The Great Lakes Region has remained a security hotspot despite a decades-long effort led by the United Nations to end cycles of violence that have claimed the lives of so many innocent civilians. Despite the fact that the region is home to the world’s largest peacekeeping mission that continues to gobble up billions of US dollars (DR Congo-based Monusco), the Great Lakes remains a battleground for a myriad of extremist militias, mercenaries and proxy armed groups. From perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, to countless Mai-Mai militia groups and terrorists created and/or propped up by those seeking to exert influence over other sovereign states, militia groups have roamed the region with ease and wreaking havoc with impunity. Rwanda has had its fair share of the devastating impacts of these negative forces, with at least 23 civilians losing their lives at the hands of the MRCD/FLN and RUD-Urunana militias who launched incursions from neighbouring countries, over the last few years. Assailants that have in recent years struck villages in Rwanda attacked from Burundi and DR Congo, while some have fled across the border into Uganda, their hands dripping with the blood of innocents. These incidents have strained relations and stoked tensions among countries in the region. However, these are not new challenges. Indeed, regional governments have previously taken concrete steps toward averting possible fallouts from militia activities, including establishing mechanisms for intelligence sharing and incident investigations. Some of these mechanisms are so broad and inclusive they include 11 countries under the banner of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region. Unfortunately, rarely have all member states sought to leverage these instruments to address security concerns, undermining the very raison d’etre of these mechanisms. That’s why the involvement of the Goma-based Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism, of the ICGLR, in investigating circumstances under which 19 Burundian rebels were arrested by Rwanda in a border area covered by the Nyungwe tropical rainforest is an incredibly important development. A team of EJVM officers on Monday, October 5, inspected the area where the combatants were captured and interrogated them. They are expected to release a report at a later date. This is a commendable effort by Kigali as it’ll shed light on rebel activities that have targeted Burundi in recent years. The development should also help build confidence between the two countries. It is the latest gesture of goodwill from Rwanda. Other countries in the region should make use of these regional instruments to help foster peace and security.
