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Eight Red Cross workers were kidnapped last week in the Democratic Republic of Congo by members of the armed Mai Mai Yakutumba militia. The hostages include 7 Congolese and 1 Swiss national. The International Committee of the Red Cross has been one of few foreign aid organizations remaining in the Congo over decades of conflict. Six staff members of the ICRC were also murdered in 2002. Meanwhile a Spanish doctor who was kidnapped while on vacation in the Congo was recently released after two weeks in captivity. Fresh violence has broken out in the Congo in recent months resulting in thousands of people being displaced. The Congolese government is headed by Joseph Kabila who came to power through the much-touted elections in 2006 which were supposed to herald a new era in the war-torn region. Kabila has faced accusations of illegitimately centralizing the government, abusing power, and running violent militias. He has also called for an end to the United Nations mission MONUC by 2011, ahead of the general elections. However, rights groups point out that the country relies on UN troops for the protection of women and internally displaced people. Last Friday over a dozen rebel groups announced a new coalition in opposition to Kabila’s presidency.

GUEST: Louise Arbour is the President and CEO of the International Crisis Group

For more information, visit www.crisisgroup.org.