The Interahamwe in the DRC

**Banquo's Ghost** · 05-11-2007, 14:28

The evil Hutu militia known as the Interahamwe left Rwanda some years past to inflict their particular brand of terror on villages in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The BBC's Radio 4 broadcast an inteview from one of the victims this morning, which had me crying in frustration and anger.

It may be interesting to Backroomers, as an illustration (if we needed one) of how depraved human beings can be. I warn you, it is deeply horrifying.

We may not be able to do much about this, but we should never become immune to these stories.

The preamble of the Today programme slot is about 3 minutes - the interview starts around that mark for some ten minutes.

Mike Thomson report.

(In case the direct link doesn't work, the web page is here, and you want to go to the 0730-0800 slot).

**Tribesman** · 05-11-2007, 20:23

We may not be able to do much about this

What can be done , its a small part of a much bigger war ,(though really that is a long continuing bigger war with more and more players joining in as it goes on) .
Though stop selling them guns and stop buying their black market mineral resources which fund them might be a start .
A full trade embargo on all the countries fighting in the congo on one side or the other might help too , but hey business is business .

**Husar** · 05-11-2007, 21:36

Absolutely disgusting.

Though I have to say that woman is really strong and spoke like a true christian, making me feel a bit ashamed because of what I thought I'd like to be done to those people.

It's very sad that most people never even think of these things which happen daily in Africa.
I've been thinking for some time that my government or western governements in general, should at least try to do something to improve the situation in Africa, but apart from sending 400 soldiers to make sure there could be democratic elections in the republic of Congo, we haven't done a lot it seems. Though maybe this was a first sign of things to come?

**Lemur** · 05-11-2007, 21:44

Originally Posted by Husar

I've been thinking for some time that my government or western governements in general, should at least try to do something to improve the situation in Africa, but apart from sending 400 soldiers to make sure there could be democratic elections in the republic of Congo, we haven't done a lot it seems.

I still think mercenaries are a viable option. The Africans nations are unwilling and unable to police themselves, the western nations are not going to send their sons and daughters to be slaughtered for humanitarian principles, and China could care less. The UN has demonstrated a remarkable lack of effectiveness in sub-Saharan Africa as well.

Send in the mercs. I think western taxpayers would be more than happy to foot the very small bill that would be incurred. I'm still impressed with what Executive Outcomes managed to achieve in Sierra Leone, before the government bowed to the U.N. and revoked their contract.

Imagine what Blackwater could do in the Congo.

**Tribesman** · 05-11-2007, 23:45

I still think mercenaries are a viable option.

the mercenaries are already there .

The Africans nations are unwilling and unable to police themselves

8 of those African nations plus the DRC and all its factions are already in this conflict , how ya gonna police that ?

China could care less.

China , like others ,cares enough to have its weapons used and for its businesses to get the resources . Just like in Sudan , Somalia , Chad.......

I'm still impressed with what Executive Outcomes managed to achieve in Sierra Leone, before the government bowed to the U.N. and revoked their contract.

Hold on there . They stopped one offensive , the government was still overthrown again , it was the S.A. government that ended their deal not the UN and what they managed to achieve was a conviction for attempting to defraud the government of Sierra Leone of 23million dollars , they didn't even manage to secure the diamond fields that their other employer wanted secure .
Impressive eh ?

**Husar** · 05-12-2007, 12:14

Well, the replies here do show how many people care.

The mercenary idea reminded me of Gunships for hire, a very interesting article about a mercenary pilot in Sierra Leone.

**Tribesman** · 05-12-2007, 12:43

The mercenary idea reminded me of Gunships for hire, a very interesting article about a mercenary pilot in Sierra Leone.

Ahhhh I see now... Neall Ellis worked for the Sierra Leone government , and there was me thinking he was a long time contractor for DeBeers

**Lemur** · 05-12-2007, 16:00

I hate to admit it, Tribesman, but the fact that you're so dismissive of the merc option makes me suspect it's viable.

**Major Robert Dump** · 05-12-2007, 16:05

Make a drug that placates people and tell the Africans it cures AIDS. Then they will all get along.

**Husar** · 05-12-2007, 17:16

Originally Posted by Tribesman

Ahhhh I see now... Neall Ellis worked for the Sierra Leone government , and there was me thinking he was a long time contractor for DeBeers

Sometimes, one can learn something new.

**Tribesman** · 05-12-2007, 22:01

I hate to admit it, Tribesman, but the fact that you're so dismissive of the merc option makes me suspect it's viable.

How many mercs do you know ?
How many of them would you trust to run a school crossing service without scamming both thekids crossing the road and the drivers using it ?
I laughed like hell when one of them turned up for his pre-deployment induction in Texas for his new job at Baghdad airport , and got slammed in jail for an old job in Guatemala

Though I did know a decent one , an old Black Watch fellow with a Belgian MC from an earlier esxapade in this country in question . nice bloke , said he was an evil murdering bastard back then (a well paid EMB though), but not anymore as he didn't have any eyes .

Dismissive of Mercs ..... too bloody right I am .

**Husar** · 05-13-2007, 00:55

So basically there is no solution except nuking the place and then sending people in protective suits to get the minerals etc?

Now nuking the place will kill a lot of people you might say, but watching the slaughter for many centuries will kill all the people who are born in those centuries as well, so by nuking the place we save all the future generations from being killed.

I would like to hear a solution from you Tribesman, you're good at dismissing everything, but I see a bit of a lack of better solutions.

**Philippus Flavius Homovallumus** · 05-13-2007, 01:03

The solution is to stop sticking our noses in. Eventually the place will sort itself out. Once that happens you can go in and sell cars/hover bikes.

You can't fix this with money, soldiers or good will. It will go on until the people involved get sick of it, which might be starting to happen in Sudan.