War Resources (I)
2006/03/15
Since 1994 Berlin exercises influence over the
Somikivu mining company in the Eastern Congo, which had been created
for the exploitation of rare minerals, needed in the production of
nozzle engines and rocket parts. The Lueshe mine, run by Somikivu, is
considered to be one of the two most important deposits of its kind in
the world. The minerals obtained there is among the important raw
material deposits of the Eastern Congo, which since the beginning of
European colonial rule, has often become cause for dispute among the
foreign powers.
Considerations
When, in 1994, a German corporation [1], the private
majority shareholder of Somikivu, had to shut down operations in Lueshe
because of uprisings, the German government paid him more than 8
million Euros indemnity - and received, in return, the entitlement to
future profits from the mining company as well as a trust contract.
German government offices have had a say in the affairs of Lueshe ever
since - and therefore in the exploitation and application of the
internationally coveted mine resources. Berlin permitted the
interruption of the work in the mine for several years. The German
government, on multiple occasions, also rejected selling the mining
company - on grounds of "foreign policy considerations," as was stated
in a letter, at the disposal of german-foreign-policy.com, written by
the state trustee.
Interests
The economic and geostrategic significance of the
Lueshe mines seem to be important enough to Berlin, that the German
government even defied decisions taken by the Congolese President,
Laurent Désiré Kabila. Kabila had already transferred Lueshe mining
rights to an Austrian company in 1999. This was done to break the
German blockade and to obtain, for the Congo, urgently needed tax and
customs returns, from the mining enterprise. In vain. "Through this
action, the interests of the Federal Republic of Germany are
substantially affected," responded the German side in April 2000, and
announced: "the Federal Republic of Germany (...) will not tolerate
damage caused this way." In fact, still today, German politicians
explain, that the mining rights at Lueshe are in the hands of the
German controlled Somikivu. The question of ownership is, to say the
least, "unsettled", says Berlin.
Security
A year later, rather than to the central government,
its adversaries, the "Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie" (RCD)
rebel militias, were given influence over Lueshe. The secessionists had
been fighting in the region around the mine and other areas of Eastern
Congo, making wealth from raw materials for their own benefice, and
offering protection from cash payments. "In a war situation and the
need to finance it", writes the RCD, foreign enterprises will be
granted "protection". Berlin immediately began implementing in Lueshe
the mining measures that it had refused the central government because
of the dispute about the alleged ownership rights. The mine was used as
security, to be able to materially have an influence in the Congolese
conflict - either on the side of the central government or of their
adversaries.
The Federal Ministry of the Economy
A German, who is well-informed on the regional
situation, served as liaison to the rebel militias. He boosted the
yield of the mine, refused to pay tax and customs duties to the central
government and with the immense profits, had developed a network of
enterprises also active in Germany - without recognizable resistance
from the government's trustee. German foreign policy makers have also
ignored the protests of international organizations. Even though the
German, Karl-Heinz Albers, has been denounced, as one the main
financiers of the Eastern Congolese war and named in United Nations'
reports, it seems not to be the opportune moment to pursue him for
German investigators. Even the most recent "Congo Group" report,
January 2006, criticizes the protecting hand held by a German authority
over Albers - the hand of the Ministry of the Economy.[2]
Completion
For nearly five years, the United Nations has been
demanding that the German government take measures against activities
promoting war in Lueshe. But rather than terminating this geostrategic
adventure in the Congo, Berlin has banked on the disruption of the
country, and now uses the resulting disorder as the pretext for sending
in troops - the military completion of a resources operation.
german-foreign-policy.com will keep you informed of
further developments in the German Congo operations.
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