Congo: International Crisis Group Report

Debate between Lord Wallace of Saltaire and Lord Bishop of Winchester

Thursday 3rd February 2011 Lords Chamber

[The Lord Bishop of Winchester]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the International Crisis Group’s recent report Congo: No Stability in Kivu despite Rapprochement with Rwanda.

[Lord Wallace of Saltaire]

My Lords, the International Crisis Group states that civilians are still suffering shocking levels of violence in the Kivus, but the Democratic Republic of Congo’s rapprochement with Rwanda significantly improves the prospect for peace. The UK has close relations with both the DRC and Rwanda. We support MONUSCO, the UN peacekeeping force, both politically and financially, and the United Kingdom is the biggest humanitarian donor in the Kivus.

[The Lord Bishop of Winchester]

My Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply, but I ask for a greater level of realism from him and from the Government. The report to which he refers—he may have been toiling with its French, but it is now translated—makes it clear that the ICG believes that that rapprochement has got nowhere. As he says, the level of violence continues, the minerals are still in the wrong hands, and a great many people are being killed or made insecure. Will he reconsider and agree with the report on those matters? Will the Government initiate with European partners, or anyone else they can find—and of course with the Congolese and other regional Governments—a fresh approach that will be non-military, whose terms will be known to the people, rather than kept secret, and that will grapple with the deepest causes of the conflict and give some hope of security, freedom from fear and even the most basic levels of economic development? Lastly, will the Government put an end to impunity for those who are causing the rape and mayhem?

[Lord Wallace of Saltaire]

My Lords, the report is indeed very depressing. The Government are not under any illusions about the enormous task there is to try to create order in the Kivus. Perhaps I might help Members by pointing out that North and South Kivu together have a population of about 11 million. It is estimated that there are nearly 2 million displaced people in the DRC, many of them in the Kivus, and there are about 20 militia groups operating outside the Congolese armed forces in the Kivu—and the Congolese armed forces leave something to be desired in terms of discipline and order. We do not underestimate the tasks ahead.