AFRICANEWS

ZAIRE

Mercenaries and a collapsing army

As the battle for the control of Zaire rages on between the rebels and the government troops, the issue of mercenaries' involvement in the war remains shrouded in mystery. Both warring parties have denied enlisting the support of outsiders in the bid to control the mineral-rich but now impoverished central African state. But each group continues pointing an accusing finger at the opponent for getting support from mercenaries.

Mercenaries, referred to also as dogs of war or soldiers of fortune, are defined by Collins English Dictionary as men hired to fight for a foreign army. The history of the world is replete with incidents involving use of mercenaries particularly in the Third World countries.

Among the world's most famous mercenaries of this century is Belgian Bob Denard, whose most memorable assignment was, perhaps, the overthrow of Comoros Island President Ali Soilih in a bloody military coup in 1978. Soilih, who himself had ascended the throne in 1975 by the power of the gun, was killed a few days after his ouster as he attempted to escape from detention.

In the Zairian crisis which began in October last year, the government of the ailing President Mobutu Sese Seko is alleged to be fighting along side hired soldiers from the former Yugoslavia, France, Belgium, Britain, South Africa, Angola and Mozambique.

President Mobutu, 66, in power for the last 31 years, and now sick with acute prostate cancer, sought the support from outside after his undisciplined, ill- equipped and poorly paid soldiers recorded a series of dismal performances against the rebels, who have since taken control of a 600 kilometres swathe in eastern Zaire. Towns so far captured by the rebels include Goma, Bukavu and Uvira.

The rebels, mainly from the Banyamulenge ethnic group, are led by Laurent Kabila, 56, a former Marxist revolutionary and long time adversary of Mobutu's. They are fighting under the auspices of Alliance of Democratic Forces for Liberation of Congo-Zaire (ADFL) and launched their offensive in October last year, accusing Zaire of denying them citizenship and seeking to expel them to Rwanda, which their ancestors left generations ago.

Soon after, President Mobutu left for Switzerland for an operation. He stayed at his Riviera villa in France from November 4 to December 17. On his return to Zaire took a number of measures in a desperate attempt to contain the uprising. Most notable among the measures were the appointment of a new army boss, General Mahele Lieko Bakungu, and the alleged summoning of foreign forces.

Vehement Denials

In mid January this year, a group of foreign journalists spotted 11 men in uniform who appeared to be part of mercenary force, unloading a cargo plane at Kisangani in central Zaire. Government forces blocked attempts to approach them.

"I have no knowledge of the presence of mercenaries," said Prime Minister Kengo wa Dondo's spokesman Sombo Dibele in a recent interview. "The only mercenaries I know of operating on Zairian soil are fighting with Laurent Kabila," he asserted.

A South African mercenary company, Executive Outcome, also vehemently denied any kind of involvement in the Zairian crisis. The Pretoria company chairman, Erben Barlow, said recently that Executive Outcome was "a victim of misinformation campaign by South Africa's Military Intelligence Division". Barlow called an official inquiry by police, the secret service and national intelligence into claims of its involvement in Zaire.

The French government too has vehemently denied the presence of French mercenaries in Zaire. However, according to the French daily, Le Monde, Colonel M. L. Carro, head of the Presidential Guard at the Elysee Palace during the late President Francois Mitterand's rule, recruited a group of soldiers currently doing duty in Zaire. Colonel Carro retired in 1994 and created a security service. His service had previous advised Cote D'Ivoire and Burkina Faso.

The northern African state of Libya, has conceded offering assistance to the Mobutu government which has been hit by sporadic bouts of army-led looting since the beginning of transition to democracy in 1990. The Muammar Gaddafi-led Islamic state, has on many occasions been accused of sponsoring international terrorism as well as supporting undemocratic regimes.

On its part, the Zairian government has accused neighbours Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi of sending troops to help the rebels. The three countries have denied the allegations. Kabila recently acknowledged that his force had brought in military ware from neighbouring countries. Rwanda, like Uganda, he said, was "sympathetic to our cause''. He, however, maintained that there was no direct assistance. "I don't need any outside help, I assure you," Kabila said.

The government has ruled out negotiation with the rebels but analyst say the Mobutu forces are not in a position to inflict heavy loses on better equipped rebels. Many politicians are increasingly in favour of a peaceful settlement.

Prisoners Confessions

The Ugandan, identified as Kenneth Mugisha, simply said he had been obeying orders. The government soldier said he was captured in the north eastern town of Nia Nia, about 250 km from Kisangani.

The third captive was a South African doctor of Zairian origins. He was accused of helping the rebels. The doctor said he was working with the international NGO Medecins Sans Frontieres when he was captured in Nia Nia.

Foreign Aggression

Under Mobutu's reign of terror, the high potential Zaire has degenerated into disrepair, courtesy of massive corruption and mismanagement. His almost innumerable promises of democratic reform have been repeatedly broken. While the crisis in his home country is worsening, President Mobutu remains a sick man more worried about his ailment than his country and his countrymen.

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