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| East/Subsaharan Africa |
| EU Says Congo Force Cannot Intervene Beyond Bunia |
| 2003-06-13 |
| BRUSSELS - The French commander of a European Union peacekeeping operation in Congo conceded on Friday that the force would not be able to stop ethnic bloodshed if it happened outside its limited area of operation. Responding to an appeal from the United Nations, the EU will deploy a force of around 1,400 to the eastern town of Bunia — where hundreds of people have been massacred in tribal clashes — in what will be its first military operation outside Europe. Analysts say that one of the main risks is that ethnic violence may simply shift to other areas, leaving the EU peacekeeping operation looking irrelevant. NO! Say it ain't so, Jacques! When asked if the EU force would be able to intervene and stop massacres happening outside Bunia, French General Bruno Neveux, the operation commander of the force, said action outside the town was not part of the EU's mission. "At this point in time, that is not within our mandate, the mission which has been set for us. (The mission)...is clearly confined to Bunia city and airport and the two refugee camps near the airport," he told reporters. But Neveux also said he believed the security provided by the presence of an EU force, despite its limited mandate, would spread to other areas. Why do I hear Roy Orbison in the background singing "In Dreams"? "The security which we can ensure in this city, we believe this will have a wider effect in other parts of the country," he said. Neveux added that plans for air surveillance of areas with fighting outside Bunia would have a clear deterrent effect on the fighting between Lendu and Hema tribes. France, which dispatched its first troops to the region last week, will provide the bulk of the force with about 900 soldiers, with contributions from several other EU and non-EU states, including Britain, Sweden, Canada and South Africa. Codenamed Artemis, the EU mission is empowered to use force if needed to protect civilians. It is due to end on September 1, when a reinforced U.N. peacekeeping mission is set to take over. |
| Posted by:Frank G |
| #5 Oh great the totally useless EU peacekeeepers will be replaced by equally inept UN peacekeepers |
| Posted by: Someone who did NOT vote for William Proxmire 2003-06-13 10:57:43 |
| #4 Let's hope these folks continue going on their useless little EU/ French run, UN sponsored field trips. Sooner or later the rest of the world might finally catch on to how full of shit they really are. It'd be funny, if it weren't so sad. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2003-06-13 09:58:10 |
| #3 What useless bunch of @#$%^&! |
| Posted by: RW 2003-06-13 09:15:14 |
| #2 Did I tell you? Set up the concertina wire and break out the wine and Xbox. We're here to defend French/EU honor! |
| Posted by: badanov 2003-06-13 09:10:13 |
| #1 "Neveux added that plans for air surveillance of areas with fighting outside Bunia would have a clear deterrent effect on the fighting between Lendu and Hema tribes." So this General believes that child-killing, mutilating and raping, mass-murdering cannibals will shame-facedly slink off back to their camps, because a couple of unarmed white men in an aeroplane high above might catch a glimpse of them going about their crimes... The massacres are continuing in Bunia itself. |
| Posted by: Bulldog 2003-06-13 08:52:50 |