Topic: The Situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Country: Russia
Delegate Name: Madison Ford
School: Forest Hills Northern High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Russia position papers GLIMUN 2013 committees
The eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo has been in disarray. In 1996, Rwanda and Uganda both defeated the DRC’s military during an invasion in the east. The conflict grew into what is called the Great War of Africa. This war involved almost all of the surrounding countries. Rwanda and Uganda invaded in hopes of finding Hutu perpetrators. Since 1998, there have been approximately 5 million deaths as a result of the conflict, making the war one of the most destructive in modern history. Throughout this time of conflict, the Russian Federation has offered aid to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the form of humanitarian aid and health care for the measles outbreak. Russia has maintained good relations with the DR Congo, and it is obvious that we seek to end the conflict in the most peaceful way possible.
There have been many resolutions drafted and signed in the hopes of solving the situation in the Congo, but none have been successful enough. While the Russian Federation is open to offering aid, we believe that too much intervention could be a bad thing. With peacekeepers already in place, it’s important that we don’t overstep our bounds or allow other nations to move in and try to shape the region while helping to resolve the conflict. It’s important to allow nations in conflict to develop their own democratic state, and supporting the cause is the best way to go about it. If the United Nations offers support to the government and reinforced democratic ideas and actions, the conflict can be resolved easier.
Insuring that neighboring nations support the effort of eliminating militia groups and establishing a democratic government is obviously very important. If the conflict comes to an end, it will not only benefit the DRC, but its neighbors as well. For this reason, they should be seeking to support the government in its efforts to resolve the conflict. In response to the refugee crisis, peace must be established so the refugees can return home. This is another way that the Democratic Republic of Congo’s neighbors can help support the cause and also get rewarded. The more support they offer, the faster the conflict will be resolved which means that the refugees may return to their home countries. Russia firmly believes that this will help end the conflict and help to establish a democracy without too much interference.
