Impossible task for UN in DR Congo

The UN peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of Congo is the largest, most expensive and powerful in the world. Yet it still has been unable to prevent civilians from being killing in the conflict. The force was sent under the UN's most powerful piece of legislation - Chapter Seven. This gave the peace keepers the right to use and means necessary to impose their will. This tactic should have proved effective as it gives them the right to use lethal force in any situation. An additional 3,000 troops have been sent to Congo after an urgent appeal for troops made by the civilian head of the missions on the ground, Alan Doss. Since then thousands of people have been displaced from their homes and many have been slaughtered. Both sides of the conflict, the rebels and the government troops have been accused by the United Nations of committing war crimes. The UN force in Congo is made of soldiers from 18 different countries, India being the largest contributor. Yet with about 16,500 troops in the Congo the UN force is still outnumbered by 1000 to 1 by the civilian population needing protection. The former commander officer of the UN forces in the Congo resigned after stating that he believe that the mission in the Congo was "doom to fail". However, despite the great challenges facing the troops in the Congo they have managed to secure the capital Goma which is definitely a main target of the rebel forces. 

It is relieving to know that there are efforts being made by the UN that they have not done before. I think it was a good idea to allow the soldiers the right to use lethal force if necessary to impose their will. I also think that one of the great successes of this mission was securing the capital Goma. The UN is really making an effort this time by stationing the largest force it has there. Yet there are still atrocities being committed on both sides of the war. Both the government and the rebels are committing war crimes and this should be taken very seriously by the international community. Since the government is committing these crimes the UN should forcefully change the leadership in the government because obviously they are no better than the rebels themselves. People are being murdered and raped by both the rebel and government troops. I can understand why the commanding officer of the UN resigned because the force that the UN is against is a massive array of rebel forces who are driven by ethnic hatred and the desire to control the countries mineral wealth. What I cannot understand is the intensity of the ethnic hatred shown by these people. I do not know what can make a human hate another so much that he would be happy to slaughter his family as well as anyone associated with him.  

Congo rebels make roadblock out of bodies

The road that leads into rebel-controled Congo has been blocked by the two bodies of government soldiers laid across the road. The two soldiers were blocking the road that led into Congo's capital Goma. The scence was meant to warn government troops who fought the rebels recently. For the terrified civilians it is seen as a clear message that Congo's ruthless civil war is easing.  Over 250,000 people have been displaced in the vicious fighting between the army and the rebels loyal to Laurent Nkunda despite having the largest UN peacekeeping force in the world stationed there. Eastern Congo has been unstable since the millions of Tutsi and Hutu refugees fled across the border in Rwanda's 1994 genocide. Many of the Hutu extremists have remained in the region and are prompting the Tutsi-held Rwandan government to send troops into the Congo to flush them out. 

I do not think there will ever be peace in the Congo. This area of Africa has been fighting for years. There are just too many minority groups trying to get power. These groups are no willing to compromise for peace. They just want to eliminate the opposition so there is nothing stopping them from gaining absolute power. The UN peacekeepers are doing nothing to stem the violence. They are not positioned between the rebels and the government troops which is the most effective position for peacekeepers. The global community is just sitting back and not interfering with force as it should. This could be another genocide like the one in Rwanda if it is not one all ready. It is disgusting to realize that when a country in Africa is found with a resource of value the local community is displaced by wars. I do not understand how the other countries of the world found peace and but countries in Africa still have ruthless leaders slaughtering people to maintain control.