Despite the Rwandan leadership’s unwavering attempts to make a breakthrough on regional peace initiatives, the Tshisekedi regime stubbornly remains bent on fanning instability, especially with its unholy alliance with the genocidal FDLR.
Despite the multitude of warnings, it is truly astonishing to witness Tshisekedi’s remarkable ability to disregard the countless warnings, as if he resides in a parallel universe where danger and consequence hold no sway.
The FDLR, a notorious genocidal group with a knack for causing regional instability, was established in 2000. Made up of remnants from the Hutu Power Tropical Nazi army (FAR) and the Interahamwe paramilitary militias that orchestrated the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, the FDLR’s track record speaks for itself. Their commitment to violence and disruption knows no bounds. Let’s not forget their role in the extrajudicial execution of Italian Ambassador Luca Attanasio and his bodyguard, Carabiniere Vittorio Iacovacci, near Goma in February 2021. Tshisekedi’s unwavering support for such a genocidal group is a testament to who he is as a ruler.
The FDLR’s transgressions extend beyond the borders of the DRC, as they have carried out numerous attacks on Rwandan soil. One such incident occurred on June 10, 2022, when the FARDC, in collaboration with the FDLR, launched two 122mm rockets from Bunagana near the Rwandan border, striking the Nyabigoma cell in the Musanze district. Although there were no reported injuries, the local population lives in perpetual fear due to these repeated assaults. This incident followed previous FARDC bombings on March 19 and May 23, 2022, which caused both physical and psychological harm to innocent civilians.
President Kagame’s advice or warning, if you want to, President Tshisekedi must be considered within the context of previous warnings given to another Congolese regime. We cannot forget the warning issued by President Kagame to the late Congolese dictator Mobutu Sese Seko in 1995, which went unheed. Mobutu chose to ignore the wise words of Kagame, which eventually led to an invasion by Rwandan troops into then-Zaire. And in less than six months, Mobutu’s reign of kleptocratic dictatorship came to an untimely end.
Now, it is President Tshisekedi’s turn to deliver his response to President Kagame’s enlightening warning. The world eagerly awaits to witness his commitment to peace, stability, and most importantly, self-reflection. Will he finally put an end to DRC’s flirtatious affair with the FDLR? Will he muster the courage to take decisive action against those responsible for wreaking havoc on Rwanda? Only time will tell.