Russia denounces Western inaction on captured European mercenaries in the DR Congo crisis

A Russian ambassador to the United Nations has denounced Western nations’ inaction in the wake of European mercenaries who were enlisted by the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s government to fight the M23 rebels in the country’s east recently surrendering.

About 300 Romanian mercenaries were apprehended and disarmed by M23 militants when they were discovered fighting with Congolese Army and other militia groups on the front lines, and they were allowed to return home through Rwanda last month.

At a special meeting of the UN Security Council on Wednesday to address the security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Russia’s Permanent Representative Vassily Nebenzia stated that the United States and European nations’ silence contradicted their stated values.

Video of the subsequent movement of European mercenaries to Kigali was aired globally, and we all witnessed their surrender of arms to MONUSCO forces. He stated, “We think those incidents don’t fully align with Russia’s perspective on the UNSC’s mission mandate.”

Kinshasa yelled,

During the same session, Rwanda accused the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo of sabotaging regional peace efforts by avoiding direct interaction with African-led processes and instead looking for outside intervention.

Ernest Rwamucyo, Rwanda’s Permanent Representative to the UN, worried about Kinshasa’s lack of interest in crucial regionally led peace negotiations and cautioned that such moves worsen instability in the East Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The DRC has continuously chosen to maintain a virtual presence or to completely disconnect, Rwamucyo said, notwithstanding the importance of recent regional debates.

President Félix Tshisekedi attended the Munich Security Conference, promoting sanctions on Rwanda instead of engaging in direct dialogue, he pointed out, while regional leaders met last week in Addis Ababa for the African Union Summit to discuss security matters.

At the Summit that had previously taken place in Dar es Salaam on February 8, Tshisekedi was also not present; instead, he chose to participate online, while other leaders of state were present in person. Convened following the fall of the City of Goma to the M23 rebels, the meeting aimed to resolve the situation peacefully.

Additionally, the Congolese president had not attended a previous virtual conference of East African Community heads of state to address the same matter.

African leaders must be involved in the issue’ resolution, Rwamucyo stressed, noting that ignoring regional solutions has traditionally led to more instability.

Rwanda demands complete support for the AU-backed EAC-SADC joint summit conclusions because of this, he said.

Along with many other speakers throughout the conference, the envoy also attacked the Kinshasa administration for its affiliations with armed groups, especially the FDLR, a militia group connected to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

“The FDLR genocidal militia and the DRC government have formed a dangerous alliance at the core of this crisis, which has allowed extremism to flourish for decades and fueled ethnic rhetoric,” Rwamucyo stated.

As further destabilizing elements, he also mentioned the participation of European mercenaries, SAMIDRC, and Burundian forces.

According to Rwamucyo, the growing militarization of Kinshasa has resulted in a lawless situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The Kinshasa dictatorship, in collaboration with the FDLR, seized a variety of local militia organizations and renamed them Wazalendo in an attempt to fight back against the attacks of M23, a Congolese group that opposes the persecution of marginalized populations in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

He pointed out that the government’s policies have led to increased militia activity, unchecked weaponry distribution, and divisive rhetoric from DRC leaders. “Instability has been made worse in the past by failing to support regional solutions,” he said.

The ambassador also denounced the Democratic Republic of the Congo for support of ethnic extremism and the arming of civilians, including minors. “Instead of paving the way for peace, these careless acts are making things worse,” he stated.

In order to prevent outside forces from controlling the course of the conflict, Rwamucyo asked the international community to back African-led initiatives and reiterated Rwanda’s commitment to regional peace efforts. We (Rwanda) are still totally committed to these initiatives and will continue to support them in good faith.