Free article preview  

Rebel leader Laurent Nkunda likes to compare his relentless campaign against the Kinshasa government with the military resistance of General Charles de Gaulle, 'the man who said no'. Taking the parallels further, Nkunda has announced the formation of a provisional government in eastern Congo and threatens to march on the Kabila government. Without substantial back-up for the UN peacekeepers and a turnaround by the government forces, Nkunda's wild ambitions will face few obstacles.

The strategic blunders of both the Kinshasa government and the Kivu rebels leave Congo's government facing military defeat, the rebels facing political isolation and the people of Kivu facing disaster. Moreover, proposals for international intervention seem likely to stiffen the resolve of the rebels and of the embattled Rwandan government, which is their natural ally....

(This article contains approximately 2491 words)

end of free article preview

Current subscribers: log in now to read the complete article. Misplaced your password? Then click here for a password reminder.

Not a subscriber? Then you can read this article in full either by becoming a subscriber now, for 3, 6 or 12 months, or you can buy this individual article.

  • Subscribe to Africa Confidential:
  • Buy this article:
  • 3-month subscription
    Prices from £205.00 (+ VAT where applicable)
    6-month subscription
    Prices from £376.00 (+ VAT where applicable)
    12-month subscription
    Prices from £705.00 (+ VAT where applicable)
  • UK & European Union
    £17.00 (+ VAT where applicable)
    Rest of the world
    $27.00

  • If you have a print subscription already, click here for a password that gives you full access to the website.
  • If you are logged in, but still cannot access the full text of this article, email customer services or telephone us on +44(0)1638 743633.

Keywords:

How the Kivus threaten Kinshasa, Rwandan, Laurent Nkunda, United States, Jendayi Frazer, Joseph Kabila, Jules Mutebusi, Nkunda's big bluff, British, Uganda, France, Charles de Gaulle, Bosco Ntanganda, Luis Moreno Ocampo, Phantom soldiers, Pacifique Masunzu, Belgium, Karel de Gucht, Antoine Gizenga, François Malutshi, Ireland, Alan Doss, Jean-Pierre Bemba, Pakistani, Indian, Nicolas Sarkozy, Angolan, José Eduardo dos Santos, Bertrand Bisimwa, Jean-Louis Ernest Kyaviro, Louis Michel, Ban Ki-moon, Kenya, Mwai Kibaki, Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria, Benjamin Mkapa, Tanzania, Angolan back-up, George Chicoty, Germany, Rose Kabuye, Juvénal Habyarimana, Paddy Ankunda, Congrès National pour la Défense du Peuple, Forces Armées de la République Démocratique du Congo, Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie-Goma, Front Patriotique Rwandais, Forces Démocratiques pour la Libération du Rwanda, Interahamwé, Mission des Nations Unies en République Démocratique du Congo, La Libre Belgique, Le Monde, Front pour la Justice au Congo