New UN report on LRA in Congo

Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1533 (2004) concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo.A group of experts submitted a report with observations about the various rebel groups and their current activities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The LRA is one of these rebel groups active in Congo, although they had reportedly moved into the neighbouring contry of teh Cetnral African Republic. However, it is believed that LRA are stil active in DRC as well.

The main points the report states regarding the LRA are firstly that there is currently no evidence of involvement in illegal exploitation of natural resources, which was previously believed to be taking place. Rebel groups in the east of the DRC are notorious for having a share of the profit of illigal expoitation of resources such as timber in order to finance their military needs.

Also the report claims there is no evidence of external support from Khartoum. Rumours of Khartoum's support for the rebel group are rife. Khartoum certainly has supported the LRA in the past when it was more active in South Sudan.

Lastly, LRA groups which moved to the Central African Republic are likely to have returned to Congo. This means the threat of LRA attacks is far from over for Conoglese civilians.

You can download the full report here: Final report of the Group of Experts on the DRC submitted in accordance with paragraph 5 of Security Council resolution 1952 (2010) - S/2011/738 2 December 2011

To found out more about teh experts who were involved in the report, here are the names of the team -

Chair:

Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti

Members of the group of experts:

Fred Robarts

Nelson Alusala

Ruben de Koning

Steven Hege

Marie Plamadiala

Steven Spittaels