At UN, Obasanjo Brags of Deadly Kimia II, LRA Not in Mandate, Mountain in the Dusk

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 9 -- Only days after human rights groups documented hundreds of killings of civilians by the UN-assisted Congolese Army as part of Operation Kimia II, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo told the Security Council that "Operation Kimia II is achieving reasonable success."

After the Council meeting, Inner City Press asked Obasanjo how this squares with the killed civilians, which had so far led even the UN Mission in the Congo to say it is suspending work with elements of the 213th Brigade, for the killing of 62 civilians.

"I'm telling you what people told us," Obasanjo said, "operation versus the FDLR is welcome."

What about the 600 civilians who have been killed by the Congolese Army, documented by Human Rights Watch? Obansanjo, rather than disputing the number, played the ad hoc democracy card. "If the Congolese people says its necessary, why should I say to MONUC, or to anyone else for that matter, that what the Congolese people want they shouldn't get?" Video here, from Minute 7:19.

Given the argument that popular will trumps or supports the killing of civilians, Inner City Press asked what Obasanjo's report was based on: a poll? "I was there," Obasanjo said, as a staffer gestured for the stakeout microphone to be taken away from Inner City Press.

Since Obasanjo, even inside UN headquarters, walked surrounded by bodyguards and entourage, it's difficult to imagine him conducting a scientific man and woman on the street poll in the Kivus. But as they say, you hear what you want to hear. Obasanjo is stepping back from his UN Great Lakes gig. We will follow his next moves.

Obasanjo at UN on Nov. 9, dead civilians and LRA not shown

As he left, Inner City Press asked, "What about the LRA," Lord's Resistance Army? Video here, from Minute 11:08. "The LRA is not part of my mandate," Obasanjo said, even though the Great Lakes include Uganda. If you design a mandate narrowly enough, success is not so difficult. Many say -- another scientific poll -- that Presidents Kabila and Kagame would have spoken anyway. But for Obasanjo, next stop: Mo Ibrahim prize?

This month's Council president Thomas Mayr-Harting of Austria read out a press statement congratulating Obasanjo, as well as MONUC. Inner City Press asked about the 600 dead civilians, and the report by MSF that the Congolese Army used them as bait to attack civilians. Video here, from Minute 1:58. He referred to the press statement on the first, and said he hasn't seen reports of the second. We trust he will.

Footnote: When Inner City Press asked UN Spokesperson Michele Montas about the MSF as bait story, she didn't answer, except to say that outgoing MONUC deputy Ross Mountain would be in town this week and should answer questions. Mountain was seen in the dusk outside the UN on Monday night. When will the questions be answered?