AFRICANOKLEPTOCRATS GALORE!

 

By Alexander MEZYAEV The beginning of autumn was marked by a new flare-up of military operations in the central part of Africa. In early September troops from the rebel group M23 attacked the encampment of the UN mission to DR Congo in Kibati. The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) sent a letter to the UN Security Council to request immediate intervention. The government of DR Congo demanded that the UN Security Council force Rwanda to finally withdraw its troops from the eastern part of the DRC and ask the International Criminal Court to declare the actions of M23 crimes against humanity… As a result of the military conflict in the DRC, there are now 2.6 million displaced persons (in 2012 there were 1.8 million), over half a million refugees and 6.4 million in need of food assistance and emergency agricultural aid. As for the victims over the entire period of the conflict, according to various estimates they number from 3.5 to 5 million dead.    The situation in DR Congo is one of the most complex in Africa; dozens of militant groups supported by several states at once are involved in the armed conflict. Among the main militant groups are M23, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), the Allied Democratic Forces and the National Army for the Liberation of Uganda (ADF-NALU), and Mai Mai Kata Katanga.    DR Congo's main problem is the March 23 Movement (M23). With foreign support, it started plundering the natural resources of the DRC on a grand scale. At the same time, 2013 brought substantial changes to M23's situation. In March the group's leader, General Bosco Ntaganda, was overthrown and immediately transferred to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.  Up until then Ntaganda and his M23 had enjoyed the support of Rwanda. However, as it turned out, the overthrow of Ntaganda was also organized by the Rwandan government, which had previously supplied Ntaganda with ammunition, but then supported the rebel general Makenga with weapons and soldiers. As a result Rwanda maintained its control of M23, and the majority of the missile strikes in the new flare-up of the war were made from Rwandan territory. This was accompanied by a provocation: M23 fighters, who had control of the territory of eastern DR Congo, shelled the territory of Rwanda, thus ensuring a missile «counterstrike» from the Rwandan army against DR Congo's territory. A similar provocation was organized before Rwanda's invasion of Goma in November 2012.   Kibati, where the attack took place, is the location not only of the UN mission to DR Congo, but of a unique UN division, the special Force Intervention Brigade (FIB). No other UN mission has such a division with such powers. The brigade was created March 28, 2013 by UN Security Council resolution No. 2098 (2013) as part of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). The resolution extended the mandate of MONUSCO until March 31, 2014. The brigade is to include three infantry battalions, one artillery battery and one Special Forces Company. The declared objective of the FIB is «contributing to reducing the threat posed by armed groups to state authority and civilian security in eastern DRC and to make space for stabilization activities». The task of the FIB is defined as «neutralizing» armed groups. The term «neutralizing», unusual for a UN Security Council resolution, means «carry[ing] out targeted offensive (emphasis ours. - A.M.) operations». Such operations are to be conducted independently or jointly with the armed forces of the DRC.   Russia supported the deployment of the FIB,  stating that it ought to help «achieve a qualitative breakthrough in combating anti-governmental groups». On the whole, Russia's position on the Congolese crisis consists in demanding the immediate and total cessation of violence in the region. Russia decisively condemned the unlawful armed groups which have renewed military operations in eastern DRC, as well as foreign support of them. The Russian representative emphasized that the fundamental responsibility for establishing peace in the DRC belongs to the countries of the region themselves, with the assistance of the African Union and subregional organizations.    The war in the DRC has been raging for several decades, and the question arises: who is encouraging it? A recently published report from a group of UN experts on the DRC asserts that the activities of M23 are financed «through a network of individual supporters and business dealings».  It is claimed that the main source of income for the movement is taxation of commercial trucks crossing at checkpoints in areas controlled by M23.  However, it is doubtful that «taxation of trucks» could provide financing for years of military operations by tens of thousands of well-armed fighters. In fact, the Congolese war is financed through the plundering of the country's natural resources, first and foremost gold. The plundering is carried out in the eastern part of the DRC via Uganda and Burundi. Tin, tantalum, wolfram and other metals are also objects of plunder.    At one of the meetings of the UN Security Council at which the situation in the DRC was being considered, the president of the World Bank announced the allocation of 1 billion dollars for a program for the development of the DRC.  However, the profits from plundering the DRC are much greater than this amount, and if the plunder is not stopped, no «humanitarian» programs will help.   The war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a war for resources. The new flare-up of military operations is linked with the attempt of numerous armed groups to secure the most advantageous positions in connection with the start of the formation of the UN Force Intervention Brigade with its new military powers, not only for defensive operations, but for offensive ones as well.   Government is the #1 enemy of the people and the source of all major problems of humanity.  Anarchy is the best political system.  Basil Venitis, venitis@gmail.com, http://themostsearched.blogspot.com, @Venitis   Fifteen South African soldiers were killed in a rebellion in the Central African Republic (CAR), defending the business interests of Zuma, ANC, and its kleptocrats.  The soldiers were killed in the capital, Bangui, as rebels seized power.  The South African National Defense Union (SANDF), representing the soldiers, and the main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) party called for the withdrawal of troops. Rebels have been seen driving around in captured South African military vehicles. The vehicles include Toyota Landcruisers marked with the insignia of Operation Vimbezela, the South African military mission in CAR. Machine guns were mounted on the roofs of the vehicles. Zuma hoodwinks: We salute them and honor them for the supreme sacrifice they have paid for the achievement of peace in Africa. South Africa's foreign policy was premised on the vision of building a better Africa, a better world.  South Africa's 200 soldiers in Bangui were outnumbered in a nine-hour high tempo battle after bandits attacked them at their base on the weekend of 23-24 March. No country discusses its military strategy in public in the manner in which South Africa is expected to do. Those who are engaging in this game should be careful not to endanger both the national interest and the security of the Republic while pursuing party political goals. DA presented a motion to parliament demanding the withdrawal of South African troops from CAR. Helen Zille, leader of DA, points out South Africans were in CAR to defend the regime of ousted President Francois Bozize and personal business interests of South African kleptocrats. The mission was undertaken against expert military advice and was to protect the business interests of kleptocrats, both in South Africa and the Central African Republic.  Everybody knows the South African troops were deployed to defend the mining interests of ANC in CAR, which has gold and uranium.   All South Africans know their politicians are very corrupt.  Huge military bribes were paid to Jacob Zuma, Thabo Mbeki, Schabir Shaik, Chippy Shaik and Joe Modise. Patricia de Lille has evidence of payments by warship supplier Thyssen-Krupp to ANC.  Italian submarine bidders Fincantiere were told they had won the contract, but were informed later that they had been dropped in favor of the Germans. They were offered the chance to better the Germans via an extra bribe of fifteen million euros!   Zuma was charged with fraud and bribery, but the charges were subsequently withdrawn by the National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa. ANC has also been criticized for its subsequent abolition of the Scorpions, the multidisciplinary agency that investigated and prosecuted organized crime and corruption, and was heavily involved in the investigation into Zuma and Shaik. Other corruption issues include rape and robberies, and the Oilgate scandal, in which huge funds from a state-owned company were funneled into ANC coffers. ANC has also used government and civil society funds and facilities to fight its political battles against opposition parties such as the Democratic Alliance. ANC wastes the taxpayers' hard-earned money on luxury vehicles, expensive hotels, junkets, banquets, sinecures for kith and kin, and support of harems. Jacob Zuma has eight wives and twenty-five children!  He gets an extra aid of three million euros each year from the government for spousal support!  Harems for leaders and starvation for hoi polloi; that’s what socialism is all about!   Zuma declares that having pet dogs is part of white culture, and blacks should get rid of their dogs!  Zuma asserts that people who spend money on buying a dog, taking it to the vet and for walks belong to white culture. Zuma laments there is a new generation of young Africans who are trying to adopt the lifestyles of other race groups. Zuma muses that even if blacks apply any kind of lotion and straighten their hair they will never be white!   Pet-lovers accuse Zuma of indifference to animals, while others accuse him of racism. Zuma notes there are some South Africans who sit with their dogs in front in a van or truck with a worker at the back in pouring rain or extremely cold weather. Some people also do not hesitate to rush their dogs to veterinary surgeons for medical care when they are sick while they ignore workers or relatives who are also sick in the same households.   Zuma draws controversy in order to increase his popularity with blacks. Some of his consistent remarks have anger feminists, gay people, and black intellectuals, but his support within the governing African National Congress (ANC) remains solid.  He has been re-elected ANC leader, beating off a challenge by his rival, Kgalema Motlanthe. Zuma is now leading the ANC into the 2014 national election based on stupidities, huge political corruption, racial hate, and controversies.   South Africa is already the world’s second fastest growing economy and a member of BRICS.  If certain bottlenecks were taken out, I can easily see that doubling, says Graham Mackay, Chairman, SABMiller, United Kingdom. The global brewer was established in South Africa more than a century ago and has extensive investments across the continent. Mackay singles out infrastructure development as probably the key driver to Africa’s continued economic progress.   Zuma stresses that the countries that comprise Africa are determined to consolidate their gains: We realize that intra-trade is not enough and are working hard on that. Africa is not consumed with conflict. We are also dealing with the economic issues. We’ve just agreed to integrate three of the five economic regions, creating a free trade area of more than half a billion people.  On recent labor unrest in South Africa, solutions are being discussed by all sectors, including the government, labor unions, businesses, and civil society.