Rwanda has been expressing concerns over the FDLR terrorist group formed by individuals responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi that continues to spread genocide ideology and threaten security in the region.
Rwanda maintains that it can’t engage in talks with the terrorist group but established an arrangement for reintegration of its combatants repatriating voluntarily while those who committed crimes are brought before courts.
Since M23 rebel group resumed fighting with Congolese Army (FARDC) towards the end of 2021 over DRC’s failure to implement peace accords signed in 2013, the country formed a coalition with FDLR.
Last year, the coalition of FARDC and FDLR shelled Rwandan territory at different times, destroyed properties and injured people in Musanze District as revenge to Rwanda which is accused of supporting M23.
However, Rwanda has repeatedly denied the allegations and urged DRC to solve internal problems without dragging it into its mess.
Despite the situation, DR Congo continues to sanitize FDLR calling its members ‘ordinary refugees’ that need talks with Rwanda to return home.
During a press conference held on Wednesday 11th January 2023, Congolese Minister of Higher Education, Muhindo Nzangi Butondo said that the country would have no problems, had Rwanda engaged in negotiations with FDLR.
He was alluding to the speech of President Paul Kagame delivered this week at the parliamentary building highlighting that DRC did not show willingness to bring back its citizens who fled to Rwanda more than 20 years ago.
Muhindo said that Rwanda should not talk about Congolese refugees without holding talks with FDLR.
“He has no power to talk about the issue of refugees because he refused to engage in talks with brothers from FDLR who have been in the Democratic Republic of Congo for many years. We would not be having problems in eastern DRC, had he agreed to initiate negotiations with them, ” he said.
DRC has taken a stand to advocate for and sanitize FDLR yet the international community has labeled it as a terrorist group.
The latest report by the United Nations (UN) Expert Group provided evidences of the collaboration between FARDC and FDLR and demanded the country to stop.
The alarm was also raised by other blocs including the European Union to find a way for peace in eastern DRC.
During an interview with France 24 in September 2022, Felix Tshisekedi also said that FDLR that does not pose security threat.
He explained that it is comprised of members ‘with no political ambitions to overthrow Kigali’s leadership. In brief, what Rwanda says is a lie’.
Speaking to BBC recently, the Spokesperson of FDLR, Cure Ngoma refuted Tshisekedi’s utterance that the group is made up of thieves struggling for survival.
“We are existent. Those making the statements have their own reasons. We would not be participating in this conversation if we do not exist. Our soldiers are strong,” he said.
UN experts indicate that FARDC provided weapons to FDLR and allies with it on battlefield, a situation termed as the violation of international laws.
The Heads of State’s summit held in Luanda, Angola in November 2022 resolved that M23 should withdraw from occupied territories within 48 hours and ordered armed groups including FDLR-FOCA, RED Tabara and ADF among others to lay arms down and respect the process to bring them back to countries of origin.
DRC has done nothing to disarm them but continues to work with FDLR and advocate for it.
Spreading genocide ideology as a terrorist group that was formed by individuals responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi is among concerns given much attention when people talk about FDLR. However, the source of funding is not given the attention it deserves yet it is the backbone helping the group to continue terrorist activities that affect DRC citizens and pose threat to Rwanda’s security.
Various non-governmental organizations operating in DRC indicate that FDLR is involved in large scale trade in collaboration with members of Congolese Army, police force and politicians. Below are highlights of major activities serving as the source of revenues for FDLR to sustain terrorist activities and some recommendations to defeat the group.
{{Trade of charcoal }}
Pole Institute, a non-governmental organization operating in DRC, recently released a report pointing out sources of funding for armed groups in the country.
The report was released in April 2022 but there are no evidences that the armed group has stopped its businesses. The report shows that DRC is home to a large number of armed groups where 72 of 132 registered in 2017 were based in Northern Kivu Province.
It further reads that charcoal produced in Virunga National Park makes up the largest portion of FDLR’s source of revenues after losing mines controlled in Walikale and Masisi following the pressure of FARDC and Mai Mai armed group.
The report highlights that FDLR has strongholds in Rutshuru territory and Nyiragongo in protected areas of Virunga National Park. It also has bases in Bwito, Binza, Bukoma and Busanza. FDLR takes advantage of these forests and makes charcoal traded in Goma.
Emmanuel de Merode, the director of the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN) which manages Virunga National Park in DRC, confirmed that FDLR benefits from illegal activities in the park including fishery and the production of charcoal.
He highlighted that FDLR reaps a handsome amount of money from sales of charcoal in Goma town populated by more than 1 million of whom 97% have no access to electricity. Merode disclosed that FDLR shares a portion of its profit with other armed groups including Mai Mai and FARDC soldiers.
It is said that Goma uses at least 150,000 tonnes of charcoal per year even though there are other reports estimating the quantity to be between 60,000 and 90,000 tonnes.
Of the charcoal, 95% is reported to be produced from Virunga National Park in the areas controlled by FDLR including Nyamulagira, Kahunga and Nyamitwitwi.
It is important to note that FDLR combatants do not transport the charcoal themselves. They have created a large network involving many people who benefit from the business.
The network is comprised of FDLR combatants, DRC soldiers and police personnel, transporters and retailers among others.
The report published by Pole Institute indicates that the trade of charcoal can generate up to US$45,000,000.
Overall, the report shows, FDLR and business partners receive at least US$20,000,000. This means, US$11,671,809.4 goes to FDLR and US$8,215,157.2 to business representatives.
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FDLR has expended much effort in tax collection from residents in controlled areas.
A big portion of the revenues is generated from agriculture and transport. The report published by Pole Insitute indicates that FDLR charges rental fees or taxes so that residents can be allowed to exploit productive farmlands.
The revelations were also confirmed by FDLR combatants captured recently during fighting between M23 and FARDC in collaboration with armed groups including FDLR.
Warrant Officer Innocent Uwamungu is among FDLR combatants captured during a recent fighting that took place in Rutare, near Paris, on the way to Tongo.
Warrant Officer Uwamungu worked in the secretariat of General Pacifique Ntawunguka alias Omega, who took over as the commander of the military wing (FDLR-FOCA) after the assassination of Sylvestre Mudacumura.
Uwamungu said that FDLR depends on agriculture and collection of taxes to buy ammunition and medicines.
Among the people captured together with the FDLR was Pastor Niyonzima Jean Damascene, who said he provided the FDLR with intelligence information.
He was born in the former Commune Kinyami in Byumba Prefecture and left in 1994.
Niyonzima said that he was the ’Assistant Bourgmestre’ before leaving the country.
He also confirmed that FDLR secures funding from taxes and selling part of produce collected from farmers during harvesting time.
Residents in areas controlled by FDLR can be taxed between US$0.30 and US$5.
As for leaders and magnates, the report says, they pay huge amounts to FDLR to make sure their security is guaranteed.
Among others, the report shows that a politician running for electoral campaigns or following up other businesses can be charged up to US$2500 so that FDLR can provide safe passage for vehicles through Virunga National Park in Kalengera, in Bwisha or Tongo in Bwito.
It reveals that whoever disobeys the protocol, might be ambushed and eventually risk his/her life.
The report of experts on Congo emphasizes that soldiers and the government left taxes administration in the hands of FDLR, which shows that the country is not ready to take responsibility to protect citizens.
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Apart from taxes, the terrorist group also works with commercial motorcyclists and truck drivers.
In Rutshuru, FDLR fixed taxes on transportation of goods transiting through controlled area.
The report released by the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) in 2014, indicated that a driver can pay between US$25 to US$300 depending on the type of luggage.
The report by Pole Institute confirmed that FDLR has its own Fuso trucks that carry bags of charcoal and commercial motorcycles for transportation of passengers.
The group hires Congolese to drive the vehicles and motorcycles but those who violate terms and conditions are killed.
{{Other sources of income }}
FDLR is also reported to be involved in the extraction and trade of minerals in Lubero as confirmed by MONUSCO.
MONUSCO’s report indicates that FDLR also sells timber, hemp and fishes. When combined with illegal taxation, the total revenue from these sectors at least amount to over US$71 million per annum (over Rwf76 billion). This is where FDLR secures funding to sustain its terrorist activities.
{{Defeating FDLR}}
Experts reveal that the genocide ideology propagated by FDLR is of serious concern to Rwanda’s security and the entire region. Else, allowing the group to run businesses in an open air capacitates it to buy weapons and recruit more fighters.
The report of Pole Institute provides different recommendations to defeat FDLR where it stressed the need to increase police and military personnel in eastern DRC and block all its sources of revenues.
Meanwhile, the group of experts on Congo urges the country to stop supporting and working with armed groups including FDLR.
Rwanda accommodates nearly 80,000 Congolese refugees who fled insecurity more than 20 years ago but their government has remained silent on their problems.
When M23 rebel group resumed fighting with Congolese Army (FARDC) in 2021, DRC started accusing Rwanda of being behind insecurity in eastern part of the country and put it forward as the major concern instead of addressing issues that pushed its citizens to flee to Rwanda.
As he delivered remarks after presiding over the swearing-in of the new Senate President on Monday this week, President Paul Kagame said that Rwanda has been blamed for DRC’s problems but insisted that it is time to show how it is not Rwanda’s business.
“We are going to ensure that everybody realizes that it is not Rwanda’s problem. And starting with saying, those who think this is Rwanda’s problem and not Congo’s, first remove these Congolese from here. Those who coming in every day just on the actions of the government and institutions, you will tell me, ‘the government is not functioning properly, this or that but this is still none of my business,” said Kagame.
Following his speech, some media houses misinterpreted the message and reported that ‘Rwanda won’t accept Congolese refugees any longer’ while others ran stories indicating that ‘Rwanda may expel Congolese refugees’.
This comes at a time when violence against some ethic groups is ongoing in DRC where there is fear of possible Genocide against Kinyarwanda-speaking communities.
Meanwhile, Congolese refugees in Rwanda have been staging protests demanding their government to respond to their concerns.
During an interview with BBC, the Deputy Spokesperson of the Government of Rwanda, Alain Mukuralinda underscored that Rwanda will continue to receive all refugees crossing fleeing to the country.
“Rwanda respects international norms and abides by laws protecting refugees. Besides, it is part of the country’s culture to welcome all people coming to us as mentioned before,” he noted.
“We will continue to accept refugees and keep pushing the international community and DRC Congo government […] It is surprising that we have never had Congolese government taking into consideration problems of its citizens hosted here over the past 20 years yet Burundi sent officials in the past few days to visit different camps and mobilize Burundian refugees to return home,” added Mukuralinda.
Mukuralinda explained that Congo did not show willingness to do so but is only concerned with Rwanda and M23.
“When the problem is not addressed from its roots, it will take five or ten more years,” he said.
“To make things clear, Rwanda will neither reject refugees nor evict them. They will only return when they feel their security is guaranteed,” added Mukuralinda.
As at May 2022, Rwanda registered 127,369 refugees including 76,968 from Congo equivalent to 60.43% and 49.859 Burundians equivalent to 39.15%.
He made the statement on Monday after presiding over the swearing-in of the new Senate President, Dr. François Xavier Kalinda.
The Head of State said that the country continues to be affected by the actions of DRC which should address internal problems without dragging Rwanda into its mess.
The problems are mainly related to accusations that Rwanda supports M23 rebel group which is considered as the cause of insecurity in eastern Congo, despite the presence of more than 130 armed groups.
Meanwhile, the problems have existed for many years given that Rwanda accommodates over 80,000 Congolese refugees that arrived more than 20 years ago fleeing insecurity.
In the past few weeks, it was reported that DRC brought European mercenaries believed to be from Russia to help the country deal with security crisis.
President Kagame has said that Rwanda should not be blamed for those problems, a stand which it has always maintained.
He also assured that the country stands ready to deal with those mercenaries where necessary.
“When you hear a situation is relying on mercenaries, you know that situation is a mess. If it comes to us dealing with the mercenaries, we are overstocked to deal with mercenaries. Mercenaries are the most useless people you can rely on,” he said.
“Those countries relying on mercenaries, you just know they are in trouble. They have original problems before they brought mercenaries and when they bring mercenaries, the problems are multiplied by a big factor. It gets worse, not better,” added Kagame.
“So, I am saying this with a sense of frustration. It’s like the world has gone crazy. Nobody is listening to the other. Facts no longer apply to anything. Since when Congolese, well, of Rwandese origin become Rwanda’s problem?” he wondered.
Kagame stated that the history of the presence of Kinyarwanda-speaking citizens in DRC should be considered first before sounding alarms that they must return to Rwanda.
“When you say they go back, first of all ask yourself who brought them there. Ask those who took them to Congo. How they went there I don’t know. Those who took them there or who created those conditions should be the ones to answer not me. You are not going to force that problem on me, zero. It can’t happen,” he underscored.
Kagame said that DRC’s intentions to expel a group of citizens without talking about the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) because it wants them to stay, is the heart of the matter.
FDLR is a terrorist group formed by individuals responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
The President highlighted that the aforementioned actions align with some people’s plans to overthrow Rwanda’s leadership and expressed optimism that they will fail.
Kagame made the disclosure on Monday 9th January 2022 as he received oath of the new Senate President, Dr. François Xavier Kalinda.
In his speech, Kagame talked about different issues including tensions between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Deteriorated relations between both countries arises from reciprocal accusations where DRC accuses Rwanda of supporting M23 rebel group in a fighting with Congolese Army (FARDC) while the latter refutes the allegations and blames Congo for working with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).
FDLR is a terrorist group formed by individuals responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi with intentions to continue propagating ethnic divisionism and destabilize Rwanda.
Apart from the alleged support, DRC says that some of M23 fighters are Rwandans who must return home.
President Kagame has said that those Congolese called Rwandans have stayed in Congo for so many years that they became nations due to reasons linked to history.
He said that Rwanda can’t stand and watch continuous blames over the problem of hosted Congolese refugees who fled violence in their country.
“I want to talk about the usual problem we have in our neighbourhood which keeps bringing up Rwanda’s name in all sorts of ways […] I want to start with a problem we have had for long time. We have had refugees from different places for different reasons. There is one type of refugee that I think we are not going to accept,” he said.
“ We cannot keep being host to refugees which later on we are held accountable in some way or even abused about, refugees as a result of ethnic cleansing based in another country and we must be the dumping ground of those people deprived of their rights,” added Kagame.
Today, Rwanda accommodated over 75,000 Congolese refugees in different camps across the country. The majority of them have spent more than 25 years in the host country.
Kagame went on to explain that the problem of Congolese refugees in Rwanda was addressed to Congolese President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi shortly after taking power.
“In fact, when the current President of DRC, when we were still talking, I raised this matter with him when he had just come to the office. And I told him a long story about all along what we even contemplated doing. We tried many things,” he noted.
“I told that we even thought of saying, should we absorb these people and make them our citizens and put the matter to rest just as a way of solving the problem. I also told him the difficulty with that,” highlighted Kagame.
The Head of State further disclosed that the plan to grant citizenship to Congolese refugees failed as they had different views. Firstly, he said that some refugees themselves did not want the citizenship because they wanted to go back home in DRC.
Secondly, Kagame stated that others were not interested in having Rwandan citizenship but wished to stay in Europe, US and Canada.
“I have no quarrel with that at all. When we were proposing to give them citizenship, we also told them that, if they accepted it, they can’t be the same people who would again go and cause trouble in the DRC. If they did that, we would be rightly blamed that our citizens are springing from that and now causing trouble in their country of origin,” he said.
Kagame said that he raised the issue to his counterpart of DRC AND promised support to have it resolved.
“At the beginning, he looked he was convinced and was may be going to do something about it. But now, you see where we are,” he stated.
{{Remove Congolese refugees from here to wherever you want }}
President Kagame said that Congolese leaders who continue to say that M23 combatants are wrong.
“We even tried to explain on regular basis how those people fighting there did not actually come from here. Little did I know that those who say it are actually saying these are Tutsis from Rwanda as of origin even if it is hundred years ago. So, they must go back to Rwanda,” he noted.
“At least, that’s what the authorities in Congo are actually implying. I don’t know whether those who support the idea from outside are aware of this and therefore could be doing it deliberately also or doing it knowingly. But it is a gross abuse of people’s rights and actually abuse against us as a country,” added Kagame.
The President went on to say that Rwanda won’t keep carrying that burden and held responsible for problems in DRC.
He said that one of Rwanda’s reactions to prove how it has nothing to do with Congolese problems is to handover accommodated Congolese refugees for which the country has been blamed and abused for.
“We are going to ensure that everybody realizes that it is not Rwanda’s problem. And starting with saying, those who think this is Rwanda’s problem and not Congo’s, first remove these Congolese from here. Those who coming in every day just on the actions of the government and institutions, you will tell me, ‘the government is not functioning properly, this or that but this is still none of my business,” said Kagame.
“If it is my business, it yours also meaning the international community. These are the ones I am addressing. It is as much your problem as it is mine. But I am refusing that Rwanda should carry this burden and be insulted, abuse every day about it. So, either carry them from here to wherever you want or they go back to Congo and you protect them there,” he added.
Kagame makes the disclosure at a time when Congolese refugees accommodated in Rwanda have been staging protests to denounce violence against their relatives and demanding the international community to take action, return them to Congo and defend their rights as is the case for other nationals.
Following the resignation, President Paul Kagame named Dr. Kalinda as his successor on 6th January 2023.
Dr. Kalinda was elected as the Senate President after swearing-in on Monday 9th January 2023.
His candidature to the position was proposed by Senate Vice President, Esperance Nyirasafari.
“I know him for over 25 years. He holds a PhD in Law , spend long time serving as a lecturer at the University of Rwanda- School of Law, taught many who are currently assuming different duties, and I am pretty sure that he taught many present in this room including me,” she said.
“He is an honest man, who was and is still appreciated by all students from their respective locations. They commend him for integrity and having shared with them knowledge that served as the cornerstone helping them to fulfill their responsibilities,” added Nyirasafari.
She explained that Dr. Kalinda is not new in parliament as he served as a member of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) for the past seven years and requested all the 26 senators to vote him.
Senator Niyomugabo Cyprien proposed the candidature of Umuhire Adrie describing her as a woman with virtues, knowledge and expertize in politics and governance. She serves as the Chairperson of Senatorial Standing Committee on Social Affairs and Human Rights.
Senator Umuhire said that the senate has a large number of women serving as chairpersons of different committees and asked the President of the Republic to accept the withdrawal of her candidature to allow for gender balance.
After withdrawing her candidature, Dr. Kalinda was unanimously elected by all 26 senators.
Dr. Kalinda was born in Kitabi Sector of Nyamagabe District. He holds a PhD in Business Law acquired from Ottawa University in Canada.
He pursued undergraduate and Master’s courses at the National University of Rwanda.
In 2015, Dr. Kalinda was elected to represent Rwanda in the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) replacing Parliamentarian Céléstin Kabahizi who had resigned.
He once served as a lecturer and Dean of School of Law at University of Rwanda.
The changes went into effect from Monday 9th January 2023.
Despite the development, the rank insignia on office or ceremonial dress will remain on the shoulders.
This style is already adopted other countries including the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US)’s armies.
Military experts highlight that placing the rank insignia at the chest is better for concealment as the enemy can hardly identify the commander of troops during insecurity or fighting.
According to the Agency, the former driver for a Guest House in Kibuye, who has appealed his conviction, was referred to the investigative division of the Paris Court of Appeal, which ruled on 30th November that the extension of his pre-trial detention did not appear to be “essential either for the needs of the proceedings pending the hearing, or as a security measure”.
Muhayimana was released from detention on 21st December and placed under judicial supervision pending his appeal.
“I find this decision wise and particularly justified, since we have no idea when the appeal will be held,” said his lawyer Philippe Meilhac, stressing that his client had “remained free during most of the investigation, without ever posing a problem.
Muhayimana who became a naturalised French citizen in 2010, is accused of having transported gendarmes and Interahamwe militiamen, the armed wing of the Hutu genocidal regime, to the sites of massacres of Tutsis between April and July 1994 in Kibuye and the surrounding hills, where tens of thousands of people were killed.
In December 2021, he was found guilty by a majority of votes of complicity in genocide and complicity in crimes against humanity in the hills of Karongi, Gitwa and Bisesero over the period from 7 April to the end of June 1994, and of complicity in crimes against humanity in July in the hills of Bisesero.
Muhayimana is released at a time when Genocide survivors in Karongi have been expressing dissatisfaction with the sentence handed to him.
In 2020, RIB received 33 cases involving 36 human trafficking victims (seven male and 29 female).
The number increased in 2021 where RIB registered 17 cases involving 66 trafficked individuals including 22 men and 44 women.
In 2022, the number dropped as RIB recorded 48 human trafficking victims (six men and 42 women) in 33 cases.
The Bureau has also revealed that 68 of the 150 human trafficking victims were aged below 18, 68 were aged between 18-30 while the remaining 14 individuals were aged above 30.
In 2020, human trafficking victims aged below 18 were 15, 17 were aged between 18 and 30 while four were aged above 30.
Meanwhile, 27 individuals aged below 18 were trafficked in 2021, 32 were aged between 18 and 30 while seven were aged above 30.
As for last year, RIB indicates that 26 victims were aged below 18, 19 were aged between 18 and 30 while three were aged above 30.
RIB indicates that 41 victims have been repatriated (19 in 2022, 11 in 2021, and 11 in 2020) and sent back from different countries in Asia, the Middle East, and West Africa. Meanwhile, 24 victims were intercepted at airports and borders heading to Asian countries, the Middle East and West Africa.
Speaking to The New Times, RIB spokesperson, Thierry Murangira, disclosed that some people repatriated, or intercepted, “change tricks to find their way to those countries again.”
He said that these victims are counseled when they are brought back because “some feel that RIB is against their chances” and end up finding other ways to go back.
Commenting on tactics used by perpetrators to con the victims, Murangira mentioned promises of a better job, and internship, among others.
Murangira said the number is not alarming and that there are measures in place to fight human trafficking, seen in the decreasing number.
RIB urges people to be very careful and conscious whenever someone approaches them with job promises, internships, and marriage abroad, and inform authorities whenever they come across such people.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Théophile Mbonera, recently told IGIHE that the issue of human trafficking requires strict measures even though it is not alarming.
“The issue of human trafficking has existed for long but is currently manifested with new tricks that it is difficult to be detected. Testimonies from victims narrating their ordeal convince us that the problem exists and requires us to take action,” he said.
The appointment has been announced through a communiqué released by the Office of Prime Minister this Friday.
Dr. Kalinda was born in Kitabi Sector of Nyamagabe District. He holds a PhD in Business Law acquired from Ottawa University in Canada.
He pursued undergraduate and Master’s courses at the National University of Rwanda.
In 2015, Dr. Kalinda was elected to represent Rwanda in the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) replacing Parliamentarian Céléstin Kabahizi who had resigned.
He once served as a lecturer and Dean of School of Law at University of Rwanda.
Dr. Kalinda joins Rwanda’s Senate replacing Dr. Augustin Iyamuremye, the Senate President who resigned recently on 8th December 2022 citing sickness reasons.
