By
Gael Masengi
This week as the fierce battle of Goma town
in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo escalate, the Twitter community or
simply known as “Tweeps” have taken
into storm the social network to support, blame or just alert the rest of the
globe about atrocities being committed in North-Kivu by the infamous
Rwandan-backed M23 rebels. Since the on-going conflict erupted early this year,
the United Nations’ so-called Group of Experts on Congo findings have painted
the neighbouring Rwanda and recently Uganda as the main sponsors of the
Congolese mutineers, allegations confirmed by various international anti-war
organisations but constantly denied by Rwanda despite overwhelming evidences.
Just
like in any conventional war there’s two side in every argument, yes, only in
this day and age is a little bit different because public opinion has undoubtedly
become or should I say always has been one of the most important ‘tools’ of
war, a notable example of what I’m talking about is how the Rwandan Ministry of
Foreign Affairs have been engaged in a “twitter war” with pro DRC ‘tweeps’, overwhelmed by negatives tweets,
Minister Louise Mushikiwabo tweeted “Gov
Rwa is again asking FARDC, M23 and all other armed groups in the DRC to stop
fighting; extra-regional meddling should end as well!” indicating that her
country has absolutely nothing to do with what’s going-on in the DRC, the FM went-on to get defensive as she
adds “…No question DRC has good ideas for
peace, if only it could be allowed to govern itself”. However in contrast to his minister, Paul
Kagame left his 87,924 followers in the dark as he preferred to remain silent
rather taking all the commendations from angry folks twitting angry tweets, directly holding him accountable
and imploring him to put an end on what they call ‘madness.’
Shortly after their triumphant entrance in
Goma city, the rebel fighters of M23 confirmed the capture of Goma Airport on
their Facebook page saying “Mapambano
ineekeya ku Mont goma. Aeroport yote Tayari” meaning that although fighting continued in
Goma the airport was already under their control, within seconds, the wall post
has recorded over two-hundred and fifty "Likes" and more than three-hundred
and fifty sympathising comments, clearly the antagonist also have supporters.
The M23 propaganda mechanism didn’t stop there; the rebels went-on to mock the
government and Joseph Kabila himself writing “overwhelmed by the status quo, President Joseph Kabila calls the
Congolese people to mobilise,” “who will
listen to you?” ask the fighters and accompanying the message with a photo
of a frustrated Kabila. Many agree
that the rebel fighters have so-far cleverly use both the mainstream and social
media to navigate their message, within a week of intense battle to take the
key town of Goma, numerous people have changed their view towards the M23, some
calling them freedom fighters and others comparing them to the 1997’s “Alliance
of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo” a coalition of Rwandan and
Congolese dissidents, this is the kind of publicity the rebels needed knowing
that just like fifteen years ago, the Congolese people lost faith on the regime
of Mobutu Sessesseko and were ready to welcome whoever to come in name of
‘liberation’ and ‘democracy.’
The increasing use of social networks in
conflicts and specifically in this one surely indicated how anyone can take
advantage of new technology to control the narrative and ultimately normalise
even though not a justifiable cause.
Meanwhile the people of Goma and
surroundings villages are left at no one’s mercy as the so-called International
Community which always feels guilty (of holocaust and Rwandan genocide) watch
at distance and having little or nothing to do about it. But hey! Who’s to
blame? The incompetent government of Joseph Kabila, which many of them voted
for on late last year’s election, have completely failed them.
Is it unlikely for the rebels to march into
the capital Kinshasa? Will they be welcome? Only time will tell.
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