On
UN's "100 Days
of Kobler,"
LRA Dodged,
FDLR Vague,
Minova Rapes
Ignored
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
November 21 --
Attacks in the
Democratic
Republic of
the
Congo by the
Lord's
Resistance
Army were
discussed only
yesterday in
the UN
Security
Council.
But
when the UN's
envoy in the
DRC Martin
Kobler held a
grand(iose)
infomercial on
UN Television
on Thursday,
using the
Twitter
hashtag
#Kobler100Days,
he downplayed
that and
almost all
other less
than
positive news.
At
least he took
the LRA
question, or
part of it.
Inner City
Press
asked: "What
has MONUSCO
& the DRC
government
done amid the
increased LRA
attacks in
Orientale
Province?"
The
word
"increased"
was dropped
from the
read-out, and
Kobler
immediately
claimed that
there are a
lot of actions
against the
LRA
in the
neighboring
Central
African
Republic. That
is not true:
action
against the
LRA has been
suspended in
CAR since the
Seleka coup.
Kobler
came off as if
he is running
for office in
the DRC, or is
an
appointed
viceroy. He
said things
like "educate
our children,"
and
essentially
bragged about
the victory
over the M23.
He put no
timeline on
going after
the FDLR.
There
were
translation
problems, some
seeming
intentional.
Kobler in
English
conceded that
MONUSCO is the
UN's most
expensive
mission; the
French
translation
called it only
the most
"important"
mission.
A
question on
the UN
supporting an
illegitimate
government
drew a blank
from Kobler;
finally he
insisted there
those in
prison in the
DRC are
rightfully
there. He
claimed that
impunity is a
thing of the
past --
"dans le
passe" --
despite for
example no one
being jailed
for the 135
rapes in
Minova year
ago, and only
lower level
army
members even
being charged.
While
Kobler took at
least four
questions from
the UN's own
Radio Okapi --
and thanked
Okapi for them
at the end,
North Korea
style -- here
are
some questions
Kobler didn't
take or
answer:
So
UN believes no
one higher
placed is
responsible
for 135 rapes
in
Minova?
From
DRC, who will
have access to
the info
from Ladsous'
drone?
[Kobler said
"December,"
but nothing on
who'll get the
information.]
What
did MONUSCO
find when,
as UN said, it
went to check
in "reprisals"
in Bunagana
& Kiwanja?
What
does UN say to
critique
that members
of
Intervention
Brigade have
economic &
political
interests in
#DRC?
What
has UN done
about links
between DRC
officers &
FDLR militia
cited in UN's
own Group of
Experts
report? [Kobler's
UN Peacekeeping
boss Herve
Ladsous
should really
answer this
one, given
his history.]
These
will have to
be answered.
Watch this
site.
, 
