During a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) briefing on the security crisis in DR Congo that took place yesterday, the US Alternate Representative for Special Political Affairs, Robert Wood took the Tshisekedi regime to task due to the unholy alliance between the Congolese military (FARDC) and illegal armed groups, most especially the genocidal FDLR.
“The United States has long been concerned by the FARDC’s collaboration with armed groups in the east, especially the FDLR. Just as we have stated numerous times previously, we reiterate our call on the DRC government to fully professionalize its security forces and to immediately end cooperation with armed groups” noted Robert Wood.
The Kinshasa regime has continued to violate all mechanisms to restore peace in the region. And Robert wood’s call-out on collaboration between FARDC and FDLR speaks truth.
Several time, Tshisekedi denied the existence of FDLR on Congolese soil. But Rwanda has experienced attacks on their soil on numerous occasions from FDLR. For instance, late 2019, FDLR attacked Musanze district and killed eight people and wounded 18 others. It is an open secret that the attack was funded by FARDC—that gave ammunitions to genocidal rebel to mastermind the attack.
Since the resurgence of M23 which Kinshasa regime implausibly accuses Rwanda to support, Rwanda has been a victim of more than three shelling of the FARDC-FDLR coalition on their territories. Regional leaders have put in place mechanisms to pacify the eastern DRC, but DRC has openly resisted to observe them.
In mid-February, the Mini-summit on peace and security in the eastern region of DRC held in Addis Ababa resolved a withdrawal of all armed groups from occupied areas by March 30. However, what the Kinshasa regime could do, was to continually collaborate with several arm groups (including FDLR which is a blacklisted and genocidal group).
Recently, Patrick Muyaya shows the confidence the regime has in FDLR, the time he was interviewed with BBC journalist Lukwesa Burak, Muyaya called the genocidal group a “self-defense group”. Not long ago, Muyaya had called FDLR a ‘movement’.
Facts are stubborn on the collaboration between FARDC and FDLR. However, what is alarming is how Tshisekedi regime continues to sanitize and protect the genocidal group. The international community should go beyond expressing concerns on the issue of FDLR. More concrete actions are needed to dismantle the genocidal force. Otherwise, peace is a pipedream to the Eastern Congo.
ellenkampire