KEY POINTS
- Congolese army trials reveal deep dysfunction and weak leadership.
- Poor pay and low morale leave soldiers unprepared for battle.
- M23’s military strength continues to overpower Congolese forces.
As they escaped a swift rebel attack, Congolese soldiers who were charged with rape and murder were put on trial last week. The army, which has lost more ground to M23 insurgents backed by Rwanda than ever before, was found to have serious internal dysfunction during the proceedings.
Mass trials expose indiscipline in the Congolese army
A bleak picture of an army beset by low pay, corruption, and frail command structures is painted by testimony from military courts, interviews with top army officials, and a classified United Nations document that Reuters examined.
In recent weeks, over 300 troops have been subject to court-martials on allegations ranging from desertion to robbery and pillage. While many denied personal involvement, many acknowledged that their fellow soldiers had committed crimes.
Soldiers defended themselves at hearings in Bukavu and Musienene, saying they were split off from their battalions during tumultuous fighting. “There was no flight. Siko Mongombo Brice, a soldier who is suspected of desertion, stated, “We were searching for our unit.”
More than 260 soldiers have been given death sentences as a consequence of the trials, but more than 200 managed to escape during a jail break that took place on February 14 in conjunction with the army’s withdrawal from Bukavu.
A larger crisis in military leadership is brought to light by the trials. According to a U.N. memo, military leaders and provincial officials evacuated by boat without telling their forces on the eve of Goma’s capture by M23 insurgents.
The paltry pay of about $100 per month exacerbates the army’s low morale. Frontline troops continue to receive inadequate pay and equipment, even though President Félix Tshisekedi has significantly increased military funding.
M23’s superior weaponry overwhelms Congolese forces
Government forces are still being outgunned by M23 rebels, who are being supported by thousands of Rwandan troops. A Congolese colonel remarked, “We resisted, but the Rwandans have fearsome weapons.” Rwanda denies backing the M23.
According to Reuters, Tshisekedi has accused senior military personnel of internal treason and held them accountable for the army’s shortcomings. He is criticized for depending too heavily on militia groups, mercenaries, and local forces, some of which are hard to manage.
In Uvira, military conflicts between soldiers and incorporated militias have left 30 people dead and over 100 injured, severely destabilizing the area. Generals declared an operation to find soldiers suspected of atrocities on February 26.
