Glimmers of hope in Congo

By Mary Robinson

During my time in the region, I met DRC President Joseph Kabila and the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame. These two men have traded accusations across Lake Kivu`s waters for almost a decade, but speaking to both men I sensed a profound change of mood.

The events of late last year, when the CNDP rebels almost seized the eastern Congolese town of Goma, seem to have shocked both leaders into a tentative attempt at reconciliation. Kagame faced the consternation of donors who accused him of supporting a destabilising rebel group. Kabila almost lost a key government town. This - together with the efforts of UN peace envoy Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria - has clearly shaken the two men into action.

When I met them, both men told me that they wanted to find a lasting solution to the problems that have plagued eastern Congo for too long, and both wanted to normalise relations. There was talk of appointing ambassadors and setting up embassies on each other`s soil - something that would have been inconceivable just months ago.

Of course, there are doubters who will say what these two Presidents told me is just lip service. But coming, as I do, with the memory and perspective of the Irish peace talks in mind, I think it would be wrong to underestimate the importance of this nascent relationship between two former foes. It was the good relations between British and Irish government leaders that became the firm foundation of the Irish peace process. This strong relationship anchored resolve when times looked far from auspicious, and ultimately created the path to peace.

I believe the embryonic relationship between Kabila and Kagame is our best chance of ending this bitter and protracted conflict. Now I am back in Europe encouraging European leaders to provide more active support for peace. Congo has fallen off the diplomatic radar, but the situation is still precarious. There is no guarantee that further progress will continue without international help. Other governments need to back dialogue between the two countries. They also need to keep the faith by honouring their commitments. The 3000 additional peacekeepers promised last November by the UN must be deployed. Representatives of the French government told me that the promised peacekeepers have been pledged by Bangladesh and Egypt and will be on the ground in April. We need to ensure that this timescale does not slip, as the situation is still very volatile.

Governments in Europe and around the world can also help support the efforts of Rwandan and Congolese women`s groups, who see the importance of forging links and building peace at the local as well as the national level. Women have often been categorised solely as victims of the war in eastern Congo, and there is no doubt that they have suffered enormously. I visited the Heal Africa hospital in Goma and was deeply moved by the women I met. The wards were overflowing with women seeking treatment for fistula and other debilitating conditions caused by rape - there were literally two women to a bed, with many others waiting outside for treatment.

But women are more than just victims. They are agitators for a sustainable peace and agents of change. During my time in the DRC, I met strong female activists, who were enthusiastic about working with their sisters in Rwanda to build peace. In Rwanda I met strong women activists who in the same measure want to deepen links across borders. Both Presidents said that they wanted to support the efforts of women`s organisations working between Rwanda and the DRC to consolidate the peace. Such an exchange would be a way of building confidence between the two countries - and should be supported at the international level too. This is not fanciful optimism - women`s group working across the divides in Northern Ireland were instrumental in securing peace there.

With the thawing of relations between Rwanda and the DRC, we have a rare window of opportunity to make a difference to the lives of ordinary men and women who desperately want to return to their homes and live without the fear of violence. I still hear ringing in my ears the voices of the women in Goma calling for peace and wishing to link with their sisters - nos soeurs - in Rwanda. I heard the same message from the women I met in Kigali. The glimmer of hope in Congo might not last for long. If we don`t act now, this huge country in the heart of Africa could face tragic conflict for yet another decade.

Mary Robinson is a former president of Ireland and a former UN high commissioner for human rights. She is founder and president of Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative and honorary president of Oxfam International.