 – la Séléka (nouvelle coalition de groupes rebelles centrafricains) a pris le contrôle de plusieurs villes du pays avant de finalement rentrer – fin mars – dans Bangui, la capitale, où elle a achevé sa prise de pouvoir. Il fait le point sur la situation post-conflit, les enjeux et les perspectives pour le pays, pour son système de santé et pour MSF.

Le chef du BINUCA pour des sanctions contre la Séléka | 17 May 2013 | Africa Info (Douala) | allAfrica
Dans un rapport lu devant le Conseil de sécurité et dont l’agence AFRICA INFO a reçu copie, le chef du Bureau intégré de l’Organisation des Nations Unies en République centrafricaine (BINUCA) a décrit la situation en RCA comme intolérable.

Centrafrique : six morts dans une attaque d’hommes armés dans le nord-est | 18 May 2013 | AFP | Jeune Afrique
Six personnes ont été tuées et plusieurs maisons pillées dans une attaque menée vendredi par des hommes armés dans la ville de Bouca, à 250 km au nord de Bangui, a appris l’AFP de source militaire à Bangui samedi.

Centrafrique : un jeune homme égorgé par la Séléka | 21 May 2013 | Afrik.com
Les éléments de la coalition Séléka ont atteint le plafond de leurs exactions. Après avoir pillé, violé, torturé, molesté à mort les Centrafricains, les ex-rebelles procèdent désormais à l’égorgement en publique de la population civile.

Interviews

Michel Djotodia – Bozizé ne va pas s’installer au Cameroun | 21 May 2013 | Mutations | allAfrica
Interview: Au cours de sa tournée de remerciement en Afrique Centrale la semaine dernière, le chef de la coalition rebelle de la République Centrafricaine, Michel Djotodia que nous avons rencontré en Guinée Equatoriale a bien voulu s’expliquer sur la situation sécuritaire actuelle dans son pays.

Centrafrique: Le président de la transition face à la presse | 21 May 2013 | Africa Info (Douala) | allAfrica
Interview: Le président de la transition en République centrafricaine (Rca) en visite en Guinée équatoriale du 17 au 18 mai 2013, s’est prêté au jeu des questions-réponses de la presse panafricaine invitée par le président de la République de la Guinée équatoriale, Obiang Nguema Mbatsogo, en marge de la campagne électorale sénatoriale, législative et municipale qui culmine le 26 mai par le vote proprement dit.

Refugee and IDP Reports

Non-comprehensive overview and selected articles on the status of refugees in the Great Lakes Region

DRC

République Démocratique du Congo – Bulletin humanitaire Numéro 03 | Avril 2013 | 20 May 2013 | UNOCHA | Reliefweb

Bulletin d’information humanitaire – Province du Katanga N° 18/13 – 14 mai 2013 | 16 May 2013 | UNOCHA | Reliefweb
Bulletin d’Information Humanitaire – Province de Maniema N° 12/13, 15 mai 2013 | 17 May 2013 | UNOCHA | Reliefweb
Bulletin d’Information Humanitaire – Province du Sud-Kivu N° 21/13, 22 mai 2013 | 22 May 2013 | UNOCHA | Reliefweb

Armed clashes break out on the outskirts of Goma (North Kivu) Flash update No 1, 22 May 2013 | 22 May 2013 | UNOCHA | Reliefweb
RDC : Goma dans l’étau des violences armées – Note d’information N°1 du 22 mai 2013 | 22 May 2013 | UNOCHA | Reliefweb

Eastern DRC: UNHCR calling for the protection of civilians amid renewed fighting | 22 May 2013 | UNHCR | Reliefweb

Displaced people caught up in fighting west of Goma | 22 May 2013 | MSF | Reliefweb
Médecins Sans Frontières forced to suspend activities in Mugunga III and Bulengo camps.

Rwanda

Rwandan 50,000 returnees expected ahead of June 30 deadline | 17 May 2013 | The EastAfrican
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) is working with the Rwandan  government to establish shelter and boost livelihoods for some returnees expected to be back in the country before the refugee cessation clause comes into effect.

Burundi

UNHCR Burundi Bulletin 1, January – March 2013 | 20 May 2013 | UNHCR | Reliefweb

Bulletin 2 – Kavumu Special Edition | 20 May 2013 | UNHCR | Reliefweb
UNHCR Burundi Bulletin 2 – Edition spéciale Kavumu | 20 May 2013 | UNHCR | Reliefweb

CAR

Central African Republic: Situation Report No. 16 (as of 17 May 2013) | 17 May 2013 | UNOCHA | Reliefweb
République Centrafricaine Rapport de situation No. 16 (au 17 mai 2013) | 17 May 2013 | UNOCHA | Reliefweb

Justice and Tribunals

Non-comprehensive overview and selected articles on major trials and tribunals for crimes committed in the Great Lakes Region

 DRC

ICC trial against Bemba

Bemba Drops 13 Witnesses | 16 May 2013 | Bemba Trial Website | allAfrica
CPI – Jean-Pierre Bemba renonce à 13 témoins | 20 May 2013 | Hirondelle News Agency | allAfrica

Judges Approve Revised Bemba Witness List | 20 May 2013 | Bemba Trial Website | allAfrica

Rwanda

Ingabire appeal case

Ingabire Trial – Prosecution Questions Honesty of Defense Witness | 16 May 2013 | Rwanda Focus | allAfrica
A defense witness in the trial against Victoire Umuhoza Ingabire on Thursday told the Supreme Court that accusations against Ingabire were fabricated long before she came back to Rwanda. The prosecution, however, challenges her honesty.

Procès en appel de Victoire Ingabire: un témoin à décharge disparaît puis réapparaît | 18 May 2013 | RFI
L’opposante rwandaise Victoire Ingabire, condamnée en première instance en octobre 2012 à huit ans de prison pour « conspiration contre les autorités par le terrorisme et la guerre » et négation du génocide des Tutsis de 1994, est toujours jugée en appel.

Natural Resources in the Great Lakes Region

Recent news on issues relating to natural resource extraction and governance in the Great Lakes Region.
Africa Progress Panel Report

African Mines: A Potential Source of Funds for Infrastructure | 18 May 2013 | Voice of America
In sub-Saharan Africa, many economies are growing briskly, thanks to the continent’s abundant natural resources and global commodities boom. Development experts say revenues from minerals, oil and gas could help many countries fund much needed roads, bridges, dams and other infrastructure.  A recent report by the Africa Progress Panel, a group of influential business and political leaders, says there’s great potential in the continent’s extractive wealth – but also many challenges.

DRC

Colloquium on natural resource governance

Gestion des ressources naturelles – L’Université protestante soulève des questions de fond | 16 May 2013 | Le Potentiel | allAfrica
A qui profitent les ressources naturelles de la République démocratique du Congo ? Dans un colloque scientifique organisé par l’Université protestante au Congo, des experts explorent des pistes d’une bonne gouvernance pour une sortie de crise.

RDC : seules les sanctions permettront de stopper l’exploitation frauduleuse des ressources naturelles, selon des experts | 16 May 2013 | Le Potentiel
La gestion des ressources naturelles en RDC est au centre du colloque qui se tient, du mercredi 15 mai au 16 mai à Kinshasa et au cours duquel les participants ont recommandé aux décideurs congolais de recourir à la sanction pour bien gérer ce secteur, mais aussi d’endiguer de nombreuses fraudes.

Des experts réfléchissent sur la gestion des ressources naturelles en RDC | 16 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
A symposium on the management of natural resources in the DRC opened on Wednesday 15 May in Kinshasa. It recommended that policy makers resort to sanctions to manage the sector. The representative of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) at the conference criticized the current low revenues harnessed by the DRC from its natural resources.

Mines-for-infrastructure deal with China at risk

Congo-China Mines Deal Hits Rough Patch | 16 May 2013 | Voice of America
Congolese media say a mines-for-infrastructure barter agreement between the Democratic Republic of Congo and a consortium of Chinese companies may be at risk because China’s Exim Bank has reportedly withdrawn its support. When the deal was announced five years ago it involved the Democratic Republic of Congo agreeing to give the Chinese consortium majority stakes in two of the biggest mines in the country, in exchange for $9 billion worth of infrastructure, including roads and a railway.

Copper and cobalt export ban

DRC sees copper concentrate ban in full force by July, August | 17 May 2013 | Mining Weekly
Congo sees copper concentrate ban in full force by July, August | 17 May 2013 | Reuters
The DRC’s minister for mines has said that the State expects its ban on the export of copper and cobalt concentrates to come into full force by July or August, as it presses mining companies to process and refine the metals within its borders.

Rubaya artisanal coltan mine collapse in  North Kivu

At least 20 killed when mine collapses in eastern Congo | 17 May 2013 | Reuters
At least 20 people were killed when a mine collapsed in mineral-rich but conflict-plagued eastern Democratic Republic of Congo following heavy rains, the government said on Friday.

Nord-Kivu : plusieurs dizaines de disparus dans un éboulement de terre à Rubaya | 17 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
Nord-Kivu : les corps des victimes de l’éboulement de Rubaya pas encore extraits | 20 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
A landslide buried dozens of artisanal miners on Thursday, May 16, at a mining site at Rubaya in Masisi territory (North Kivu). The assistant director of Masisi in charge of monitoring the disaster has said a committee has been set up to identify families who are without news of their relatives. The bodies of those caught in the slide were still not excavated on Sunday, May 19, leading to charges that the authorities have not treated the matter with sufficient urgency.

Près d’une centaine de personnes ensevelies dans un glissement de terrain dans le Masisi, Nord Kivu | 20 May 2013 | MONUSCO
Une centaine de creuseurs et de villageois ont été ensevelis après un important glissement de terrain, jeudi 16 mai 2013, dans une zone minière du territoire de Masisi. L’accident a eu lieu à six kilomètres de la localité de Rubaya entre Koyi et Nvuguto, dans une zone de collines très escarpées accessible uniquement à pied. Une équipe de la MONUSCO, la Mission de l’ONU pour la Stabilisation en RDC, s’est rendue sur place pour évaluer la situation et porter les premiers secours.

Oil exploration in Virunga National Park

Exploration pétrolière sur le Graben Albertine – Total promet d’épargner le parc des Virunga | 18 May 2013 | Le Potentiel | allAfrica
Pressée de toutes parts, particulièrement par les défenseurs de l’environnement, dont WWF (Fonds mondial pour la nature) et Greenpeace, la firme pétrolière française Total, qui participe à un projet d’exploration pétrolière à proximité du parc national des Virunga dans le Graben Albertine dans l’Est de la RDC, a promis de ne pas toucher à ce patrimoine mondial de l’humanité.

Release of Congolese timber seized in Belgium 

Bois congolais saisi à Anvers – La Société civile indignée | 22 May 2013 | Le Potentiel | allAfrica
Des organisations de la Société civile œuvrant dans le domaine environnemental se disent indignées quant au comportement du royaume de Belgique, par rapport à la libération de la cargaison de bois Afromosia venant de la RDC et saisi au port d’Anvers (Belgique). Dans une correspondance adressée à l’ambassadeur du royaume de Belgique hier mardi 21 mai, un groupe d’ONG environnementales qualifient cette décision du gouvernement belge de précipitée.

Army leave Baye quarry in Province Orientale

Province Orientale: les militaires quittent une carrière minière à Baye | 20 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
Dozens of soldiers were evacuated last week from a mining quarry in Baye in Bondo territory. This decision was taken by the provincial government security investigation joint command and mission of the 9th Military Region after the murder, on Monday, May 6, of two miners by Congolese soldiers.

Extractive Companies, Energy, Trade and Foreign Investment

Recent news on national and international extractive and energy companies and investment in the Great Lakes Region
East Africa transport infrastructure

Tanzania Plans to Boost Port Volumes by 80% by Adding Railways | 21 May 2013 | Bloomberg
Tanzania plans to boost cargo volumes by 80 percent over the next two years at the Dar es Salaam Port by adding railway links and upgrading facilities to improve efficiency.

DRC

Hydro-electricity

SA-DRC Pact Paves Way for Grand Inga | 20 May 2013 | SouthAfrica.info | allAfrica
RDC: la première pierre du projet hydraulique Inga 3 sera posée fin 2015 | 19 May 2013 | RFI
RD Congo : la construction d’Inga 3 pourrait débuter en octobre 2015 | 20 May 2013 | Jeune Afrique
DR Congo waits on funding for world’s largest hydropower project | 21 May 2013 | The Guardian
With South Africa confirmed as a key partner, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has announced October 2015 as the launch date for construction of the first phase of what could eventually be the largest hydroelectric plant in the world. The Grand Inga project on the Congo River is expected, once all the phases are complete, to generate a massive 40 000 MW of electricity, bringing renewable power to half of the African continent.

With Inga Dams, Donors Set to Repeat Past Failures | 18 May 2013 | International Rivers
The Congolese government will today announce plans to move forward with the Grand Inga Dam at a conference in Paris. World Bank President Jim Kim is expected to support the return to mega-dams on his visit to the DRC, Rwanda and Uganda on May 21-24. The proposed dam on the Congo River, which would be the largest hydropower project ever undertaken, will figure prominently on the agenda of his trip. NGOs warn that with such projects, donors are about to repeat the grandiose failure of past mega-dams.

Confusion autour du projet Grand Inga | 20 May 2013 | Le Potentiel | allAfrica
C’est à Paris, loin de Kinshasa, que le gouvernement a choisi de conclure, le week-end dernier, l’accord portant mise en œuvre du projet hydroélectrique Grand Inga.

Buffet’s son joins Virunga project | 21 May 2013 | Africa Energy Intelligence
The son of the renowned American billionaire has agreed to help finance power stations in the natural reserve in eastern DRC and Rwanda.

Province Orientale : la compagnie minière AGK va réhabiliter le barrage de Budana | 22 May 2013 | Radio Okapi
Mining company, Anglo Gold Kilo (AGK), based in Mongbwalu in Ituri has reportedly committed to rehabilitating the hydroelectric dam at Budana in order to improve electricity in the desert city of Bunia.

Oil exploration 

Exploration pétrolière sur le Graben Albertine – Total promet d’épargner le parc des Virunga | 18 May 2013 | Le Potentiel | allAfrica
Pressée de toutes parts, particulièrement par les défenseurs de l’environnement, dont WWF (Fonds mondial pour la nature) et Greenpeace, la firme pétrolière française Total, qui participe à un projet d’exploration pétrolière à proximité du parc national des Virunga dans le Graben Albertine dans l’Est de la RDC, a promis de ne pas toucher à ce patrimoine mondial de l’humanité.

L’OCC se facilite la tâche dans la certification qualitative du pétrole brut à Muanda | 20 May 2013 | Le Potentiel | allAfrica
L’Office congolais de contrôle/Muanda, dans la province du Bas-Congo, vient d’acquérir sa première unité flottante pour résoudre les problèmes de lenteur souvent rencontrés dans les opérations de prélèvement des échantillons des produits pétroliers et leur certification quantitative. En plus de cette unité flottante, l’OCC/Muanda s’est doté d’un laboratoire de certification quantitative du pétrole brut exporté et des produits pétroliers.

Tie-up for Chevron & Perenco | 21 May 2013 | Africa Energy Intelligence
A meeting was held in Kinshasa in early May between officials from Perenco and the Cabinda Gulf Oil Company (CABGOC/Chevron) to decide how to use gas currently torched by the French firm in Democratic Republic of Congo.

Human rights: Danzer Group and ENRC

Danzer dropped by FSC over “unacceptable activities “in Congo; victims still await justice | 21 May 2013 | Global Witness
Global Witness welcomes today’s decision by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) to dissociate itself from the Danzer Group, in light of accusations of human rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

OECD Complaint Filed Against ENRC Regarding Mining Communities in DRC | 21 May 2013 | RAID | Mines and Communities
An OECD complaint has been lodged by Rights and Accountability in Development (RAID) concerning mining assets controlled by companies associated with ENRC in the DRC, including Africo Resources. The complaint concerns human rights abuses by the company impacting the impoverished population of Kisankala village and Lenge village, which are located on two mining concessions in the province of Katanga. The complaint concerns difficulties with access to water, as well as resettlement and compensation, the alleged absence of environmental and social monitoring, and the alleged misbehaviour of private security guards.

Copper

Tiger hunts for new funding sources | 21 May 2013 | Mining Weekly
Copper developer Tiger Resources was on the hunt for new capital after Nedbank Capital decided not to participate in an $80-million debt financing facility to partly fund the development of the Stage 2 solvent extraction and electrowinning plant at the Kipoi project, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Uganda

Phosphates

China to Dig for Phosphates in Uganda | 21 May 2013 | East African Business Week | allAfrica
Guangzhou Dongsong Energy Group has negotiated a 49 year lease to mine the phosphates deposits in eastern Uganda. Estimated total deposits stand at 230 million tonnes and cover an area of 26 square kilometres.

Hydro-power

Uganda: Fate of Karuma Hydro-Power Project Remains Uncertain | 22 May 2013 | New Vision | allAfrica
Focus has shifted to fast tracking the development of small renewable energy projects as a short-to-medium term measure to avert the imminent return to 48-hour load-shedding.

Rwanda

Hydro-power

Government, Swiss Firm Sign U.S$15 Million Energy Deal | 20 May 2013 | The New Times | allAfrica
The government has signed a $15 million (approximately Rwf9.7billion) energy agreement with a Swiss based company to develop hydro power plants in the Southern Province.

Regulation, Compliance and Corporate Social Responsibility

Non-comprehensive overview and selected articles on legal and reputational issues relating to businesses operating in the Great Lakes Region 

Transparency

Transparence : les pays africains toujours défaillants | 17 May 2013 | Jeune Afrique
L’ONG Revenue Watch International qui milite pour la transparence dans la gestion des revenus des ressources naturelles vient de publier son rapport 2013. Les pays africains sont à la peine malgré les politiques mises en oeuvre.

Global Witness calls on Shell to drop support for anti-transparency lawsuit | 21 May 2013 | Global Witness
Global Witness is attending Shell’s AGM in The Hague today to ask the company to drop its support for a lawsuit that aims to kill off a U.S. transparency law. While the UK uses its G8 Presidency to advance a global transparency standard for oil and mining companies, the lawsuit seeks to stifle disclosure and move the industry in the opposite direction.

UK lawmakers to probe transparency of mining, oil firms | 22 May 2013 | Reuters | Mineweb
Britain’s parliament is to probe UK-based mining and oil firms, delving into areas such as transparency and disclosure after troubles at two mining companies burnt some investors’ fingers.

EITI: be bold, stay rigorous and help citizens use the data! | 22 May 2013 | Global Witness
Thursday’s 6th Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) Global Conference in Sydney will see oil, gas and mining executives, campaigners, investors and government officials ratify improvements in transparency standards for the industry.

France and United Kingdom commit to global transparency standard | 22 May 2013 | EITI
At a joint press conference in Paris, UK Prime Minister David Cameron and President of France Francois Hollande announced Wednesday evening that France and the United Kingdom will implement the EITI, the global standard for transparency of government revenues from natural resources.

DRC

EITI

Suspension temporaire du pays à l’ITIE – Assemblée nationale – Célestin Vunabandi garantit l’amélioration du processus sur base des mesures correctives | 16 May 2013 | Le Potentiel | allAfrica
Dans une question d’actualité initiée par le député national, Juvénal Munubo Mubi, le ministre du Plan et Suivi de la mise en œuvre de la Révolution de la modernité a rassuré la représentation nationale de la poursuite du processus devant déboucher sur la qualification de la RDC comme pays conforme au processus ITIE.

Important correctif apporté par la DGRAD sur les recettes non consignées dans le rapport ITIE 2010 : 3 millions USD restent à justifier | 20 May 2013 | ACP | Digitalcongo.net
Le ministre du Plan a éclairci la représentation nationale sur les évasions des recettes du secteur minier en RDC telles que signalées dans le controversé rapport ITIE-2010 à la base de la suspension du pays à cette initiative, en indiquant qu’un correctif apporté par la DGRAD réduisait à la baisse la hauteur des évasions concernées qui ne se situeraient qu’autour de 3 millions USD.

OECD Complaint mechanism

OECD Complaint Filed Against ENRC Regarding Mining Communities in DRC | 21 May 2013 | RAID | Mines and Communities
An OECD complaint has been lodged by Rights and Accountability in Development (RAID) concerning mining assets controlled by companies associated with ENRC in the DRC, including Africo Resources. The complaint concerns human rights abuses by the company impacting the impoverished population of Kisankala village and Lenge village, which are located on two mining concessions in the province of Katanga. The complaint concerns difficulties with access to water, as well as resettlement and compensation, the alleged absence of environmental and social monitoring, and alleged misbehaviour of private security guards