Fwd: Congo: Time to Act

Have you ever seen the movie Hotel Rwanda? How about Blood Diomond? Well, it seems as though what is going on right now in Eastern Congo is like a combination of both of these situations. Different nations and other groups are fighting eachother for natural recourses, while the same groups from Rawanda are at the killing and raping of civilians again, this time in Eastern Congo(where they fled from prosecution after the Rwanda Genocide). Oh, and once again United Nations troops are present, but aren't accomplishing anything whatsoever.

Accourding to Avaaz (I know it wounds like some sort of terrorist organization, but it looks like a lagitimate not for profit based in Europe, Canada, and the United States) anyway, the U.N. troops stationed there are not allowed to protect civillians, while they have been fighting nalongside the Congolise army, and have been accused of sheltering pro-government mallitias.

If that last statement is true, here's what I think should happen. First, the current U.N. force should be fulled out, for they are already in the mindset of taking a side. Second, I new dominantly french-speaking U.N. peacekeeping force should be deployed with the express mission to protect civillians and provide a safe zone for peacekeeping talks to occur. Finally, reconcilliation experts from the United Nations and the Universal Peace Federartion should be sent to this no-fighting zone to help calm to mood and allow for fair-minded treaties to be written and signd. Once treaties are signed, the United Nations Troops are not to leave until these traties are actually implimented. In addition, justice must be had and those who have commited crimes must be put on trial and punished through the International Criminal Tribunal.

Below is some information and a plea for help from Avaaz, and indipendent global NGO that works to ensure the views and values of the world's people inform global decision-making.

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Paul Hilder - Avaaz.org Date: 2008/11/12 Subject: Congo: Time to Act Dear friends, The people of Congo are being terrorised -- they need protection urgently, Europe could help but our leaders are delaying -- call on them to act urgently to protect civilians: Take action now The people of Congo need our help. In recent weeks over 200,000 people have been driven from their homes, and murder and rape are rife. Families are running for their lives, caught between the brutal violence of both the rebels and the Congolese army. But shockingly, European foreign ministers meeting earlier this week said it's too early to act. Europe can deploy a well-equipped protection force to be on the ground in two weeks - no one else can get such a capable presence in that fast. European engagement could push back the armed groups and put real pressure on Congo and neighbouring countries, curbing this humanitarian disaster and making peace possible. This tough crisis will not be solved militarily, but civilians need protection now, and facing down the warlords on all sides will make a political deal more likely. The lesson of Rwanda was to step in before it's too late -- Europe's politicians seem to have forgotten that. The people of eastern Congo need us urgently. Send a message to your leader and forward this email to friends and family -- we'll also place our message in newspapers around Europe, so follow this link to take action: http://www.avaaz.org/en/european_action_on_congo/?cl=147002389&v=2418 The recent clashes between General Nkunda's militias and the Congolese army are the latest in a place where the population has been attacked and terrorised for years by armed groups. Over five million people have been killed. It's been termed 'Africa's world war', with Rwanda, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Angola and Namibia all getting involved. The fighting is fed by a lethal war economy based on the extraction of minerals such as coltan, cobalt, diamonds and gold, to which we're all connected through the worldwide market. Allegations abound of Angolan and Zimbabwean troops fighting alongside the Congolese army -- Congolese army soldiers committing atrocities and working with militias including the Rwandan Hutu Forces, some of whose leaders were responsible for the 1994 Rwandan genocide -- and the Rwandan army supporting General Nkunda to muscle the Congolese government to fulfill its commitment to demobilise these same Hutu militias. So it is no surprise that African-only diplomacy is faltering. The United Nations mission (MONUC) is in Congo to keep the peace between this web of armed groups, but recently it has made clear statements that it cannot protect civilians. We have heard reliably that MONUC are desperate for a rapid EU bridging force to do what they can't and start restoring international legitimacy, which has been lost through overstretch and perceptions of taking sides -- UN troops have fought alongside the Congolese army and are even accused of sheltering pro-government militias. To have a credible and effective force the United Nations mission will soon have to be reformed and redeployed. In the longer term, the international community needs to be a strong and honest broker to ensure implementation of peace agreements and confront the underlying issues feeding this war. If Europe sends a short-term, neutral force to the region now to protect civilians, it can start to change the terms of this brutal game -- providing a basis both to defend the defenceless and to apply political leverage to all sides. Click below to send a message asking your own country's leader to support action now: http://www.avaaz.org/en/european_action_on_congo/?cl=147002389&v=2418 We cannot let the best chance to stop the terror in Congo slip by as European leaders turn their backs. Congo needs concerted engagement now. Europe is providing millions in aid to Congo and Rwanda to ensure reconstruction and development, but without a more forceful and permanent push, there will be no peace to keep. Let's flood European leaders with requests for firm action. Sign the petition and please send it to your friends and family: http://www.avaaz.org/en/european_action_on_congo/?cl=147002389&v=2418 With hope, Paul, Alice, Pascal, Ricken, Ben, Paula, Brett, Graziela, Iain and Milena - the Avaaz.org team PS: For a report on Avaaz's campaigning so far, see: https://secure.avaaz.org/en/report_back_2 PSS: Here are links to sources for this alert: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article5126970.ece http://www.monuc.org/news.aspx?newsID=18960 http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/nov/10/congo-kiwanja-un-goma-angola-laurent-nkunda-war-crimes-fighting http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/congos-tragedy-the-war-the-world-has-forgotten-14023616.html http://www.monuc.org/news.aspx?newsID=18996 http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs/2008/081107_Mulet.doc.htm ABOUT AVAAZ Avaaz.org is an independent, not-for-profit global campaigning organization that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people inform global decision-making. (Avaaz means "voice" in many languages.) Avaaz receives no money from governments or corporations, and is staffed by a global team based in Ottawa, London, Rio de Janeiro, New York, Paris, Sydney and Geneva. Call us at: +1 888 922 8229. Click here to learn more about our largest campaigns. Don't forget to check out our Facebook and Myspace and Bebo pages! You are getting this message because you signed "Stand with Tibet - Support the Dalai Lama" on 2008-03-18 using the email address mailto:brunoklotz@gmail.com. To ensure that Avaaz messages reach your inbox, please add mailto:avaaz@avaaz.org to your address book. To change your email address, language settings, or other personal information, https://secure.avaaz.org/act/index.php?r=profile&user=6cdb18d3ffa2abdcd0395ff46203f035&lang=en, or simply go here to unsubscribe. To contact Avaaz, please do not reply to this email. Instead, write to info@avaaz.org. 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