Conflict & Transition Consultancies
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Conflict & Transition Consultancies Opportunities and Constraints for the Disarmament & Repatriation Of Foreign Armed Groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo The cases of the: FDLR, FNL and ADF/NALU Hans Romkema De Veenhoop, June 2007 This report is commissioned by the Secretariat of the MDRP. The authors accept full responsibility for this report. It does not necessarily reflect the views of the MDRP Secretariat or any partner of the MDRP. Table of contents List of acronyms .....................................................................................................................5 Definitions used for this report...............................................................................................7 Maps: – Locations AGs in North & South Kivu – .................................................................8 Executive summary .................................................................................................. 10 Background and objectives of the FNL, FDLR and ADF/NALU .......................................10 Forces Nationales pour la Libération (FNL) of Burundi..................................................10 Forces Démocratiques pour la Libération du Rwanda (FDLR) of Rwanda.....................11 Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and National Army for the Liberation of Uganda (NALU) of Uganda ..........................................................................................................12 The impact of the AGs on the Kivu provinces .....................................................................12 The D&R experience to date ................................................................................................14 The way forward ..................................................................................................................14 Political.............................................................................................................................14 Opportunities for non-violent D&R .................................................................................15 If voluntary D&R fails .....................................................................................................16 Anticipated Results ..........................................................................................................18 Recommendations ................................................................................................................18 To all parties:....................................................................................................................18 To the GoDRC: ................................................................................................................18 To the countries of origin: ................................................................................................19 To MONUC: ....................................................................................................................19 To the MDRP: ..................................................................................................................19 International Community: ................................................................................................20 1. Introduction........................................................................................................ 21 1.1 Aim and objectives ...................................................................................................22 1.2 Target groups............................................................................................................22 1.3 The Conflict & Transition Consultancies team ........................................................23 1.4 Methodology ............................................................................................................24 1.4.1 Interviews with key-informants .......................................................................24 1.4.2 Questionnaires ..................................................................................................25 1.4.3 Focus groups ....................................................................................................25 1.4.4 Historical review and literature ........................................................................25 1.4.5 Comparative analysis .......................................................................................26 1.5 Constraints................................................................................................................26 2. The Democratic Republic of Congo................................................................... 28 2.1 Brief historical context .............................................................................................28 2.2 Current state of affairs in rural Kivu ........................................................................31 2.2.1 The military situation .......................................................................................31 2.2.2 Deployment, army integration and DDR .........................................................33 2.2.3 The Intelligence Service ...................................................................................34 2.2.4 The local administration: governance and presence.........................................34 2.2.5 Regional cooperation........................................................................................35 2.3 Impact of foreign AGs on host communities ...........................................................37 2.3.1 Humanitarian & development activities...........................................................38 2.3.2 Who’s in charge?..............................................................................................40 3. FDLR ................................................................................................................. 41 3.1 Background on the FDLR ........................................................................................41 2 3.1.1 Key operations & infiltrations ..........................................................................43 3.1.2 Political goals and objectives ...........................................................................45 3.1.3 Ideology and religion .......................................................................................46 3.2 An overview of structure, strength and systems ......................................................47 3.2.1 Strength and structure.......................................................................................47 3.2.2 Training and recruitment ..................................................................................49 3.2.3 Intelligence and control ....................................................................................50 3.2.4 Arms and ammunition ......................................................................................52 3.2.5 Logistics, economic survival and enrichment ..................................................53 3.2.6 When does a refugee become a settler?............................................................56 3.2.7 Locations ..........................................................................................................58 3.2.8 Internal conflicts and divisions ........................................................................59 3.2.9 At ease!.............................................................................................................61 3.3 Disarmament & Repatriation ...................................................................................61 3.3.1 Attitude of combatants to D&R and MONUC .................................................61 3.3.2 Information and sensitisation ...........................................................................62 3.3.3 Justice ...............................................................................................................64 3.3.4 Extremist Leadership........................................................................................66 4. FNL.................................................................................................................... 67 4.1 Background on the FNL ...........................................................................................69 4.1.1 The origins of the FNL .....................................................................................69 4.1.2 Aim and objectives ...........................................................................................71 4.1.3 Ideology and religion .......................................................................................72 4.1.4 FRODEBU and the CNDD-FDD .....................................................................72 4.2 An overview of the FNL ..........................................................................................74 4.2.1 Military strength and structure .........................................................................74 4.2.2 Supplies and economic survival .......................................................................74 4.2.3 Location............................................................................................................75 4.3 An overview of the current situation ........................................................................76 4.4 Disarmament and repatriation ..................................................................................77 5. ADF/NALU........................................................................................................