And in the desperate situation unfolding in the eastern Congo that someone is General Laurent Nkunda. So far this year more than one million people have fled the three-way clashes between Nkunda's forces, ethnic Hutu Rwandan rebels and the Congolese army.

But among this carnage, it’s Nkunda who has so far enjoyed his moment in the international limelight. His crude but effective PR machine building him a persona as a maverick, a protector of his people and a servant of God.

But although he may be winning the PR war the reality of this conflict is far more complex than he would have the world believe. Nkunda fought in the Rwandan Patriotic Front alongside the now President, Paul Kagame to drive out the hard line Hutu Interahamwe, who back in 1994 were  responsible for the murder of more than 800,000 minority Tutsi neighbours during a three month killing spree.

But when Kagame put down his gun and formed a new government of unity Nkunda continued the fight chasing fleeing Hutu genocidaires across the border into eastern Congo. Since then he has been continuing the fight to bring them to justice and protect the minority Tutsi population there.But although a peace deal officially ended the fighting in 2002, and there was a subsequent deal in January to disarm rebel groups in the east, General Nkunda and his men have not joined the Congolese army, as all former rebel units were supposed to. He continues to claim that the Congolese government hasn’t done enough to track down perpetrators of the genocide still at large, many now serving in the very army he is being asked to join.

All very noble, apart from the fact the evidence suggests Nkunda is not as clean cut a figure as his PR machine would paint him. His forces have also been responsible for atrocities against the local population and his reluctance to leave this part of the Congo would seem to have as much to do with money as the protection of his people. For this part of Africa is rich in minerals, particularly Coltan, which is essential for the production of mobile phones and laptops, as much as 80% of the world’s total reserves are deposited here.

Selling at upwards of $200 a kilo and with mobile phones sales set to top one billion this year, it is easy to see why the Rwandan government would be keen to keep a controlling foothold. It denies actively supporting Nkunda but his success in routing his opponents would suggest otherwise.

Both sides are now actively lobbying the international community for support, but for the millions caught up in the misery of Africa’s own 21st century ‘great game’ it will make little difference whoever wins this PR battle.

November 24