Congo Kinshasa
Southern African leaders will consider sanctions against Congo-Kinshasa

afrol.com, 16 August - Irritation is widespread within SADC after the failure to reach a peace accord in Congo-Kinshasa (DRC), and the responsibility for the failure is put with DRC president Laurent Kabila. Zambian President Frederick Chiluba, chief mediator in the DRC, said sanctions would be considered if Kabila did not fall into line with other SADC (Southern Africa Development Community) members. 

"For now it is not foreseen that there would be need for sanctions, but if that time or if that occasion arises, then that can be considered in the light of the action the DRC government will take," Chiluba said to The Mail & Guardian. 

Rebel leaders claim Kabila has violated the Lusaka Peace Agreement 187 times. "After one year we should make the balance sheet to ask him if he is still committed to the accord," he said. In a statement at the end of this week’s talks, SADC leaders said they had told Kabila what was required of him regarding the deployment of UN troops and an all-inclusive national dialogue to shape the Central African country's political destiny. It is believed that the conflict in Congo will go on for a long time, if the country is not already doomed to partition, analysts say.

Kabila on Sunday met with 9 other African head of states and the rebel leaders Jean-Pierre Bemba and Emille Illunga in Lusaka. From the beginning, he was put in a defensive position, as the general opinion was that Kabila was the one draining the peace process. 

The Lusaka meeting was organised by SADC, and was attained to by the heads of state of South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Swaziland, in addition to president Kagame of Rwanda and president Museveni of Uganda - both active parties in the conflict. The leaders asked for an enhanced political will to solve the conflict. 

- The problem is that they claim to be willing to stop the conflict, but that's not what they do, Ugandan president Museveni said to Reuters. Immediatly after closing the Sunday meeting in Lusaka, it was named a failure. 

Although core SADC member states are loosing patience with Kabila, the Congolese president can count on nearly unconditional support from other member states. Zimbabwe, Angola and Namibia are involved in the conflict on Kabila's side, with Zimbabwe alone having 11.000 soldiers and heavy war material in Congo. A joint and firm action on behalf of SADC therefore does not seem too likely. 

© afrol.com. Texts and graphics may be reproduced freely, under the condition that their origin is clearly referred to, see Conditions.    You can contact us at mail@afrol.com