What matters most to the Congoleses?-

A non-politically motivated point of View

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On BBC Matin this morning, a journalist interviewed a democratic Guinean politician on the current situation in D.R Congo. Anyone who was listening could tell, I am sure, that this politician has a strong sense of humor. Unlike many world leaders interviewed in the media, this man seems to be very supportive of General Laurent Nkunda. Along the way in the interview, he used the word “Zaire” instead of D.R .of Congo, and then the journalist corrected or rather reminded him of the new name. “It doesn’t matter the name because it’s not the name that will change the life of an ordinary Congolese citizen”. The man reacted as if he used the word “Zaire” knowingly.

So, what does really matter, what would make a real change in the life of a Congolese citizen or people in the region at large? I ask! Five years after independence, Joseph Desire (Mobutu Sese-Seko) seized power by deposing Kasa-Vubu, the then President of Republic of Congo and arresting Patrice Lumumba and later handed him to secessionist forces to be murdered. Since then, Leaders change not only their own names as soon as they are in power, but also the name of the country, the colors and design of the flag and the national anthem.

However, with so much change in the Leaders’ own names, country name, flags, slogans and national anthem, the life of an ordinary Congolese remains just the same. A Congolese dying with hunger in the west can’t have access the harvested crops in the east due to power inter-province communication and infrastructure system even with a free navigable Congolese River. A Congolese in East is made into a man in political and economic solitary by dictators who claim-through their eloquent speeches and slogans in French language-to be the nation’s messiah, is still a victim of a selfish self-seeking interest of the powers in real control of the region.
Hence, what would bring about real change in the life of an ordinary Congolese citizen is for every Congolese including the current President, to:

1.Agree with their own constitution that every Congolese is indeed a Congolese citizen to be protected from the threat that FDLR/Interahamwes pose against Congolese Tutsi and other ethnic groups alike. Else, one way or the other, Congo will have to face Rwanda either politically or militarily.
2.Identify who truly qualifies to be their allies both on regional and international level.
Use their natural resources to get themselves out of economic and political control from powers beyond.
The list could be long, but these three are a must.

Rwanda, has strongly denied the claims of President Kabila that Rwanda is behind the trouble in Congo. While I don’t claim to be speaking for either side, I strongly agree with anyone who would say that peace in Congo will remain vulnerable as long as FDLR/Interahamwe remain to be a threat not only to Nkunda’s ethnic group but to Rwanda. It looks like President Kabila has to make a radical choice. Either to stop the business whatsoever, between him and FDLF/Interahamwe and secure peace that will bring about change in his country or he will have to face Nkunda’s forces and who cares where he gets help from?

What is at stake is the lives of Congolese and so he must choose between his people or FDLR.