But our Cash Payments and checks into the government. We dont do that since it very, very different being. Our desires is not to hurt the rwandan people. Our desire is not to cut them off from essential support for agricultural education or health programs. In the regional sanctioning individuals within the Rwandan Government would not in any way hurt individuals and frankly the argument you are making, i served on this panel and begin my surveys in 1983 in sanctioning south africa. There were people who said he will hurt innocent people if you do so. Sometimes the egregious firm is so compelling that a statement needs to be made. Minimally we would sanction individuals in the Rwandan Government. Mr. Chairman, encourager requesting your concerns. A day to ask her second pin with a great way to the Witness Panel beginning with steve haydee who was hurt and served for three consecutive mandates as the armed groups experts on the drc. Investigate and coauthored reports submitted and presented to the u. N. Security Council Sanctions committee during the groups expire 2012 mandate he was also coordinator of the six member team working under Security Council resolution 2021. Prior to joining the group of experts, mr. Hege worked with organizations. Really here with john prendergast, cofounder of the enough project, initiative to end genocide and crimes against humanity. These are the quick administration and the state department congress. Hes worked with unicef, human rights, International Crisis group and episode five and help launch the sentinel project pictures clingy. Mr. Prendergast to search for peace in africa for well over a quarter century. Then we would hear from mvemba dizolele, who is a visiting fellow at hanford university server is petitioned the professor, lecturing africans to visit johns heart and University School of Events International studies. Mr. Dizolele has testified before this congress. His work is appeared frequently in these publications and is a frequent commentator on the face on television and radio. He served as Election Monitor in 20 about the and has been embedded with the United Nations peacekeepers. Hes a veteran of the United States marine corps. Thank you for your service and id like to now go to steve hege. Chairman smith, Ranking Member bass and members of the subcommittee on Global Health and human rate coming tonight for the invitation to testify in the Current Crisis. Ive been working on the congo for over eight years including the past three of the United Nations group of experts. The experts mandate expired on 30 november during which i served as coordinator of her six member team. As such a militant affiliated with the United Nations that is a share today to not reflect those of the organization or that the group of experts, the strictly my personal spirit or group of experts is a Security Council mandated by the richer for it to the sanctions committee. He chose to investigate, document and inform sanctions committee of violations of United Nations arms are going to get actors as well as related issues such as illegal trade in resources and International Law with recruitment and use of child soldiers. During the course of the mandate, the group found since the outfit of the m23 rebellion, governments of rwanda provided tracked military support, facilitate recruitment, encouraged the Congolese Army and delivered arms, ammunition, political advice and intelligence to the rebels. At the strategic level, ronda has spearheaded fundraising and membership for the political cutters, nominating Political Leadership and directly in strict amendment demands to be made before the congolese government. The rwandan army is not only set up a recruitment at work to ensure steady supply of new shirts, including children, but theyve integrated their own officers within m23 chain of command on the ground. During all major journal nature military operations, the army has deployed dozens of additional troops to reinforce m23 and their principal attack such as the recent offense uncle bob. All members of the community have respected the might of diplomatic and financial pressure, the group has some pressure at the has only increased with time. Precisely because m23 defect to command culminate with general james cabrini. The government of rwanda denies any involvement. We thoroughly respond to each criticism. When its extensive arguments prevented from insane or want to turn to attacking a group of experts credit bias in orchestrating the campaign but i resent that was sympathizing with the rebels and the rwandan genocide. Nevertheless, ronda previously recognized magic to me to the groups extensive detailed investigation and support networks and financing in recent years. In addition to our final report scum of the Group Document support for the rebels for Important Networks to be on senior officials or by the rebels with troop reinforcement and congolese territory, weapons, delivery sky technical assistance, political advice and facilitation of extra planning. The supported creation expansion of the Political Branch of m23 even before president kabila about the race in the interaction with the rebels. A yukon and government representatives acknowledge this type of support was indeed taken place in the group of experts in october. Throughout our mandate, the question most often post to us is quite and logical. Why . By would want to take a risky and politically dangerous endeavor . Though it is not the work of experts to establish causes are drivers of conflict, i humbly attempt to recognize the stated motives and were beginning the m23s key demand. Since the rebellions initial stages, m23 has prevented demanding justification. First, rebels have claimed the governments reneged on the 23, march 12,009 agreements. In reality this accord was an afterthought to formalize a bilateral deal between coup jolly but the immense influence in exchange for arresting the rest to join the army under bosco. For many within the government the integration and the Congolese Army was merely a tactical move to never constitute alteration their objectives. The shortterm nevertheless immensely generous rwanda, congo he suffers at the cdp, particularly took control of the army in eastern congo. Paradoxically rebels have complained of the pervasive corruption within the Congolese Army. Nevertheless is the most powerful commanders, they were some of the worst perpetrators of salary theft and racketeering moreover, the rebels have claimed discrimination of tucci officers in the killing of those who had been redeployed outside people certain historical animosities cannot be denied, dozens of Senior Officers and over four fifths of the acts cdp have chosen not to join the revolution. M23 has claimed they went the review of the discredits 2011 president ial lessons in attempt to attract a broader constituency. Nevertheless, the Political Party had joined the electoral line and many top commanders have massive fraud on his behalf. Now, if its not really claims of the march 23rd come into the Land Agreement for good governance, human rights, what does you wonder really want crisis . Despite the extremist paranoia about balkanization so prevalent for many years among the congolese popularization, only one of the rebel demands of any lasting explanatory power and that is federalism. Rwanda orchestration of the m23 rebellion comes more comprehensible when understood as determined, im tries autonomous federal state for the eastern congo. There has been speculation of whether rwandan involvement was driven highsecurity interests, economic interest or cultural ties. A federal state for the eastern congo would encapsulate all these issues. Prior to the november 20th of the elections, one of the most senior wanted Intelligence Officers argued that because the congo was too big to be governed by kinshasa, they should support the federal state for the eastern congo. He told me, goma should relate to someone in the same way juba was linked to khartoum prior to south sudan. For an official, they consistently stated investigations are a distraction from reaching a definitive solution or governing in eastern congo. When pushed further, several representatives hide the fact the only solution they had in mind was in the federalism. Not surprisingly, one has opened aided and abetted congolese succession sos to set the bar high enough to position federalism is an acceptable conqueror. During several internal meetings of m23 mobilization from his senior government officials including specialists openly affirmed that establishing this state was in fact the key goal of the rebellion. One m23 spokesperson recently they did in the New York Times, we want more than decentralization. We will federalism. Eastern parts of the congress and schuster in eastern africa. Even senior Ugandan Security officials acknowledge this is the aim of the rwandan m23 were pier one officer who was involved in supporting m23 a cooperation with the remains of the state banking day. Need to look at south sudan. The subject of us who explains have consistently sought to depict the eastern drc is one single, united, credible front and repeatedly calling the congo a bit like void in the congolese state is fictitious. A federal state for the eastern congo would guarantee rwandas extensive influence over military, political and cultural aspects of life. The government ever wanted to his great credit to the terrific event for the genocide in 199400 deputed ambition to rebuild his country with unmatched progress. However that same determination has led readers to modestly adopt and destabilize them lunchroom geopolitically strategies for the eastern drc. So if rwandas geopolitical aspirations are indeed as i suspect so ambitious, what can we expect from current negotiation . Particular blend rwanda demonstrated it has the upper hand on the battlefield . For his part, president kabila feel strongly about commercial and a third agreement that will never falter like sticky issue of federalism is put front and center on the negotiating agenda. For the u. S. And others in the Community Support a federal solution the eastern congo with full knowledge this is likely rwandas primary objective in the first place . Stepping back from the current dynamics, federalism and another sub is neither inherently good or bad proposition , but when driven by neighboring state which would benefit enormously from it, federalism can be problematic to say the least. Diplomats commonly affirmed everyone they can and must be a part of a solution. Which solution i would ask. The rwandan solution for this crisis appears to have been identified well before the shots were even fired. Thank you, mr. Chairman for the opportunity to share the findings. Thank you for her testimony. And now mr. Prendergast. Thank you for your extraordinary commitment to the people of the congo. Deeply appreciated by everyone in this room. I want to begin by echoing something you said, congressman smith, earlier in the hearing. No one is questioning the hard work and dedication in decades of long commitment to Key Administration officials have exhibited on behalf of peace and congo. I would particularly point out for special accommodation ambassador Johnny Carson and susan rice, particularly saddened by personal attacks against ambassador raised seer over the last couple weeks over issues related to the congo. It has been fully activated and some people see blood in the water, but knowing john and susan for the past 16 years i can tell you from personal experience that worked tirelessly for peace. Reasonable people can disagree over type takes and strategies and its in that spirit i deliver my testimony today. Im going to focus remarks and issues related to the congolese Peace Process and division of labor marks the colleagues at the table. Throughout the latest congolese conflagration in previous cycles of conflict, the root causes of war have not been addressed. Leaving these Peace Processes to focus on flimsy powersharing deals and arrangements that have undermined the sovereignty of the congolese state and professionalism in a trilogy of its armed forces. This in turn has left the civil population of eastern congo subjected to globally unparalleled violence, predation and impoverishment. Another unrepresentative agreement between powerful interest with the biggest guns when they see coming out of this ken pollack talks by these open fighting momentarily the lazy deeper foundation for further devastation and state deconstruction on the road. The United States should not be a party to such a short term destructive approach in this alter his policy to avert an outcome that simply says the seeds for further work. This hearing and leadership i believe in congress will be an important Building Block for this step change for seeking from the administration and broader International Community. Heres the crux of it. The lack of a credible and affect it internationally mandated lavish Peace Process addressing these issues in eastern congo has become a major region for the worse continuation. The current negotiation between the government of congo and the m23 rebels is already making the same mistakes as his predecessor and will likely result in the same shortterm deal that keeps the congolese government empowered reduces International Pressure for backing the m23 and redefines the word. The root cause of structural violence will remain unaddressed in any agreement will lack the involvement of Political Parties have a representative society elements including women and religious leaders and local armed groups and interests of eastern congo. The time has come finally for Real International peace efforts, the kind that has a chance and being the deadliest work lowrey since world war ii and the u. S. Needs to help make that happen because its lustily to combatants of the regional sponsors it will not. We believe to key pieces of the solution are missing now. For a lasting peace, it processes to address this fundamental root causes rooted in economic and political drivers of war. First the economic. A shared framework for the future must be agreed upon in which the entire separation of central africa, congo first and foremost at the center can benefit much more for peaceful, legal Natural ResourceDevelopment Rather than violent illegal extraction that exist today. Section 1502 of the dog frink bill hurriedly passed in the phase of a lot of industry money and lobbying company nascent regional certification effort of , initiatives by Forward Thinking CompaniesElectronic Companies who started working in support of real progressive change and new oecd guidelines are all catalyzing movement in the right direction but more must be done to change the economic incentives for more gps. Just as cleaning the blood turning trade up incentivize peace in west africa countries. Covered with Strong International investments, i first create conditions for transparent and effective governing to do with economic roots of war not only removes the main driver for the conflict today that creates the main engine for state reconstruction. Second to politics, a political framework for congo must be agreed upon that restores Public Confidence and respect the viability of the congolese state while ensuring further rebellion does not ensue. President kabila faces a crisis as a result of failures of the army and elections last year that talks with m23 alone will only erode authority to provide further insult and injury to the congolese people. Its now time for a whiter intercongolese dialogue which leaders of the government, Political Parties and for a Civil Society actively participate in decide on a National Consensus and reforms key issues such as political framework for the country, decentralization can catch the minorities and other issues that would be put the table the congolese themselves. Isi recommendations for strengthening this policy, some of which are echoing the good points you at the congressional table raised earlier. First one and foremost a think is the need to appoint this president ial envoy. As a president ial companies to have that rank. The current u. S. Structure simply dismount the United States to exercise its blatant leverage, creativity and international coordinating function with respect to supporting peace. If you appoint a president ial envoy, it helps to rectify those problems. The envoy should be a highlevel individual with experience and relationships in the region who are responsible for de