{After the final defeat of M23 in the Eastern part of the democratic republic of Congo, Rwanda calls upon the Kinshasa government and the MONUSCO Troops to immediately disarm elements of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) based in Eastern DRC }
In an interview with {{Jeune Afrique}}, Olivier Nduhungirehe the assistant representative to the ambassador of Rwanda to the UN Security Council, said “This group is not like other rebel groups because it’s a burden to the peace in the neighboring Rwanda and the region “.
{{Interview of Olivier Nduhungirehe with Jeune afrique}}
{{Jeune Afrique}}: {How does Rwanda perceive the security changes that are occurring in the Eastern part of Congo Kinshasa?}
{{Olivier Nduhungirehe}}: First of all Rwanda reacted positively, about the end of misunderstandings and war between M23 group and the Congo Kinshasa government. In Kigali there is peace around, but currently this is the right time for MONUSCO to start immediately the run and elimination of FDLR which is causing a lot of insecurity in the region.
{{Jeune Afrique}}: {What’s your reaction on the rumors that M23 was founded by Rwanda to protect itself from FDLR?}
{{Nduhungirehe:}} After 18 month of M23 existence, we proved the allegations were wrong. So many times, they went on suspecting Rwanda about that issue but there have been no evidences from the Congo government, to prove Rwanda had a hand in connection with the M23 foundation.
Lucky enough, all the issues have been settled, now it’s time for MONUSCO to follow up FDLR, because it remains the only main problem in the eastern region as a whole.
{{Jeune Afrique}}: {After the final defeat of M23, the Congolese government announced there was a group of armed forces that is backed by the UN Special Forces, ready to attack and eliminate FDLR.What was your reaction on the announcement?}
{{Nduhungirehe}}: Rwanda always chooses to be neutral when it comes to finding the truth between the government of Congo Kinshasa and MONUSCO in following up FDLR. It’s been three years now, since the UN signed a treaty to protect civilians in the Eastern region, but nothing has been achieved. Apart from that, FDLR has continuously gone on killing innocent civilians from both Rwanda and Congo. FDLR is an armed group, which did genocide in Rwanda and still in possession of Genocide ideologies located in the forests of eastern Congo.
FDLR has also led to the foundation of very many armed groups in eastern Congo, but firstly MONUSCO should first destroy and eliminate FDLR.
{{Jeune Afrique:}} {The deployment of 3 000 men of UN intervention brigade does not reassures either Kigali on the willingness of the UN to neutralize the FDLR?}
{{Nduhungirehe}}: Rwanda supported the 2008 decision of the UN Security Council which declared the army group that is meant to destroy and eliminate all armed groups in the Eastern Congo. During that time, we also discussed about, the follow up of FDLR for the first instance by these UN special forces. However, in these last 8 month all efforts have been put on M23 while FDLR continues the killings.
{{Jeune Afrique}}: {What did the Kigali government say; when Congo Kinshasa government said they were refused to eliminate FDLR because of the M23 existence?}
{{Nduhungirehe}}: For us we don’t trust in that, because Congo as a government, it had enough time to fight and eliminate FDLR but never did that, fortunately that reason is no longer in existence, therefore, Rwanda as a member of the UN security council, will put more efforts so that the efforts used to eliminate M23 should be used to eliminate FDLR.
{{Jeune Afrique}}: {In 2009, Rwanda and Congo had joined together to fight FDLR, what happened?}
{{Nduhungirehe}}: This partnership has been there, even during the existence of M23 group, it was stopped after the false allegations which were charged to Rwanda. As a result, Rwandan forces returned back to the country on 1stseptember 2012 from congo.Currently, the program of eliminating FDLR between Rwanda and Congo still exists.
{{Jeune Afrique}}: {Recently, the government of Congo Kinshasa said it decreased the powers of destroying FDLR to 80%, is it true?
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{{Nduhungirehe}}: Its not been a while, since we were in the eastern part of Congo(Goma)with the ambassadors of the UN security council in the region.MONUSCO managed to show us the locations of FDLR on the map.Currently,FDLR controls almost 5 areas in Congo neighboring Rwanda, therefore we can’t only trust words from Congo as they reduce their efforts in eliminating FDLR.
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