Tuesday, May 13, 2003

Mbeki finds his voice. He is calling for UN action in Congo.

Mbeki's security adviser, Billy Masethla, said the president, in his capacity as the chairman of the African Union, would this week appeal to Annan to push for UN troops to be authorised to open fire on militia attacking civilians in the east of the massive central African state.

This is all well and good. And should be done to prevent another Rwanda sized slaughter.

Now for Kofi.

"I am deeply alarmed by the deterioration of the security situation in Bunia," Annan said in a statement.

"Thousands of civilians have fled their homes, while militia groups are fighting for control of the town and engaged in extensive looting."

The Bunia headquarters of Monuc, the UN military mission in the DRC, "has been attacked by militias, despite the fact that it is sheltering thousands of innocent civilians," Annan added.

He further said militias "have also fired into crowds of displaced persons seeking shelter near Bunia airport."

"I am therefore asking the Security Council to consider effective measures to prevent the situation from deteriorating with further loss of civilian lives," Annan said. "I have called on the Government of Uganda to use its influence over militia forces in Ituri to maintain calm."

Where is Mbeki when it comes to the millions that face the Mugabe manufactured famine in Zimbabwe? Where was Kofi when Saddam's troops fired into crowds? Where is Kofi when we get the small glimpses of the hell that is North Korea? What resolutions have they put before the UNSC to end the massacres in Sudan? The difference is that Congo is not ruled by a favored tyrant and the massacres are not being carried out by a protected group.

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