DR Congo: Rwanda demands that foreign forces leave and that the FDLR be neutralized

Rwanda’s representative to the UN has stated that the murderous FDLR militia in DR Congo must be neutralized immediately in order to contribute to the establishment of a lasting peace in the war-torn nation.

On Tuesday, January 28, Ambassador Ernest Rwamucyo spoke at a UN Security Council briefing about the security situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the M23 rebel group earlier this week took control of the strategic eastern city of Goma.

A UN-sanctioned terrorist organization, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) was founded by the remains of the old Rwandan army and other extremist groups connected to the 1994 Rwandan Genocide against the Tutsi, which killed over a million people.

In the current conflict with the M23 insurgents, the FDLR is one of several armed organizations battling with the Congolese army (FARDC), as well as soldiers from the Southern African regional bloc, SADC, Burundian government forces, and hundreds of European mercenaries.

Representatives of the Democratic Republic of the Congo reiterated allegations during yesterday’s UN Security Council meeting that Rwanda backed the March 23 Movement (M23). Kigali has refuted these assertions and charged Kinshasa of attempting to divert attention away from its own shortcomings and nefarious intentions against Rwanda.

The Rwandan Permanent Representative to the United Nations reminded the UN session yesterday night of the threats made by President Felix Antoine Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who has repeatedly stated openly his intention to overthrow the Rwandan government.

Rwamucyo also demanded that all foreign forces participating in the coalition commanded by the Congolese government and organized by Tshisekedi to combat the M23, one of the more than 120 armed groups active in the eastern parts of the nation, leave the country.

He reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to a diplomatic resolution to the crisis and denounced Kinshasa for choosing a military option over negotiations with the rebels.

Before taking Goma earlier this week, the M23 overran other towns in a matter of days, giving the battle a new dimension last week.

Since then, some FARDC soldiers have escaped to Rwanda in search of safety, while numerous more have turned themselves in to M23.

The Congolese army and its supporters, notably the murderous FDLR group, shelled the border district of Rubavu on Monday this week, killing nine people and injuring several others. Rwamucyo also denounced this action.

“This careless shelling is an intolerable war crime and additional evidence that Rwanda’s defensive posture, which was established specifically to address this threat, must be maintained,” Rwamucyo stated.

It’s important to remember that the DRC government has a long history of provocative activities, of which these assaults are just the most recent. Additionally, he recalled Rwanda’s history of exercising restraint and working with the DRC to address the underlying causes of instability in the area and along our shared border.

He said that Rwanda will always be a symbol of peace since it has experienced bloodshed that nearly destroyed the nation 30 years ago and understands all too well what happens when there is no peace.

The presence of anti-Rwanda troops just across its borders with the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a concern, the ambassador noted.

“Our nation faces an existential threat from the combination of anti-Rwanda groups along our border. The government in Kinshasa, which feels protected from events occurring 2,000 kilometers away, does not feel this way.

“Shelling that falls on densely populated villages has always caused the loss of lives and we take this existential security threat seriously.”

He pointed out that although the coalition’s activities are equally harmful to Congolese, Rwanda is offering humanitarian aid to newly arrived refugees at a makeshift camp established in Rubavu.

Rwanda has further made it easier for foreigners, especially European mercenaries serving with the Congolese army, to be evacuated.

As M23 advanced on Goma, hundreds of FARDC soldiers and militia members who had left the fighting were taken to Rwanda. The envoy also stated that those who are ill are receiving treatment, and they were disarmed and treated in compliance with international law.

The members of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) who lost their lives in the process also received Rwanda’s condolences from Ambassador Rwamucyo.

The stories of assaults and theft of diplomatic missions in Kinshasa, notably the Rwandan embassy and numerous other embassies of this Council members, have, on the contrary, devastated us.

International law, particularly the 1961 Vienna Convention, is completely violated by these racist crimes, the majority of which are carried out in the passive presence of DRC security forces, he added.

He noted that Rwanda urges the Congolese government to hold offenders responsible and to fulfill its diplomatic commitments.

According to the Luanda agreement on the concept of operations (CONOPS), which was decided upon before to Kinshasa’s U-turn late last year, Rwamucyo informed the UNSC that Rwanda’s elimination of the FDLR was a prerequisite for Rwanda to withdraw its defensive measures.

The withdrawal of foreign forces is required.

The ambassador also demanded that European mercenaries be returned and held responsible, as well as the departure of foreign forces that are a part of the Congolese government coalition.

According to Rwamucyo, President Tshisekedi brought together a sizable coalition that included the FDLR genocidal militia, European mercenaries, Wazalendo militias, Burundian armed forces, and SAMIDRC forces (SADC troops) because of his obsession with overthrowing the current government in Rwanda and his repeated threats to bombard Kigali.

As a result, Rwanda urges all foreign troops stationed in the DRC to leave this alliance as it is solely intended to hurt Rwanda.

He pointed out that if President Tshisekedi had shown political courage and good faith in resolving this problem in a sustainable manner, the issue might have been resolved long ago.

Additionally, the Rwandan ambassador noted how Kinshasa’s unilateral actions had thwarted attempts to establish enduring peace in eastern Congo and the surrounding area.

“Remember that President Tshisekedi unilaterally decided to remove the M23 from the political dialogue process under the Nairobi process, along with the East African Community (EAC) Regional Force that the EAC had deployed. This decision resulted in a six-month ceasefire and the M23 giving up 80% of the territory it held.”

According to him, the Nairobi process stalled despite many attempts to restart it because the Kinshasa administration chose to replace it with a force commanded by the SADC that had a more aggressive mission in order to fill this void.

The “fair share” that the international community bears of the responsibility

Rwamucyo emphasized that threats of regime change from one member state to another needed to be denounced, and that the international community, including certain UN Security Council members, had a fair share of responsibility for what is occurring in eastern DR Congo today.

“You all made the decision to ignore these provocative remarks and the formation of the previously mentioned military alliance, without ever denouncing the regime change goal that underlies them,” he continued.

He also informed the Council members that Rwanda thinks MONUSCO can help bring peace back to the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo by ceasing to assist a national army with a mandate to overthrow the current government, as well as a UN-sanctioned genocidal force and European mercenaries.

“Despite MONUSCO’s complete failure over the past 26 years, Rwanda also reiterates its position that it has no hostile intentions against MONUSCO.”

He further emphasized that in order to create a conducive atmosphere for direct communication between DR Congo and M23, all sides must strictly adhere to the ceasefire of August 4, 2024.