Marijuana, trade in minerals, timber, charcoal and other cash crops are some of the sources of funding for a variety of rebel groups operating in the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo), although it may be too generous to attribute to them an ideological or political motive especially when the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) is concerned. Besides natural resources, ordinary commerce and illegal taxation are part of the pipeline, according to a Report by a UN group of experts. The Report to the UN Security Council by the Group of Experts tasked with monitoring the arms embargo and other sanctions against armed rebel groups in DRC details their recruitment networks and sources of financing. Multitude of Armed Rebel Groups: Just foreign armed groups includes the alphabet list of the regions bad boys: besides the Lord’s Resistance Army originating in Uganda and active in DRC; Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR); the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which also originates from Uganda; and Burundi’s Forces nationales de liberation (FNL). Unlike the others, the LRA sustains itself from pillaging, according to the Report. owned weapons. The LRA is also engaged in sex slaves capturing girls and boys. The Report includes an analysis of ongoing attempts to integrate former members of armed groups into the national armed forces, and examines the evolution of the mining sector and early attempts to implement due diligence, as recommended by the UN Security Council, to exclude armed groups and criminal networks from mineral supply chains. See Film Report:-“Educating Child War Victims Congo” - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/movie/educating-child-war-victimscongo/23997 The Report examines the availability of weapons and ammunition in the DRC, describing some examples of illegal imports, while noting that most of the arms have their origins in widespread leakage from stocks controlled by the national armed forces. Also See Film Report on efforts to offering empowerment and healing for victims of sexual violence: - “Rape Healing Boat” - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/movie/rape-healing-boat/26211. Also Corrupt Military Official(s) & Indifferent Business Interests: DRC’s Government orchestrated a restructuring of army units in the eastern areas this year following orders to demilitarize mining sites during a suspension of mining activities from September last year to March 2011, according to the report. However, “General Bosco Ntaganda, who is under Security Council sanctions and has been indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), was able to take control of the process and position officers loyal to him throughout North and South Kivu, the report states.” Read: - Lack of Accountability for Rapes in the DRC” - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/blog_post/lack-of-accountability-for-rapes-in-drc-by-ambassador-mo/30890 Report notes that while there is good awareness of conflict minerals issues internationally, few mineral trading companies in eastern DRC and neighboring countries are implementing due diligence as required by the DRC’s mines ministry since September. Better Implementation in “Non-Conflict Areas”: By contrast, non-conflict areas have seen greater implementation of due diligence and traceability systems, improved governance and rising exports. According to the Report, “gold trade remains an important source of financing to armed groups in the DRC. Most of the trade goes unrecorded, and the most transactions are concluded in neighboring cities such as Kampala, the Ugandan capital; the Kenyan capital, Nairobi; Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi; as well as the northern Tanzanian town of Mwanza. In addition to selling real gold, criminal networks also organize elaborate scams to sell counterfeit gold to international clients, according to the report, which also names individuals with command responsibility for the recruitment of child soldiers or attacks targeting women or children.” To further bring uncertainty to the DRC’s chaos, recent elections have delivered more violence as well as disputes regarding results: Read: - “Congo Voting-Success or Flawed?” - diplomaticallyincorrecttv.com/films/blog_post/congo-voting-success-or-flawed-by-ambassador-mo/42107 By Ambassador Muhamed Sacirbey Facebook = Become a Fan at “Diplomatically Incorrect” Twitter – Follow us at DiplomaticallyX War Crimes Justice Channel - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/c/war-crimes-justice