Sanctions From Washington, Accusations From Kinshasa — and the Minerals in the Middle

The US has sanctioned Rwanda's defence ministry over the DR Congo conflict. For sovereignty-minded voters, a foreign power penalising another country's defence ministry is a familiar pattern: pressure applied from outside, with the terms set elsewhere.

Congo accuses Rwanda of backing M23 rebels, and accuses Rwanda of plundering minerals in its conflict-hit East. Critics of the status quo will see in that second charge the economic question that rarely gets asked first: who profits from the region's resources, and who pays the price when the fighting drags on.

Note what these are: sanctions, and accusations. Congo accuses; the defence ministry is the body sanctioned; M23 rebels are the force named. For many voters, the lesson is to keep the distinction between charge and verdict firmly in view, whoever is delivering it.