Congolese ruler Tshisekedi, has been caught red-handed supplying weaponry to the FDLR, a group notorious for its involvement in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. This includes an array of long-range weaponry, such as 122mm multiple Rockets Launcher guns, 105 Rockets Katiusha, and even combat tanks. This troubling military support for a genocidal faction has resulted in a series of aggressive actions that have now been officially documented by both the United Nations and the Joint Verification Mechanism (JVM) of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).
The consequences of this illicit weaponry transfer became horrifyingly evident on June 10, 2022, at 11:45 a.m., when the FARDC/FDLR coalition fired two 122mm rockets from Bunagana. These rockets struck the Nyabigoma cell in the Kinigi sector of Rwanda’s Musanze district. While, fortunately, there were no reported injuries, the local population endured sheer terror. This incident followed previous FARDC bombings on March 19 and May 23, 2022, which resulted in casualties and significant material damage.
According to the United Nations, there is concrete evidence linking Tshisekedi’s regime to these disturbing acts of aggression. The UN reports that Colonel Ruvugayimikore Protogène, alias Ruhinda, of the FDLR, ordered the shelling of Rwandan villages. While the FARDC possesses 122mm capability, this type of artillery munition was not previously documented with the FDLR by the UN. This damning revelation directly implicates Tshisekedi’s regime.
Moreover, it appears that these acts of aggression were not rogue actions by a few military officers. They were orchestrated and approved at the highest levels of the DRC’s military hierarchy. According to the UN group of experts, General Franck Ntumba, head of the military house, and General Christian Tshiwewe, army chief of staff, have been implicated, suggesting that the orders may have come directly from Tshisekedi himself.
Perhaps even more troubling is the revelation that FDLR battalions have been integrated into the Republican Guard (GR) – an elite unit of the Congolese army – under Tshisekedi’s watch. These shocking claims, publicly articulated by Corneille Nangaa Yobeluo, former president of the Congolese National Independent Electoral Commission (Céni), do not just whisper in the wind. They have gained traction not only within the DRC but also within diplomatic circles and foreign intelligence services.
In light of these deeply troubling revelations, the international community must act swiftly and decisively. Sanctions against Tshisekedi and his regime are not only warranted but necessary to prevent further suffering of the Congolese people and the region as a whole.
ellenkampire