DRC: Congo's peace: Miracle or mirage?

On 22 March 2007, the worst fighting that Kinshasa has ever seen broke out between government forces and supporters of the opposition. Hundreds of people lay dead in the streets and opposition leader Jean-Pierre Bemba announced his departure into exile. Yet some diplomats in the capital played down the violence as a hiccup in the peace process. In this article, Jason Stearns evaluates the prospects for lasting peace.