Ntaganda: Terminator who Terminated Himself

Jean-Bosco Ntaganda P. Courtesy

When cornered, the vulture cries eagle. This is what seems to have transpired to Jean-Bosco Ntaganda, a Congolese renegade and self-made general after finding that his world was becoming narrower.

For long, Ntaganda tried to be smart by keeping the wolf from the door to no avail especially after his former buddy, another self-made general Sultan Makengo, booted him out of control. Ntaganda, also known as the Terminator, had to call the shots and bite the bullet after finding that he was chasing his own tail. One thing we must give accolades for is the fact that he concurred with reality and surrendered to the American Embassy in Kigali.

Ntaganda’s surrender was a shocker of the year for Americans and the whole world given that he was regarded as a strong fighter. Just like former Liberian Charles Taylor who became the first African head of state to be booked, Ntaganda becomes the first indictee to hand himself in after finding that there was no more space to hide. Now that Ntaganda is a welcome and permanent guest at the De Haag Street in The Hague, the world would like to see Laurent Nkunda coming next.

There have been mixed speculations on why Ntaganda handed himself over in Kigali instead of MONUC in Goma. Was he afraid of being handed over to Congolese authorities that would treat him like Saif al Islam Gaddafi in Misurata? Was there any deal among Ntaganda, Rwanda and DRC? This question becomes crucial especially when his predecessor, Laurent Nkunda (The Chairman) is brought in the big picture.

Many analysts would like to know why the ICC was active to collect Ntaganda while it dragged its feet and then kept mum to ask for the handover of Nkunda. Will Ntaganda’s surrender open Nkunda’s case or just push it more into oblivion? Interestingly, when Ntaganda handed himself in willingly, Kigali rushed to make a statement saying it would cooperate to see to it that he is expediently handed over to The Hague.
The mystery surrounding Ntaganda and his safe passage to the US embassy left many baffled. How could such a high profile suspect cross the border and be able to hand himself in without Kigali authorities either arresting him or being aware of his presence? Is there something fishy we need to know? Yeah. When Nkunda crossed the border, we’re told he was ‘arrested’ right away and detained indefinitely. Since then, nothing’s ever been heard regarding bringing him to or doing him justice by charging him. For, it is against all laws local and international to arrest a person and keep him for four years without charging him before the court of law. Who knows? Maybe there is a hidden court of law where Nkunda is. Again, why didn’t Kigali act this way when Nkunda was said to have been arrested?

Does it mean that ICC has already been compromised especially when it comes to DRC as opposed to others? Ntaganda is a welcome guest. Compared to Nkunda, Ntaganda is but a novice. When will Nkunda be booked and accommodated in The Hague? Only time will tell.

Source: The African Executive Magazine March 26, 2013.