The following excerpts are a partial transcript of the January 3, 2009 video interview with Congo's fighter-for-freedom, Laurent Nkunda. See NKUNDA LAST CONGO INTERVIEW

It's a unique opportunity for the world to hear Nkunda's own words - instead of distorted and twisted by the spin of censored mainstream media - as he describes how total corruption of Congo's leadership has resulted in poverty for its people, the rightful owners of its wealth. ~ Jackie Jura

...Try to see. Try to understand. Because the nature of Congo can speak and can tell you what Congo would have been if she would have been well led.

We have a problem of leadership. But all the possibility are there, laid down, waiting for someone only to raise the life of Congolese.

And what I think about Congo - in my thinking - I always say that Congo will be the most developed country - the most strong economically country - in Africa. And in the world I always say that Congo can be the 4th or the 5th.

Because we have all the resources: human resources, natural resources...

Are you the guy to provide the peace and security, and that future for the Congolese people?

Leadership can change Congo. But not a leader.

You can be such kind of leader. But if your people is not educated, you are going to be seen like you are the enemy of the people like in 1961.

Lumumba was killed by Congolese because he was saying that Belgium didn't develop Congo. And other Congolese thought that he's not normal. And Congolese killed Lumumba.

If Congo will change, it will not come from me or from another, but from an understanding, a new spirit for Congolese.

That's why I think that we have to go by educating our people. If we educate our people, then they will choose good leaders. And this leadership will bring Congo, in my dream....

...But what I know is that we are doing a war for liberation....not for mineral resources. No, there is a cause.

Some people call this a war for minerals, or an economic war.

Yes, but how can you fight for your own minerals, your own resources? They are mine. They are our resources.

In 2003 I was appointed Brigadier General in charge of the North Kivu region. I would have been in charge without any fights. If it was only for minerals, no, I would not have come here.

It is a way to divide the minds. You see, you cannot fight for your minerals.

What are the Western interests here in Congo do yo think?

Only what I can say is: they want to control the leadership; then take what they want to take.

They want Congo to be led by a corrupted man; where they can do what they want. That is what I understand.

Because what they are doing in Congo today is only corruption at the high level. You see? Yes?

Now minerals in Congo are exploited by China, by Belgium, by South Africa, by maybe - I don't know.

But the petrol is one. By France. Petrol is under France.

Silver and other - no uranium - under American control; copper under Belgium; diamonds under Jewish; petrol under France. And others under China; under South Africa - gold South African.

The Congolese people have never ever benefited from their own resources.

You can see it on the ground. How can a country, so rich like Congo, can be like you are seeing it?

There is no salary; there is no roads; there is no infrastructure for so big and so rich country.

So you ask me if we benefit. "No".

But also, I cannot say that it's from these countries.

We are not benefiting because we don't have leadership.

Because Western countries are exploiting in other countries, like Angola. But Angola is building, is raising his economy. Western countries are - I saw Arab countries under Western financial group - like, um, Emerites - like um um this um Quatar and so on. They are under Western financial organizations but they are raising.

It is not a matter of these countries coming to exploit Congo. It's a matter of what they are doing with them.

We are serious. There is no leadership.

Throughout history - since Independence - the leaders that have taken charge have always made themselves rich through corruption, and then the people poor. How do people know for sure that that's not going to happen under your leadership?

Let us say that people are discouraged.

How do you mean?

Because since 1960 - and before 1960 when Belgium were here - they didn't get anything from Belgium colony and from the Congolise government.

Because even if you can see what British colony got from the colony; what French colony got from French; and what we got from Belgium - it's very different.

Maybe the people are thinking that they are not the owners of these resources. Because since Belgium were here - and today - there is not any resource income for the people.

But we think that today - when we are talking about changes, when we are saying that we cannot accept Chinese, like Chinese culture; when we are talking about France, the way he is exploiting the petrol in Western Congo - people are thinking that maybe we can do something.

But also - when they think about the power of Kinshasa, the presence of the U.N. here - they think that we are not in the right way, because U.N. is the right. That's what the people can think.

But the one who know very well what's going on, like somebody does in Kinshasa, cadres in Goma, Bukavu. Now they know very well that we are bringing changes. And we will. It's a must.

Have you met personally with Alan Doss? [top UN ambassador to Congo]

No.

You've never met with him?

No, we talked only on phone.

What do you say to him when you talk to him?

The first time I talked to him it was in January [2008] when we were in Goma in a Peace Talks of this Amani process. But we were talking when this discussion was going on.

One day I told him: You are coming with your tanks to ask us to shut our mouth.

But Congolese can enjoy today [prefer] to be a British colony instead of being what we are today. When I go in the former British colonies, there is infrastructures from the colony and there is education. But in Congo there is nothing: education nothing, infrastructure nothing.

That's why I told him: If African countries who were under your colony refused you to continue to colonise them - even if you were doing something - don't think that you are going to oblige us to shut our mouth. Because we are going to fight.

It's a problem of freedom.

I gave him an example of South Africa. I said South Africa was under opposite [British colonizers], and this opposite was in some kind reinforced by your countries. And this so-called opposite raised South Africa today as the first strong country in Africa economically and politically. But even so, South Africans opposed themselves to opposite - the first economy in Africa; the tenth in the world - bringing itself to represent Africa in the [U.N.] Security Council.

But here in the Congo there is no opposite [Belgiam colonizers]. We are not a colony since 48 years. But the infrastructures brought in South Africa - by opposite - are not in Congo. The economy made by opposite in South Africa is not in Congo. This political power and representation - made by opposite to South Africa - is not in Congo.

So you are asking us to not fight. No. Congolese can enjoy opposite [Western exploitation], if opposite will bring hospitals, salary, roads, schools and raise economy.

Our president is bad, and so bad - comparing to opposite - because he is robbing the country; he is destroying the country; he is destroying the people. He is destroying the economy and the minds. Because there is no education when teachers are not paid. He is destroying the nature of Congolese.

So you ask me to not fight.

I say to him: Bring the tanks and other aviation forces because we will fight until we will be free.

That's the last time I talked to him - when he engaged MONUC to fight.

And I told him: You are engaging MONUC to fight. I'll fight them because I'm fighting for freedom.

And you want me to shut mouth. And to be a slave - a slave in economic slavery of China. I'll not accept.

I'll fight 'til I die. Then my brothers will continue to fight. And my elders will fight. And my son will fight.

So does China's influence concern you now?

Yes, of course. Because we are going now in economic slavery, if we will accept this Chinese contract. It's the end for Congolese....

Reader Yu Meng Zhu asks for help comparing Western practices in the Congo with China's practices there

NKUNDA SAVED CONGO GORILLAS (transcript of interview)

NKUNDA SAY UN CRIMINALS IN CONGO (transcript of interview)

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Nkunda demands Kabila cancel China contracts (benefits gov't officials not Congo citizens). VOA, Jan 8, 2009

INTERVIEW NKUNDA ("We have to liberate Congo....Congo has to be free and develop"). BBC, Nov 10, 2008

Beijing keeps its interest in Congo. Guardian, Nov 3, 2008
It may be half a world away, but China will be closely watching the conflict in eastern Congo, aware of the risks the chaos poses to its involvement in the region. Rebel leader Laurent Nkunda has declared strong objections to a £5bn mining-for-infrastructure pact which is China's biggest deal in Africa. The deal, and the dissent it arouses, are typical of China's rapidly growing investment across the continent - direct aid in exchange for raw resources to fuel its economy. "It is very simple. We need the raw materials and these countries need access to capital," Wu Zexian, China's ambassador to Congo, said this year. "I do not know why the west is so afraid." Critics inside and outside Africa say it is neo-colonialism. But others question the west's high moral tone, given its bloody history in Congo. Besides, China is simply offering more. One-third of the £5bn will develop mines; the rest will fund desperately needed infrastructure: sewers; universities; housing; 177 hospitals and health centres and thousands of miles of roads. Congo will gradually repay China from the profits of a mining joint venture - and supply it with copper and cobalt. There is certainly resentment in Africa at the profits China is making and the working conditions in Chinese-run mines; as there has been with other foreign investors. But Tom Cargill, director of the Africa programme at Chatham House, suspects Nkunda may hope to use China as a smokescreen. "He has some quite sophisticated PR people and they may be saying: the west is very suspicious of China - maybe we can break down some opposition to us by saying we are standing up for Congolese people against the Chinese," he said. Beijing's policy of non-interference in internal affairs leaves it limited options in Congo. "In terms of boots on the ground, if it's to do anything, it would be under UN auspices - and the UN mission in the DRC appears to be in complete collapse," said Alexander Neill, head of the Asia security programme at the Royal United Services Institute.

ZIMBABWE SPADE RED CHINA ("...I asked myself is there justice in this world? The super power is continuing strengthening Mugabe’s regime. Just like the way the Chinese are strengthening him and Kabila with lucrative deals. Will we never see the back of him?...")

CONGO CHINA REGIME CRONIES

KABILA-CHINA-GORILLAS-NKUNDA

KNOW NKUNDA CONGO