DRC LEADERSHIP TRAINING INITIATIVE -- REPORT NO. 10

Transcription

1 DRC LEADERSHIP TRAINING INITIATIVE -- REPORT NO. 10 Cohesive Leadership in North Kivu Workshop Funding by the Canadian International Development Agency and the United Nations Development Programme Goma, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo March 5 March 9, 2007 IIniittiiaattiivvee poourr un Leeaadee rr sshiip Coo ll llaboo a rr aa tt ii ff ee tt la Coohééssiioon dee l Ett aa tt en RDC

2 At the request of the newly elected governor of North Kivu, the WWICS organized a workshop from March 5 to 9, 2007 in Goma which brought together 21 of 42 provincial members of Parliament and 26 leaders (traditional, community, members of civil society and the media). The workshop, which was organized by the ILCCE and conducted by the ESSEC/IRENE facilitators, focused on the concept of practicing cohesive leadership. Perhaps more than any of the trainings to date in the DRC, the methods of reinforcing listening capacities and the management of personal and public interests led to a gradual reduction in the barriers to communication between these provincial leaders (see participant list below) who have been divided by 15 years of one of the most traumatizing and complex wars in the world. With this training, it was easier for the diverse participants to recognize the core causes of their difficulties, starting with the abysmal political and military failures of the central state. For the first time, elected representatives of the people and community representatives could discuss questions specific to Kivu. The discussion focused on the past and future responsibilities of the Congolese state on the national, provincial and local level, and on relegating external actors both neighbors and other countries, bilateral and multilateral to a secondary level. Priority was given to the creation of Kivu and Congolese cohesion, drawn from a newfound self-confidence and trust in each other. A revealing example of this change in perspective was the unanimous call by participants for the resumption of diplomatic relations between the DRC and Rwanda, an essential first step to candid and responsible discussions about refugees, ex-far, Interhamwe and FDLR. On the thorny question of army integration, on the other hand, points of view alternated between a raging fatalism, meaning the inability of a weak central power to negotiate with determined dissident soldiers, and an optimistic fatalism, which preferred to read into this new situation the key to a possible joint and effective treatment of the question of Rwandan militias. Whereas the workshop Cohesive Leadership in North Kivu had neither the mandate nor the ability to solve North Kivu issues, the problems the participants identified, the solutions considered and the personal or collective commitments they made created a framework in which those issues could be addressed and were, above all, an effective test of the tools for listening, communication, and perception acquired during previous workshop sessions. They also reflected a general understanding of responses to past and present crises, which is markedly different from the victimization discourse that usually prevails on both sides a discourse usually intended to keep each party in a morally comfortable position but one that is totally unable to reveal the major causes of crises, in particular those intrinsic to the behavior of the various actors. But the most remarkable result of these discussions is found in the abrasive power of the mode of communication that is the norm in the Workshop for Cohesive Leadership, fostered by the principles of active listening and speaking which detect the essential beyond the obvious and prevents the tyranny of only one reason from dominating a conversation that deals with the divisions in society. It also teaches the participants not to subvert their own interests to regional and national interests simply for reasons of protocol, hierarchy, or a need to act out of resentment. 2

3 More concretely, the workshop participants articulated the most pressing issues that they wanted to bring to the attention of the national executive for immediate action and awaken DRC central authorities to the appalling human cost caused by the unrest and conflict of recent years. They were: The state and political-military leadership s failure during the 1980s and 1990s (in particular with regard to border management, good-neighbor relations and the protection of persons and goods); The continuation, from 1998 to 2006, of tactical and strategic support to a force the Rwandan ex-army and militias whose murderous campaigns and confrontations with Rwandan government forces were relentless and remorseless (in particular with regard to the treatment of Rwandan and Congolese civilians). This resulted in the collapse of the entire eastern part of the country in a spiral of arms, extortion, violence, and excessive looting, the fatal dynamics of which would be felt long after the formal end of hostilities; Consequently, the treatment by the Congolese government of the question of refugees, militias and Rwandan soldiers on DRC territory, in all its complexity and urgency to assure the survival of the Eastern provinces of the DRC and its civilians, in particular those in rural areas; Resurrection of the CEPGL 1 with a view to exiting from the crisis from the topdown and through the restoration of mutually equitable and beneficial economic relations with neighboring countries; Quartering and professional management of army units and officers far from urban zones; Parallel to these basic problems regarding the vital stakes for the eastern third of the Congolese population, the participants use of the communication and negotiation tools led to certain collective ideas regarding traditional leadership and worship. First, the restoration of traditional authorities was to be accompanied by the highest respect for community mores on their part, while the practice of faith was to be allowed within an atmosphere of strict respect for legislative and regulatory framework; and, Lastly, the need to restore the rule of law through a general audit of the public service, a rational management of human resources, the generalization of a code of conduct and the intensive use of continuous training. The decentralization of the state would grant important economic control to the local level. (It was clear at the onset of interventions that the key actors in Kivu unanimous on this point would not be satisfied with central public authorities unless there was a rapid progression towards integral implementation of the tax retrocession rule favorable to the provinces). The participants committed themselves, by way of next steps, to the creation of the foundations of a network which would allow members who are normally the least willing to talk to each other to find opportunities to mix. The offer from one participant 1 CEPGL : Communauté Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs (Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries) 3

4 to make available to members of the group a small space dedicated to organizing group outings in Goma became a role model, causing similar offers for Walikale and Butembo, while for Béni, radio programs were proposed. Capping these individual initiatives, the distribution of contact lists for the retreat group (participants and facilitators) had the usual effect of reciprocation from individuals who are conditioned to secret meetings and have an inherent suspicion of openness. The North Kivu leadership workshop in March 2007 brought to light the quasifeudal relations between the capital and the provinces. Leadership by example demonstrated throughout the workshop by the president of the provincial assembly, and, at the time of his closing speech, by the newly arrived governor from Kinshasa (taking the first action of his provincial mandate), had a profound effect on an assembly anxious to detect a new cohesive and proper management of the province. At the end of five days, it was agreed by all that the North Kivu province leadership had within it the innate ability and willingness to set up a model of creative cohesion. It remained as everyone understood for the national executive to fully play its role in terms of its exclusive competencies, starting with that of security. LIST OF PARTCIPANTS First Name Last Name Title Party/Sector Tribe Ville/ Village 1 Charles KALWAGHE Député Prov. PPRD Nande Beni 2 Felly KANANGA Député Prov. UN Nande Beni 3 Jean BAOMBILIA Député Prov. MSR Nande Beni 4 Jaribu Muliwavyo Député Prov. RCD-KML Nande Beni 5 Simon KAZUNGU Député Prov. INDEPENDENT Nande Butembo 6 Julien PALUKU Nouveau Gouverneur RCD-KML Nande Butembo 7 Francois GACHABA Député Prov. RCD-GOMA Nande Butembo 8 NZANGI BUTONDO Député Prov. MSR Nande Lubero 9 NZANZU Bonane Député Prov. CHEF COUTUMIER Nande Lubero 10 Jean Chrisostome VAHAMWITI Député Prov. MSR Nande Lubero 11 Hagai BUTSAPU Député Prov. UPRDI- MAIMAI Nande / Mai- Mai Lubero 12 Sylvestre KAHOMBO Député Prov. PPRD Hunde Masisi 13 Abdoul PILIPILI Député Prov. PDC Hunde Masisi 14 Jerome MASHAGIRO Député Prov. MLC Hunde Masisi 15 KUNE MUTUMBA Député Prov. PPRD Nande Rutshuru 16 Jules HAKIZUMWAMI Député Prov. RCD Hutu Rutshuru 17 Berquis Nyagashende Député Prov. RCD Hutu Rutshuru 18 Leon BARIYANGA Député Prov. DCF Hutu Rutshuru 19 Manasse SHEMUSIMIWA Député Prov. MSR Nyanga Walikale 4

5 20 KABUTWA Député Prov. COUTUM NYANG Nyanga Walikale 21 KAKULE VANGI SIVAVI Presidence étudiants Etudiant Nande Beni 22 Jeadot MANGWENGWE Journaliste Media Nande Beni 23 Edward Batsotshi Coutumier Coutumier Nande Beni 24 KASOKERO Eglise Eglise Nande Butembo 25 KILUMBIRO Eglise Eglise Nande Butembo 26 Alphonsine Kahindo Lusenge Mairie Mairie / Admin Nande Butembo 27 MUKOSASENGE Muhindo Coutumier Coutumier Nande Lubero 28 Roger Kivusa Staff Sociéte Civile Societe Civile Nande Lubero 29 Ladislas KAKWIRA Administration Administration Nande Lubero 30 NZAIKORERA Societe Civile Societe Civile Tutsi Rutsuru 31 Pancras Ruyereka RUTSHURU/RCD TUTSI RCD Tutsi Rutsuru 32 Theo MPABUKA RUTSHURU/RCD HUTU RCD Hutu Rutsuru 33 Gilbert Ndabagera RUTSHURU/HUTU admnistration Administration Hutu Rutsuru 34 BUTSITSI NYIRAGONGO/Coutumier Coutumier Nyiragongo 35 Pierrot Kaganda GOMA/president tutsi NK Tutsi Goma 36 Ruben Lukumbuka Journaliste/Butembo Media Nande Butembo 37 Felere Luta MASISI/Gouvernorat Gouvernorat Hunde Masisi 38 KIRABA Tembo MASISI/Societe Civile Societe Civile Hunde Masisi 39 Ananie Bateyi MASISI/Societe Civile Societe Civile Hunde Masisi 40 BATABIA Bushoke WALIKALE/Societe Civile Societe Civile Hutu Walikale 41 Klepi Kakule Goma 42 Isaac Kivikyabo UCG/Butembo Etudiant Nande Butembo 43 Rostan Saidi UNIGOM/Goma/nande Etudiant Nande Goma 44 AMANI Tambuka ULPGL/Goma Etudiant Shi Goma Parlement femmes/nord- Femme 45 Eugenie Mubake Kivu Parlement Goma 46 LUKEKA Bin Miya Journaliste Media Rega Goma 5