UN Plans Drones In Congo Peacekeeping Mission

[emptystep]

I am working on a writeup summarizing a House Arms Services committee meeting held December 19th. I have some editing to do before I post it.

I saw this just now while looking up something else. I want to put this out there. Maybe some people can comment on it.

UN Plans Drones In Congo Peacekeeping Mission

One of the main issues, if not the main issue is the situation with the UN peacekeeping force in Eastern Congo.

One of the panel members was Ben Affleck of the Eastern Congo Initiative and yes, also the actor/producer/director. He told the story of when he was in the Congo shooting some video at the request of somewhere there. He was wearing his UN badge around his neck. People were really hostile towards him. He decided it was possibly unsafe to be there and so he took off his badge and was preparing to go. People saw him and asked where he was from. He said America. Suddenly everyone was happy to see him and very friendly. My point? The people of eastern Congo hate the UN. Giving them drones is a very bad idea. All four of the panel members agreed that the UN mission in eastern Congo has been a failure.

I will give a more elaborate description of the committee meeting as soon as I finish up.

 

[emptystep]

Still working on getting the other thread ready. I figured if I dedicated this thread to Monusco there would less in the next thread.

Congo: How U.N. Peacekeeping Force Monusco Has Failed a Nation | TIME.com
At 9 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 20, one of the few tanks belonging to the M23 rebels of eastern Congo fired a single round into the international airport on the outskirts of Goma, the second biggest city in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The townspeople, who looked up to see the first of 1,000 or so guerrillas marching on the city, began walking and running toward the city center, carrying their children and anything else they could. After a short while they were overtaken — by two large trucks packed with foreign soldiers from the U.N. peacekeeping force for Congo, Monusco. Mandated to protect Congo’s civilians, with 19,000 men in uniform and costing $1.4 billion a year, the world’s biggest and most expensive peacekeeping operation was literally leaving its charges in its dust. Later in the day Monusco, far better armed and more numerous than the rebels, simply stood and watched as the M23 — easterners who oppose the central government in Kinshasa — took Goma almost without firing a shot. France called Monusco’s conduct “absurd.” The Congolese were less forgiving. Across the east of the country, angry mobs surrounded U.N. positions, threw stones at aid workers and burned U.N. compounds. Asked what they thought of Monusco, a group of young men standing by the shore of Lake Kivu in Goma cried out in unison: “Useless.” Amani Muchumu, 18, had a message for the peacekeepers. “You could not defend us,” he declared. “You are dismissed.”

Read more: Congo: How U.N. Peacekeeping Force Monusco Has Failed a Nation | TIME.com

A United Nations (U.N.) peacekeepers' armoured vehicle drives past Congolese Revolution Army (CRA) rebels patrolling a street in Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), soon after capturing the city from the government army, Nov. 20, 2012.

Read more: Congo: How U.N. Peacekeeping Force Monusco Has Failed a Nation | TIME.com

 

[emptystep]

The U.S. military is doing a thousand times better job with a fraction, a very small fraction, of the cost and not putting American lives in harms way. If we are going to give anyone intel drones give them to our people.

 

[Mad Scientist]

There's nothing "Peacekeeping" about the US Military deploying to 35 different countries in AfriCom. Oh you didn't know the US Military HAD an Africom?

The cover story is 'searching for KONY" who hasn't even been seen in 5-6 years but that deserves it's own thread.

See, China is busy building up Africa's Infrastructure using all that money the West sent them buying all those cheap Chinese Lead Toys. Seems China's influence is greater than the US. As it should be because the Chinese aren't flying drones and firing missiles into funeral processions to kill a single "suspect terrorist" and 20 others who had the misfortune of being too close.

What the US is setting up are Military Units that can later be used to undermine African countries leaders like they doing in the Middle East. Hey man, gotta' keep that Military Industrial Complex running to support US Empire right?

We can only hope the US Dollar collapses before all that happens.

 

[emptystep]

There's nothing "Peacekeeping" about the US Military deploying to 35 different countries in AfriCom. Oh you didn't know the US Military HAD an Africom?

The cover story is 'searching for KONY" who hasn't even been seen in 5-6 years but that deserves it's own thread.

See, China is busy building up Africa's Infrastructure using all that money the West sent them buying all those cheap Chinese Lead Toys. Seems China's influence is greater than the US. As it should be because the Chinese aren't flying drones and firing missiles into funeral processions to kill a single "suspect terrorist" and 20 others who had the misfortune of being too close.

What the US is setting up are Military Units that can later be used to undermine African countries leaders like they doing in the Middle East. Hey man, gotta' keep that Military Industrial Complex running to support US Empire right?

We can only hope the US Dollar collapses before all that happens.

Sorry still working on editing.

africom
United States Africa Command
Videos | United States Africa Command (some videos of the great work being done)
Operation Chase
Operation Olympic Chase
The operation began in December 2009 with a 12-week course to prepare commanders, officers, non-commissioned officers and a core group of instructors in the skills necessary to train, manage and lead a light infantry battalion. This also included instruction on how to operate in accordance with the Law of Land Warfare.
Instruction at Camp Base, in Kisangani, DRC, formally began on 17 February 2010. The entire light infantry battalion training was funded by the US Department of State and as of June 2010 was expected to cost about $33 million. The training program included courses in small-unit tactics, communications, medical care and HIV/AIDS prevention and humanitarian de-mining.
Approximately 1,000 FARDC soldiers entered the training program, with the expected final battalion expected to be between 700 and 750 individuals All the soldiers participating in the battalion training underwent approximately 5-7 months of instruction at Camp Base. As part of the goal to make a professional military force every soldier in the program had been vetted for any history of human rights abuses. Sexual and gender-based violence prevention and human rights training was incorporated into every aspect of the training. The Defense Institute of International Legal Studies (DIILS) provided legal studies training. The DIILS instructors also helped address sexual, gender-based violence in the DRC by helping to strengthen the capacity of the military justice system. A sociocultural research and advisory team (SCRAT) was also deployed for the purpose of developing a curriculum for instruction regarding sexual and gender-based violence.
The training also included an innovative program, in conjunction with the Borlaug Institute, aimed at making the battalion food self-sufficient through the development of sustainable agriculture and aquaculture programs. Under this program soldiers in the battalion learned how to clear and prepare land for agricultural, plant and cultivate various food crops and to raise and care for livestock and fishponds. From February 2010 onward, soldiers from the battalion have cleared and planted corn, cassava and vegetable gardens, built 2 fishponds stocked with more than 40,000 fish, and planted native acacia and lucenia trees to be used as a food source for livestock. The goal was for the battalion to be food self-sufficient within 2 years.
Dignitaries from the DRC, the United States, the United Nations, and the international community, gathered at Camp Base to participate in a ceremony marking the graduation of about 750 DRC soldiers trained by the US in September 2010. During the ceremony, the 391st Commando Battalion was activated. The formation of this unit, intended as a model for the entire FARDC, was the objective of Operation Olympic Chase. Olympic Chase formally ended in October 2010.
DVIDS - Video - Operation Olympic Chase Graduation Ceremony (graduation video of Operation Chase)
Promise of AFRICOM - U.S. Army Africa

TRANSCRIPT: Briefing to Congolese Media - Operation Olympic Chase
Okay. This started end of last year when we started training the cadre with a 12-week training course. We provided them training on skills to train, manage and lead this light infantry battalion in accordance with the Law of Land Warfare. We officially had an opening ceremony for the battalion training on 17 February of this year. This entire line infantry battalion -- light infantry battalion training is funded by the U.S. Department of State and it is going to cost about $33 million.
The majority of the population is dependent on subsistence farming. And as has happened in conflicts in the past, fields get untended, crops get destroyed and stockpiles get pillaged. Poorly supplied military units and rebel groups have turned on the local population. So this initiative that we have, we are working to ensure food security for the soldiers and their families so they don't become a burden on the population that the FARDC are supposed to protect.

As you can see below, the project initially started on 500 hectares of land divided into three sections. We have main crops, vegetables and livestock. As part of our joint venture and multi-agency and international initiative, the ministry of agriculture provided farm machinery for the land clearing and the crop planting. And also another part of the initiative is that the Borlaug Institute staff is training 10 FARDC farm managers.

Now, the goal of training the farm managers is that when this battalion deploys to wherever the government would like these soldiers to go, these farm managers can set up this very similar initiative at whatever base area they have been established.
Soldiers from the agriculture unit planted maize and cassava on land that was cleared by local construction workers. We also two fishponds that we are close to being finished stocked with more than 40,000 fish to include tilapia and Africa catfish. But we did this smartly. The institute made use of a natural spring, so we could eliminate very expensive water pumping and maintenance equipment. We also used the spring to irrigate the vegetables and the seedlings.
"We learned individual tactics then how to work with a team mate, then at squad, platoon, company and finally battalion levels. We learned the proper role of officers and non-commissioned officers. This was completely different from anything we had ever done before. There was a lot of material and it was a challenge remembering everything we learned," he said.

However, for Mukaso, the best part of the training was the time they spent in the field.

"I enjoyed the field exercises at all the different levels. I also really appreciated the land navigation courses," he said. "I'd never really learned how to read a map or follow a compass."

In addition to traditional military training, the battalion received instruction on the respect of human rights, the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence, and the relationship between civilian and military authorities in a democratic society.

 

[waltky]

Granny says, "Dat's right - send in the drones, kill all dem terrorists...

US Supports UN Surveillance Drones For Eastern Congo
January 09, 2013 - U.S. officials say Washington supports the request of United Nations peacekeepers to use surveillance drones in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Wednesday that these aerial vehicles would be unmanned and unarmed and their use could extend to other missions. "This is the idea that the U.N. peacekeeping authorities are putting forward to have unarmed UAVs participate in peacekeeping missions. This would only happen with the consent of the country or the countries where the mission would operate and their use would not impact in any way on sovereignty. Again, they would be unarmed and they would only be carrying photographic equipment. The United States does support the U.N.'s proposal to use unarmed, unmanned aerial vehicles. We're also looking at other missions where this might be possible. We think that building on MONUSCO surveillance capacity will better enable it to protect civilians and will support the efforts of the DRC to restore stability in the eastern part of the country," Nuland said.

In a closed-door session Tuesday, United Nations peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous appealed to the U.N. Security Council for drones to help the more than 17,000 peacekeepers in the DRC. Rebels briefly took control of the eastern city of Goma late last year after fighting with peacekeepers and the Congolese army. Fellow council members Britain and France also agree with the use of drones. A spokesman for France's mission to the United Nations said on Twitter the U.N. force needs "modern assets, including drones, to be better informed and more reactive."

However, Rwanda -- which borders eastern Congo -- raised concerns about the deployment of drones, saying the move would make the U.N. mission a "belligerent" force. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is preparing a report recommending ways to improve the U.N. mission in Congo, known as MONUSCO, which is the world body's largest peacekeeping force. The U.N. mission began operating in the DRC in 1999 monitoring a cease-fire deal that followed a rebellion in which rebels seized large areas of the country. It continues under a mandate to protect civilians and humanitarian workers, and to support the government's peace and stabilization efforts.

Source

 

[emptystep]

Granny says, "Dat's right - send in the drones...

US Supports UN Surveillance Drones For Eastern Congo
January 09, 2013 - U.S. officials say Washington supports the request of United Nations peacekeepers to use surveillance drones in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Wednesday that these aerial vehicles would be unmanned and unarmed and their use could extend to other missions. "This is the idea that the U.N. peacekeeping authorities are putting forward to have unarmed UAVs participate in peacekeeping missions. This would only happen with the consent of the country or the countries where the mission would operate and their use would not impact in any way on sovereignty. Again, they would be unarmed and they would only be carrying photographic equipment. The United States does support the U.N.'s proposal to use unarmed, unmanned aerial vehicles. We're also looking at other missions where this might be possible. We think that building on MONUSCO surveillance capacity will better enable it to protect civilians and will support the efforts of the DRC to restore stability in the eastern part of the country," Nuland said.

In a closed-door session Tuesday, United Nations peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous appealed to the U.N. Security Council for drones to help the more than 17,000 peacekeepers in the DRC. Rebels briefly took control of the eastern city of Goma late last year after fighting with peacekeepers and the Congolese army. Fellow council members Britain and France also agree with the use of drones. A spokesman for France's mission to the United Nations said on Twitter the U.N. force needs "modern assets, including drones, to be better informed and more reactive."

However, Rwanda -- which borders eastern Congo -- raised concerns about the deployment of drones, saying the move would make the U.N. mission a "belligerent" force. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is preparing a report recommending ways to improve the U.N. mission in Congo, known as MONUSCO, which is the world body's largest peacekeeping force. The U.N. mission began operating in the DRC in 1999 monitoring a cease-fire deal that followed a rebellion in which rebels seized large areas of the country. It continues under a mandate to protect civilians and humanitarian workers, and to support the government's peace and stabilization efforts.

Source

What the heck good are drones are going to do the UN. As I posted in the 2nd post the problem is not them being able to see the enemy. It is that they don't do anything when they do.

 

[Mad Scientist]

There aren't any Terrorists in Africa unless the US sends them there like they did in the Middle East.

 

[waltky]

UN wantin' to go into Congo with peacekeeping force...

UN Seeking Stronger Mandate for Congo Force
January 25, 2013 - The United Nations says it wants to set up a peacekeeping unit in the Democratic Republic of Congo that will have a stronger mandate to take on armed groups.

U.N. officials say the force, which they refer to as an "intervention brigade," would number about 2,550 soldiers and aim to prevent armed groups from expanding their territory. A U.N. peacekeeping official, who declined to be named, said the troops would be able to do more than simply protect civilians. He said they also would have quick reaction capabilities to take on rebels and eventually disarm them.

The brigade would be part of the larger U.N. mission in Congo which numbers about 17,000 peacekeepers. That mission faced criticism in November when it did not intervene to stop the advance of M23 rebels who took control of Congo's eastern city of Goma. The rebels later withdrew from the city.

Combatants from Nyatura armed group at ceasefire talks in Lushebere, eastern DRC, December 26, 2012

U.N. officials say they are expecting a regional agreement on Congo to be signed Monday on the sidelines of an African Union summit in Addis Ababa. They say the deal will be signed by the presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, Angola, the Republic of Congo, South Africa and Tanzania. A panel of United Nations experts has accused Uganda and Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebel group in Congo, something that both countries have denied.

M23 is made up of former rebels who were integrated into the Congolese army in a 2009 peace agreement. The rebels deserted the army last year, complaining of discrimination and poor treatment. The fighting in eastern Congo has displaced more than 100,000 people in the country's North Kivu province, aggravating an already serious humanitarian situation in the region.

Source

See also:

UN 'plans to fight rebels in DRC'
25 January 2013 - The UN wants to set up an intervention force to fight rebels fuelling conflict in DR Congo, says a UN official.

Meanwhile, eight African presidents are set to sign a UN-brokered accord aimed at bringing stability to the region. As many as 800,000 people have been displaced since the M23 rebel group took up arms against the Kinshasa government last May. It accuses President Joseph Kabila of failing to honour an earlier peace deal to integrate rebels into the army. M23 say they want to improve living conditions for the people of eastern DR Congo, but the UN say they are supported by Rwanda, which has been heavily involved in its eastern neighbour since those responsible for the country's genocide fled there en masse in 1994.

Stability plan

The UN official said the plan for a 2,500-strong intervention force was at an advanced stage, although it has yet to be approved by the Security Council. The troops would be added to Monusco, the UN's existing DRC peacekeeping mission, mandated to protect civilians. The new brigades would be tasked with preventing rebels from seizing territory, and weakening them through targeted operations. Alongside this rapid reaction force, said a UN official, a broad political plan to bring stability to the region is set to be signed on the side-lines of the AU summit in Addis Ababa by the leaders of the DRC, Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, Angola, the Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), Tanzania and South Africa. All of these measures were triggered late last year when M23 rebels seized the eastern city of Goma. UN peacekeepers chose not to confront the well-armed insurgents, and suffered a blow to their image.

M23 rebels say they want to improve living conditions for the people of eastern DRC

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has been pushing for a comprehensive approach to dealing with the seemingly continuous conflict in the eastern DRC, fuelled by interference from neighbouring states and facilitated by the weakness of the Congolese government and army. UN experts have cited evidence that Rwanda and Uganda are backing M23, although both countries strongly deny the charges. "Following the Goma crisis there was a realization here that after more than 10 years of UN engagement in the DRC there was a need to look at things differently to break the cycle of violence in the east," said the UN official. "So we tried to go for the heart of the problem and see why these cycles are on-going." The framework agreement involves a commitment from Kinshasa to strengthen the Congolese army and pledges of non-interference from its neighbours.

It also seeks to address the legitimate concerns of all countries concerned, says the UN official, "meaning there are legitimate concerns for all countries involved, including Rwanda and Uganda". The UN intervention force would not be a substitute for the Congolese army, said the peacekeeping official. Rather it would "create a specific space and time for the political process, and for the army to build at least some capacity." The idea would be to recruit African soldiers. Only Tanzania has offered troops so far. The combat brigades would be aided by surveillance drones recently authorised by the Security Council, which are also meant to monitor the borders. The Secretary General will present detailed plans for the "peace-making force" at the beginning of February and, pending Security Council approval, the aim is to get troops on the ground within three months.

BBC News - UN 'plans to fight rebels in DRC'

 

[emptystep]

UN wantin' to go into Congo with peacekeeping force...

UN Seeking Stronger Mandate for Congo Force
January 25, 2013 - The United Nations says it wants to set up a peacekeeping unit in the Democratic Republic of Congo that will have a stronger mandate to take on armed groups.

U.N. officials say the force, which they refer to as an "intervention brigade," would number about 2,550 soldiers and aim to prevent armed groups from expanding their territory. A U.N. peacekeeping official, who declined to be named, said the troops would be able to do more than simply protect civilians. He said they also would have quick reaction capabilities to take on rebels and eventually disarm them.

The brigade would be part of the larger U.N. mission in Congo which numbers about 17,000 peacekeepers. That mission faced criticism in November when it did not intervene to stop the advance of M23 rebels who took control of Congo's eastern city of Goma. The rebels later withdrew from the city.

[removed image - es]

U.N. officials say they are expecting a regional agreement on Congo to be signed Monday on the sidelines of an African Union summit in Addis Ababa. They say the deal will be signed by the presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, Angola, the Republic of Congo, South Africa and Tanzania. A panel of United Nations experts has accused Uganda and Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebel group in Congo, something that both countries have denied.

M23 is made up of former rebels who were integrated into the Congolese army in a 2009 peace agreement. The rebels deserted the army last year, complaining of discrimination and poor treatment. The fighting in eastern Congo has displaced more than 100,000 people in the country's North Kivu province, aggravating an already serious humanitarian situation in the region.

Source

See also:

UN 'plans to fight rebels in DRC'
25 January 2013 - The UN wants to set up an intervention force to fight rebels fuelling conflict in DR Congo, says a UN official.

Meanwhile, eight African presidents are set to sign a UN-brokered accord aimed at bringing stability to the region. As many as 800,000 people have been displaced since the M23 rebel group took up arms against the Kinshasa government last May. It accuses President Joseph Kabila of failing to honour an earlier peace deal to integrate rebels into the army. M23 say they want to improve living conditions for the people of eastern DR Congo, but the UN say they are supported by Rwanda, which has been heavily involved in its eastern neighbour since those responsible for the country's genocide fled there en masse in 1994.

Stability plan

The UN official said the plan for a 2,500-strong intervention force was at an advanced stage, although it has yet to be approved by the Security Council. The troops would be added to Monusco, the UN's existing DRC peacekeeping mission, mandated to protect civilians. The new brigades would be tasked with preventing rebels from seizing territory, and weakening them through targeted operations. Alongside this rapid reaction force, said a UN official, a broad political plan to bring stability to the region is set to be signed on the side-lines of the AU summit in Addis Ababa by the leaders of the DRC, Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, Angola, the Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), Tanzania and South Africa. All of these measures were triggered late last year when M23 rebels seized the eastern city of Goma. UN peacekeepers chose not to confront the well-armed insurgents, and suffered a blow to their image.

[removed image - es]

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has been pushing for a comprehensive approach to dealing with the seemingly continuous conflict in the eastern DRC, fuelled by interference from neighbouring states and facilitated by the weakness of the Congolese government and army. UN experts have cited evidence that Rwanda and Uganda are backing M23, although both countries strongly deny the charges. "Following the Goma crisis there was a realization here that after more than 10 years of UN engagement in the DRC there was a need to look at things differently to break the cycle of violence in the east," said the UN official. "So we tried to go for the heart of the problem and see why these cycles are on-going." The framework agreement involves a commitment from Kinshasa to strengthen the Congolese army and pledges of non-interference from its neighbours.

It also seeks to address the legitimate concerns of all countries concerned, says the UN official, "meaning there are legitimate concerns for all countries involved, including Rwanda and Uganda". The UN intervention force would not be a substitute for the Congolese army, said the peacekeeping official. Rather it would "create a specific space and time for the political process, and for the army to build at least some capacity." The idea would be to recruit African soldiers. Only Tanzania has offered troops so far. The combat brigades would be aided by surveillance drones recently authorised by the Security Council, which are also meant to monitor the borders. The Secretary General will present detailed plans for the "peace-making force" at the beginning of February and, pending Security Council approval, the aim is to get troops on the ground within three months.

BBC News - UN 'plans to fight rebels in DRC'

Sounds pretty good. I hope the UN has the same mindset of Barbara Plett and the author of the VOA article. Extremely insightful assessment.

Much thanks for the post.

 

[emptystep]

Hey Waltky, Looks like a real dumb ass is running this show. Good help is so hard to find.

Congo M23 Rebel Talks Falter - WSJ.com

A scheduled negotiation session between Democratic Republic of Congo's M23 rebels and the government failed to take place in Kampala on Tuesday, the same day Human Rights Watch accused both sides of committing war crimes in the mineral-rich but restive Eastern Congo.

After the two sides reached a preliminary agreement guaranteeing the rebels plum positions in the army and the government last week, negotiations were slated to enter a decisive stage this week, under which an implementation plan would be considered to end a long-standing conflict in the central African nation. But Crispus Kiyonga, Uganda's defense minister and mediator of the talks, canceled the session to make "more consultations," just hours after the U.S.-based rights group accused M23 rebels and government troops of committing various war crimes during the rebel occupation of Congo's mineral trading city of Goma late last year.

OK, got it. They kill indiscriminately and brutally and all that. Seems like peace would be the best solution.

 

[Trajan]

There aren't any Terrorists in Africa unless the US sends them there like they did in the Middle East.

Does Libya qualify?

Libya 'contributed' the highest number of foreign Jihadists to the Iraqi conflict than any other nation, the whole eastern side of Libya is rife with Jihadists and has been since the mid 2000's.... twice the number of Saudis btw.

And did you know that Gaddaffi in Feb 2011 told the EU that the Joahdist east side of his country was the real threat and would constitute an ongoing real threat whether he was there or not......pretty prescient eh?