Nicolas van de Walle, Cornell professor of government, is an expert in comparative politics who focuses his research on democratization and the politics of reform in Africa. He comments on the ongoing armed M23 rebellion in Congo, and their seizure of the major city of Goma.
Van de Walle says:
“The emergence of the M23 guerrilla movement, with its conquest of Goma in Northeastern Congo, constitutes another chapter in that country's seemingly endless series of wars.
“The biggest losers are, of course, the Congolese people, who continue to live in fear of the wars’ brutal violence that has often targeted civilians.
“But the other big loser is MONUSCO, the UN peacekeeping force with its 19,000 soldiers and $1.5 billion budget, that has proven once again its sheer ineptitude. After more than a decade, it has completely failed to bring peace to the country. Its utter failure to prevent the M23 – with perhaps 2,000 soldiers – from fighting its way into Goma forces the international community to consider pulling the plug on the UN operation once and for all and seek another way to restore law and order in North eastern Congo.”
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