Congolese forces arrested Col. Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui, accused former leader of the rebel National Integrationist Front (FNI [2]), and handed him over to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Ngudjolo is alleged to have played a key role in a murderous attack on the village of Bogoro, Ituri province, in February 2003. He is facing three counts of crimes against humanity and six counts of war crimes, including sexual slavery and the use of child soldiers. He is the third Congolese national sent to the ICC, after Thomas Lubanga Dyilo and Germain Katanga. (UN News Service via AllAfrica [3], Feb. 7)
As we have noted, the FNI was said to be backed by Rwanda [4]. Thomas Lubanga Dyilo [5] was affiliated with the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC), also backed by Rwanda. Germain Katanga led the Patriotic Resistance Force in Ituri (FRPI), which was allied with FNI. (ReliefWeb [6] Ituri Update, June 2004; Trial Watch [7] Katanga profile)
So despite all the histrionics [8] from certain sectors of the idiot left that US-aligned Rwanda has been getting a free propaganda ride for its involvement in the Congo war, all three of the Congo suspects that have been sent to The Hague are from Rwanda-backed factions.
See our last post on Congo [9].
