Adventures of a Retired Armchair Traveler - You say tomato, I say "tomate"

sometimes i visit these: Congogirl on Twitter / Bloglines Congogirl link / Congogirl's Links List on My Del.icio.us / Where IS DR Congo, anyway?? / Congo Daily / good summary article on DR Congo / Samantha Power's article, "Bystanders to Genocide" / Dizolele - Eye on Africa / Congo Blog - Ba Leki / Cedric Kalonji's photo blog / Extra Extra / Nayembi / Thirteen Wildlife Blogs from DR Congo / Babycatcher / Global Voices / Helene in RD Congo / ID Land - adventures in international development / John's Blog / Kim Gjerstad in Congo / On Safari with el Jorgito / The Salon of News and Thought / This is Zimbabwe / Bluehaired Mary / African Path / Global Bioethics Blog / Somewhere in Africa / Africa is a Country

December 2009


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	Tue, May. 23rd, 2006 02:17 pm

You say tomato, I say "tomate"

DR Congo politicians are warned they should not have more than 25 bodyguards, as tension rises ahead of polls.

At first, I thought this story was a joke. I almost laughed out loud.

But it turns out that what they mean by "bodyguards" is more like "private armed militia."

A diplomat in Kinshasa was quoted as saying that he didn't believe the 18 brigades of 3500 Congolese soldiers would be employed in time for elections, and also stated that: "Each of the former belligerents has kept behind a substantial force, including weapons, just in case."

So basically he is alluding to potential chaos following the elections, what with a hodge podge of over 30 private regiments of troops, one for each presidential candidate, combined with 40,000 fighters, 20,000 of whom have not yet been trained, who were absorbed into the Congolese army, untold other Mai Mai fighters particularly in the eastern section of the country, and who knows who else, who may be clamoring for power and material support starting July 30.

Interesting. On va voir.

Tags: africa, dr congo, elections, news

litzie

	Tue, May. 23rd, 2006 03:52 pm (UTC)

I saw that article today myself...Do you know, at various points in european history Kings had this very same fight with dukes/lords/various other names for noblemen? It was part of the centralization process in middle ages, when the disparate lands that now make up England or France were forged/forced into one kingdom.

The bad news about this comparison is that it generally took place over a hundred years or so, and there were a couple wars where the King had to prove how in charge he was.

The other bad news is that, for a history major, I am remarkably bad at remembering names and dates and can't give you an actual example from medeival european history. I'm not even sure I spelled medeival right. Sad, yes?

congogirl

	Wed, May. 24th, 2006 01:22 pm (UTC)

Well, I am bad with names and dates too, at least in history, or at least outside of my personal history! But that is a very interesting comparison, and no it doesn't bode well for the next decade or so...

vasco_pyjama

Vasco Pyjama

	Tue, May. 23rd, 2006 08:18 pm (UTC)

Heh. Indeed, more than 25 bodyguards would be a private army. Or illegally armed group (IAG) in Afghanistan-speak. But yeah... spewing ('Strine expression of surprise).

congogirl

	Wed, May. 24th, 2006 01:28 pm (UTC)

Oh, IAG - new terminology! sweet! Yeah well I still want to try to get over there before elections, but chances of that are getting slimmer...

themalau

	Wed, May. 24th, 2006 11:16 am (UTC)

Hum...

As you say so well, my dear CG, on va voir. I haven't written in a little while, because there is something in the whole political situation that does not fit, and I am trying to figure out what. I mean aside from the standard foreign manipulation claims (some of which I am SURE are true), there seems to be something bigger brewing, and I really don't like it...

congogirl

	Wed, May. 24th, 2006 01:29 pm (UTC)

Re: Hum...

Well keep me posted if you come up with any information or ideas, because there is still a chance that I will travel before the elections.

I have had a hard time because I am a bit fatigued with the news, small bits of which come out daily but as you said, it's hard to piece them together and see what that 'something bigger' is going to look like.