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1 1 (May 25, 2016)

handle is hein.crs/govcdyq0001 and id is 1 raw text is: 01;0i E~$~ & May 25, 2016 Instability in Africa's Great Lakes Region: Current Issues o'wie U.S. policy toward Central Africa's Great Lakes region has long sought a number of objectives, including: (1) to prevent large-scale regional conflict in the wake of the Second Congo War (1998-2003), (2) to preclude ethnic massacres such as the 1994 Rwandan genocide, (3) to support multilateral efforts to demobilize non-state armed groups, (4) to respond to humanitarian needs, (5) to advance economic development, and (6) to promote fair and nonviolent business practices in the minerals sector. The Obama Administration has emphasized the prevention of mass atrocities and the encouragement of peaceful political transitions amid attempts by the region's incumbent leaders to extend their time in office. Now, a budding electoral crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and a violent political impasse in Burundi threaten the limited, but real, security gains the region has achieved over the past decade. Figure I. Map DEORATI Cf Ni ~EPUBC OF&_MNOA ...+ .,,.. . ;..., ,. = =================================.................=======....===... ..... : :i::!: i~i~~i~ii~ii~i~~i~ii~i~~i~ii: :: :ii: il): ! i! ..... .... .... ... ............... ..... .. )! ............................ D OC n C ..::! iN ? N ~ ii~i~~i~ii~i~~i~~i~ii~............ ii~i :;::~iiiiiiil iiii~i; iiiiiii!;iiiiiiii~i w : .. ... ... ... ... ... ......... .. ... . : : :: :i : .................. .. )i~i ;;; ...........::................ ....: Since the mid-1990s, cyclical conflict in eastern DRC has destabilized the Great Lakes region and inhibited development, consuming substantial domestic and donor resources. A particularly formidable, Rwandan-backed rebel movement known as the M23 was defeated in 2013 in U.N.-backed military operations, but a range of other armed groups (both Congolese- and foreign-led) remain active. Concern about armed groups' involvement in illicit mineral exports led Congress to pass conflict minerals legislation in 20 10, and Members have expressed serious concern with the scale of conflict-related human rights abuses in DRC. DRC is also affected by wildlife poaching, which Congress and the Administration have sought to counter. DRC's 2016 election cycle has also become a potential flashpoint for instability. President Joseph Kabila, in office since 2001, is constitutionally prohibited from reelection when his term expires in December 2016, but most observers expect him to try to stay in office by postponing the vote. Over the past year, skepticism about his intent has led to protests, brutal repression of activists by the security forces, and high-profile defections from the ruling party. Tensions seemed to edge higher in May 2016, when the government issued an arrest warrant for a top opposition politician, former Katanga governor Moise Katumbi, accusing him of hiring mercenaries. A U.S. citizen who was advising Katumbi has also been detained. Diplomatic Outreach. The Administration has engaged in high-level regional diplomacy aimed at convincing Kabila to step down at the end of his current term. U.S. diplomacy also aims to convince DRC's neighbors to adhere to a U.N.- backed 2013 framework accord, in which countries committed to refrain from backing rebel movements in each others' territories. U.S. diplomats have also focused on urging DRC leaders to issue exit permits for adopted children. The issuance of these permits, which was largely suspended in 2013, resumed to a limited extent in 2016. Sanctions. The U.N. Security Council maintains an arms embargo on non-state groups in DRC and a related sanctions regime. The Obama Administration has regularly extended Executive Order 13413 (2006) and expanded it through Executive Order 13671 (2014), authorizing targeted financial sanctions on those who foment conflict, impede democracy, or commit gross human rights abuses in DRC. DRC opposition leaders have called for sanctioning members of Kabila's inner circle in connection with electoral process missteps and the abuse of protesters- which could potentially mean, for the first time, designating government officials. U.S. policymakers have debated the justification, timing, and potential unintended consequences of such an action. MONUSCO Mandate. As a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, the United States has helped shape the mandate and size of the U.N. peacekeeping operation in DRC. The DRC government has pushed for a reduction in MONUSCO's force in the lead-up to the 2016 elections, and operational coordination between U.N. and DRC troops has largely ceased since 2015 due to U.N. criticism of political tensions and the poor human rights record of specific Congolese commanders. The Security Council has endorsed a slight troop drawdown but has not lowered the authorized troop ceiling (22,016 uniformed personnel), leaving room for a plus-up if security conditions deteriorate. MONUSCO's mandate prioritizes protecting civilians but includes a number of other tasks, including, under certain conditions, electoral support. Observers debate whether MONUSCO-most of whose troops are in the east-is prepared to respond to political violence in areas such as the capital, Kinshasa (in the west), and Katanga (in the southeast). .O 'T gognpo ' -pmm ggmm g , q 'S a X 11LULANJILiN,

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