War in the DR Congo

When I was in Germany, I was surprised to find the situation in the DR Congo portrayed in various publications. From the F.A.Z. to the German edition of the Playboy, they all wrote about the forgotten war in the Congo. This morning, I found a more analytical article in the Economist compared to e.g. the one in the Playboy (well, this is not really surprising since the latter is only famous for its interviews, isn't it).

However, instead of comparing these completely different publications, I would like to focus your attention on another forgotten cruel war, which should have stopped years ago. Just read the following excerpt and judge yourself:

"Congo: Africa's unmended heart"
(...)
Even by the standards of war, some of the atrocities in eastern Congo are shocking. Zainabo Alfani, for example, was stopped by men in uniform on a road in Ituri last year. She and 13 other women were ordered to strip, to see if they had long vaginal lips, which the gunmen believed would have magical properties. The 13 others did not, and were killed on the spot. Zainabo did. The gunmen cut them off and then gang-raped her. Then they cooked and ate her two daughters in front of her. They also ate chunks of Zainabo's flesh. She escaped, but had contracted HIV. She told her story to the UN in February, and died in March.
(...)
The Economist, 9th June 2005

Some friends of mine are regularly on peacekeeping mission in the DR Congo and the company I currently work for advises two universities in the DR Congo, thus I have had an idea of what has been going on there. However, I fear that the situation might not improve soon. And given the fact that there shall be election within the next 12 months (well I am pessimistic and do not believe that there will be an election by the end on June), the (artificial) equilibrium will be destroyed and I fear that war will break out again. Unless, the peacekeepers use their weapons and/or western investors send mercenaries...

Okay, and now I realise that I should go back and read some "good" books to get my peaceful mind back in order... I am astonished how many times, I became angry reading about "failing" or slowly progressing peace mission and my first idea has happened to be intervention with brute force instead of seeking compromises through negotiations.

Is this a sign of:

• wisdom, i.e. negotiations will always fail when different tribes/people have troubles in Africa?
• desperation, i.e. no other means of conflict resolution has been successful?
• ignorance, i.e. let them kill each other?

I am not sure. I just want them to realise that one can live with each other peacefully. But what if they stop their violence? How can on ensure an sustainable peace knowing that some of the fellow Congolese were involved in the war and killed? Is it really possible to forgive them? What about the next generations?

I am German and I am still surprised and happy that we were forgiven by most and I do not want a genocide or any other act against humanity to happen again.

Why can't we just realise that a liberal society, where everybody respects each other, is best for all of us? Why do people still enforce their will with pure force? And why do I consider to intervene with pure force, too?

If I had a weapon and had witnessed the inhuman acts of the soldiers as cited above - I honestly would not know what I had done... I would proabably have lost my temper and I believe it would be just. Nevertheless, I admire everybody on peacekeeping missions. But please do intervene if non-combattants are attacked. I believe they deserve undoubtedly protection, and this encompasses in those cases the killing of the attackers...