Congo soldiers driven by greed, say defence experts
RARE hardwoods, valuable minerals and even exotic parrots are among the lucrative spoils of the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to defence experts and observers who believe those embroiled in the 18-month-old conflict are now driven largely by greed.
The new twist marks a setback for international efforts to end Africa's biggest war which has forced up to one million people to flee their homes and raises questions over the stated desire for peace of the five countries actively fighting: Congo itself, its allies Angola and Zimbabwe; as well as the rebels' backers, Rwanda and Uganda.
The war loot, reaped by all sides in the conflict, includes diamonds and gold. Zimbabwean soldiers of all ranks are coming home on leave with wads of US dollars with which they buy houses and cars for cash. Among the most worrying recent evidence is that Zimbabwe last September organised a visit for a North Korean delegation to Shinkolobwe, the Congolese mine which provided the uranium used in the Hiroshima bomb. North Korea, a long-time ally of the Zimbabwean president, Robert Mugabe, has promised to stop producing weapon-graded fissionable material in return for famine relief from the US.
Even as United States Congress considers approving a UN military observer mission to Congo, Washington's view of the conflict is shifting, and falling into line with President Mugabe's argument that support for President Kabila is the only way to prevent a break-up of the former Zaire.
Independent News Service
