Global Policy Forum

By Chris McGreal and Victoria Brittain

UN peacekeepers are due to start deploying in the Democratic Republic of Congo today as the international momentum for peace builds up following the pull-back of Rwandan troops and the withdrawal of contingents from Rwanda and Uganda last week.

The UN says Rwanda, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Angola and Namibia have all met commitments to pull back nearly 10 miles at about 100 key locations along the 1,500- mile front line in Congo. The Rwandan president, Paul Kagame, said his troops have pulled back much further, showing we are really serious and trying to end the war and our presence in Congo'.

The war in Congo, which began in August 1998, involves a number of foreign countries and several rebel groups. Zimbabwe, Angola and Namibia support the government of President Joseph Kabila, while Rwanda and Uganda back rebels. All sides signed a ceasefire and disengagement agreement in Lusaka, Zambia, in 1999, but it was never observed.

General Moutaga Diallo , the UN's military chief, said yesterday that forces backing the Kinshasa regime had not moved at Kananga in central Kasai province. Something's not right,' the Senegalese general said. We hope the disengagement will take place rapidly.'

The commander of the (government) Congolese armed forces (FAC) in Kananga says he has received no order to withdraw, (while) the high command has told us and told us again that the order was given,' he added.

Sceptics question whether, in a country more than twice the size of western Europe, an initial contingent of 3,000 UN peacekeepers can monitor events, let alone have a real impact on the situation. The key question remains Mr Kabila's commitment to honour the Lusaka agreement's pledge to disarm the three or four brigades of his army composed of Rwandans from the Interahamwe militia and former soldiers responsi ble for the 1994 genocide. The agreement did not make clear how the disarmament would take effect.

If Joseph (Kabila) turned over those 6,000 men, some of whom should be facing an international tribunal, I would not be having troops in Kasai and Katanga,' said Major-General Nyamwasa Kayumba, Rwanda's army chief of staff. The ball is in his court, we have done everything possible to create an atmosphere of goodwill,' he said.

Mr Kabila has just returned from a successful international tour which took in the US, where he and Mr Kagame met, and the EU.

Western optimism about the young president's willingness to negotiate a speedy end to Africa's worst war is not matched by those close to it. Behind the scenes, it is likely to be the Zimbabwean leader, Robert Mugabe, Mr Kabila's key military ally, who is setting conditions for ending the war. Zimbabwe has been crucial in creating difficulties,' said Mr Kagame. Zimbabwean troops took a heavy beating in an offensive against Rwandan troops late last year, shortly before the murder of Mr Kabila's father.

The amount of equipment we captured indicated the Zimbabweans were planning a major move, probably into Burundi, using both Burundian and Interahamwe troops which they had newly trained,' said Gen Kayumba.

Mr Mugabe has committed about 15,000 troops to fight in Congo, one third of his army, even though the war is unpopular in Zimbabwe. It has cost his depleted national treasury at least pounds 150m in the midst of an economic crisis. But senior army officers and businessmen close to the ruling party have been making large amounts of money through contracts and mining concessions.

Under Mr Mugabe's guidance, Mr Kabila publicly insists that Rwanda and Uganda must withdraw their forces from Congo before his allies pull out. But neither Kigali nor Kampala will leave until their security is assured by Mr Kabila's taking action against the former Interahamwe. The warring parties have until the end of May to hand in plans for their complete withdrawal.