A former senator from Belgium visits Goma and questions the Western account of events

Former Belgian senator Alain Destexhe reported after visiting Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, that he found the city to be calm and that people were going about their daily lives as usual.

Destexhe indicated in a lengthy post on X that a new order has been put in place after Goma fell into the hands of M23 on January 27. This order permits the restoration of living activities, with most cases showing considerable improvements, and goes well beyond the “chaos” that existed prior to the city’s capture.

Together with militia groups like the murderous FDLR and Wazalendo, as well as troops from SAMIDRC, Burundi, and European mercenaries, the M23 battled to protect Congolese Tutsis in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo from the Congolese government forces (FARDC).

The FDLR is a terrorist organization located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that was founded by the survivors of the 1994 Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi. With the intention of attacking Rwanda, the murderous militia teamed up with Kinshasa’s friends and joined the Congolese army coalition against the AFC/M23 rebel organization.

The greatest threat to Rwanda and the area is the murderous ideology of the homicidal militia.

Destexhe reports that Goma’s electricity and water supplies have been restored, and all companies—aside from financial institutions—are operating normally. He pointed out that increased trade with the Rwandan border and other areas has allowed prices for some basic products to stabilize. 

In the past, certain paramilitary groups in the area would ban businessmen and transporters or impose arbitrary charges along the roadways.

“People’s livelihoods seem to improve with the discretion of police and military presence in the area, and locals have a positive image of M23,” he said.

He stated, “The M23 forces’ reputation as uncorruptible represents a clear break with the previous situation.”

“Drivers no longer fall prey to police racketeering and now obey red lights.” The city’s cleanliness is another notable improvement. It was cleared of trash during the Salongo, a community service project organized by the new government, he said, adding that the cleanup is still going on.

“Motorcycles and trucks, which were previously prohibited by FARDC due to their origin in the M23 zones, are now more widely available, which makes it easier to supply Goma.”

The blind eye of the international community is questioned.

He emphasized that the existence of Romanian mercenaries in the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where Congolese forces are fighting alongside foreign troops and paramilitary groups against M23, was purposefully ignored by the international community.

“Not enough attention has been paid to the disgraceful presence of these EU citizens. “Is this permissible under international and European law?” he asked.

According to a contract examined by the BBC, Congolese soldiers received a pitiful $100 monthly salary that was frequently delayed or not paid at all, while the mercenaries employed by Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi received hefty compensation of almost $5,000 per month.

Mercenary operations intended to topple governments are illegal under the 1989 UN International Convention and Additional Protocol I (Article 47) of the Geneva Conventions.

The FDLR, descended from the 1994 Rwandan army (FAR), which was also funded by President Tshisekédi, and the Wazalendo, ethnic militias that engaged in violent ethnic cleansing against the Tutsis, were also active in the battle. Why is this accepted by the international community? According to Destexhe’s post.

As he moved into Goma, he saw that the camps for displaced people had been cleared out, “either because people were afraid of fighting or because the M23 policy encouraged them to go back to their villages.”

He said that the camps had turned into “a real humanitarian business for some international organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations,” pointing out that many displaced people wanted to remain there in order to receive free food and care, and that some people profited from the assistance while others farmed their fields.

He denounced the behavior of some aid groups who “display flashy logos and flags” and “act as if they are in conquered territory” rather than exercising caution while entering remote parts of Goma that might be home to FDLR or Wazalendo.

He went on to say, “Some NGO projects are useless money pumps.”

Environmental danger and health status

As a physician, Destexhe was forced to visit the major hospital in Goma, which was overrun by the flood of injured people during the battle and is now seeing fewer patients, particularly the former FARDC combatants, occasionally only teenagers, and a few injured civilians.

“The hospital is still full of young wounded people a month after the end of hostilities, and as far as I can tell, over 95% of the staff has stayed in place and done an amazing job.”

However, on his visit north of Goma, he saw evidence of Congolese soldiers’ encampment in the Virunga National Park, where they registered their passage in the environmental destruction, as well as a wall of earth bags that stretched for several kilometers.

There, at the base of the defense line, I observed hashish plantations. The animals have been slaughtered, and the lovely forest has vanished. The M23 has set a deadline for the unlawful crops to be harvested before prohibiting additional plants, citing their desire to protect the park.

Exposing the cruelty of Munzenze jail

The Belgian senator claimed that the turmoil occurred prior to the rebel group entering Goma, despite some accusing the M23 of being responsible for the catastrophe that occurred at Munzenze Central Prison, when male inmates broke out of their cells and female inmates were raped.

In an attempt to escape, the male inmates set fire, and they were successful. However, based on the testimony I gathered, the fire spread to the women’s portion, whose doors were locked without the guard with the key. Numerous women perished after being burnt alive.

According to unverified accounts, the male detainees raped the female inmates before locking them up and burning them alive, he said.
“The events happened prior to the M23 capturing the city, notwithstanding what The Guardian stated in its anti-M23 propaganda. The site visit is remarkable.