Kabila blames South Africa

By M.S. Prabhakara

CAPE TOWN, JAN. 24. Mr. Laurent Kabila, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has accused the South African Government of arming and harbouring rebels fighting his Government, even while hypocritically advocating a negotiated settlement to the conflict.

Though the alleged involvement of South Africa in DRC political affairs, outside and beyond its public objective of an ``all inclusive'' settlement of the DRC conflict, is common knowledge both in South Africa and official circles in neighbouring countries, this is the first time that such accusations have been made so openly and forcefully by no less a public figure than the head of the DRC Government.

For its part, Angola has never accepted the assertions by South Africa that it has no knowledge of, or is unable to prevent, the flights of ``rogue'' aircraft carrying arms and materiel to UNITA forces out of South African airports. Further, it is a matter of public record that Mr. Nelson Mandela, when President, twice met the UNITA leader, Dr. Jonas Savimbi, in May and October 1995. There have been other gestures, like the invitation of a UNITA representative to the reception hosted by South Africa's Ambassador to the U.S. on the occasion of Mr. Thabo Mbeki's first U.S. visit after being elected President - an occasion promptly boycotted by the Angolan Ambassador.

In an interview published on Jan. 19 in Pretoria News, Mr. Kabila said relations between his country and South Africa were not very good for the simple reason that South Africa had always supported Rwanda - a key proponent of the anti-DRC Government rebellion. South Africa had thus ``distinguished itself by its campaign of destabilisation,'' and was the ``compulsory channel'' of traffic for all weapons to Rwanda and Uganda.

Mr. Kabila also criticised recent meetings between South African Government officials and rebels and opposition leaders in the DRC. Both Prof. Wamba dia Wamba, the leader of the Kisangani- based faction of the rebel movement, Congolese Rally for Democracy, and Mr. Etienne Tshisekedi, President of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress, the main DRC Opposition party, have had meetings with South African Government leaders in recent days - the former with the Foreign Minister, Ms. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, and the latter with the President, Mr. Mbeki himself. South Africa, Mr. Kabila said, welcomed all those who considered themselves rebels against his Government. ``Yet, we have a South African Ambassador here, and we ask ourselves: Does he really represent his country? What is his mission if his country supports the rebels, the aggressors, and even arms the aggressors?''

Mr. Kabila's remarks come in the wake of similar accusations made by Mr. Bantu Holomisa, President of the United Democratic Movement and Member of Parliament, in a letter to Mr. Mbeki earlier last week. Accusing the Government of harbouring rebel leaders from the DRC, Mr. Holomisa urged the Government, which had ``purported to broker peace'' in the Great Lakes region, to pursue a strictly objective role as regional mediator, and not allow itself to be used by ``corporate and other vested international interests.''

``It has recently come to my knowledge that there are currently DRC rebel leaders living in South Africa with the knowledge and apparent backing of the Government,'' Mr. Holomisa wrote, and demanded to know who provided finance for their maintenance and security.

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