Yesterday, in an interview with Radio Okapi, Lt Col. Harvey Frederic, MONUSCO’s spokesperson, stated that there is no evidence showing that Rwanda has been backing or supporting of M23, the armed group operating in North Kivu/DRC.
Unfortunately, Rwanda’s image both regionally and internationally has been damaged almost to the stage of non-repair due to hostile and baseless accusations leveled against the country by the Congolese leadership. MONUSCO’S reservations or at the very least exoneration of Rwanda from such allegations is long overdue and futile.
Since 2012, there have been a number of damning reports, both in the media and other so-called rights advocate groups, that were premised on such allegations and harmed Rwanda and its leaders’ reputation. Shockingly, MONUSCO knew they were typically unfounded and ignored them completely leaving Rwanda to fight for itself.
Rwanda categorically and constantly denied those allegations to the extent of allowing established verification mechanisms to assess its stand, but MONUSCO silence on the truth fueled the inept DRC government to continue pushing such a nonsensical lie.
No doubt MONUSCO is currently in a fix, more like between a rock and a hard place, but definitely, something must be done and it should be beyond comments in media interviews or empty statements.
It is a public knowledge that for the past 28 years, MONUSCO failed to execute its mandate in DR Congo but at worse they cannot be complicit in state conflicts that are based on pure fabrications.
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