Topic: Congo
Country: Congo
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Congo position papers GLIMUN 2007 committees
While numerous other African conflicts have risen to the surface in recent years, the conflicts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have been perhaps the most violent and the most costly. Many reasons have been addressed as the cause of this conflict. Conflict commodities, the advancement of invading forces attempting to disarm rebel groups, and the presence of multiple armies have all contributed to the deadly conflict that has arisen in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Lusaka Accords, a temporary ceasefire enacted in 1999 is the primary attempt at conflict resolution in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. While the Lusaka Accords did not last long, they provided a basis from which future treaties can refer to. Stemming from the results of the Lusaka Accords and the increase in violence thereafter came the creation of MONUC. MONUC has been granted the power to enforce the acts of the Lusaka Accords, such the cessation of hostilities, and the disarmament of rebel groups. Although MONUC forces have the power to use force to make the components of the Lusaka Accords a reality, the fact is that they are stretched. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is an extremely large country and the MONUC forces simply do not have the manpower to fulfill their duties.
It is the belief of the government of the Republic of the Congo that the MONUC forces must be increased in order to accomplish what it was created to do. The presence of outside armies such as those of Rwanda and Uganda only make matters worse. These forces should be removed in order to provide a stable environment for the MONUC and Democratic Republic of the Congo forces to disarm rebel troops. With the forces of neighboring countries trying to push their own private agenda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo will never see peace or prosperity. We must give the Democratic Republic of the Congo its chance by ensuring its sovereignty, disarming the rebel forces, and holding free democratic elections. Only through these three things can the Democratic Republic of the Congo accomplish its goals and its purpose as a nation; only through these three things can we, as the body of the United Nations, do our duty to our neighbors.
