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News Release Archive | Rwanda | Accuracy.Org

Rwanda Denies Sponsoring War Criminals in Congo; U.S. Charged with Covering Up at U.N.

June 26, 2012

Today, BBC reports: “Rwanda’s foreign minister has angrily denied reports that her country is backing an army mutiny in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.”

Last week, Reuters reported: “U.N. experts have evidence Rwanda’s defense minister and two top military officials have been backing an army mutiny in the east of neighboring Congo…”

Also last week BBC reported: “The U.S. is covering up information about rebels led by a man wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court, Human Rights Watch has said.”

KAMBALE MUSAVULI, info at friendsofthecongo.org
Musavuli is the spokesperson for Friends of the Congo. He said today: “The U.N. is supposed to take up the matter today, but the U.S. has already delayed the publication of the most damaging aspects of the U.N. Group of Experts report and many speculate the U.S. will prevent any action against Rwanda. Rwanda’s foreign minister Louise Mushikiwabo stated that she would be in Washington for bilateral discussions this week.

“It is appalling to once more witness the cover-up by the United States State Department in light of the Group of Experts’ report on Rwanda’s destabilization of the Congo. The United States’ inaction toward its ally Rwanda only perpetuates the culture of impunity which translates in greater humanitarian issues in the Congo with the escalation of violence and displaced people. After almost 16 years of conflict in the Congo, primarily waged by its neighbors Rwanda and Uganda, it is time for the U.S. government to shift the way it is engaged in the Great Lakes region by holding perpetrators of violence accountable even if it is an ally.”

CLAUDE GATEBUKE, claude at aglan.org
Gatebuke is executive director of the African Great Lakes Action Network. He said today: “If the United States’ administration is to avoid the mistakes made by the administration during the 1994 Rwandan genocide, which I am a survivor of, they must act swiftly and decisively to withhold all military support and aid to Rwanda — or the failures of 1994 in Rwanda will continue to be repeated in Congo. Similarly, the U.N. must impose sanctions on Rwanda for breaching the arms embargo in Congo. Otherwise, ‘never again’ will remain a nice slogan reserved for post-massacre speeches.”

Tagged With: Africa, Claude Gatebuke, International Criminal Court, Rwanda, Rwanda in Congo, Rwanda Mutiny Congo Charges, Rwanda-DRC Relations,

U.S. Supporting Rwanda as it Destabilizes the Congo — Again

June 11, 2012

BBC is reporting “The UN says it has evidence that a rebellion in the Democratic Republic of Congo is being fueled by recruits and support from neighboring Rwanda.” Human Rights Watch reports that “Rwandan army officials have provided weapons, ammunition, and an estimated 200 to 300 recruits to support Ntaganda’s mutiny in Rutshuru territory, eastern Congo.” A leading Congolese newspaper, Le Potentiel notes “The mutiny underway in the eastern DRC receives support in manpower and logistics from Rwanda, in the face of astonishing passivity from the international community (U.S., Britain, EU, etc.).”

JACQUES BAHATI, bahati at afjn.org
Bahati, a policy analyst at the Africa Faith and Justice Network says “DRC has been the playground of Rwanda since 1996 and this will never change if serious reforms are not made. On a long list of problems needing urgent solutions, DRC must address corruption in its leadership, army reform and make a priority the grievances of all warring parties.”

EMIRA WOODS, emira at ips-dc.org
Woods, co-director of Foreign Policy In Focus at the Institute for Policy Studies, said today: “Rwanda’s role in destabilizing the Congo has contributed to the millions who have perished as result of the conflict since 1996 and the 100,000 displaced persons since March of this year. It is time that the United States, which provides significant funding to the Rwandan government, uses its leverage to hold Rwanda accountable for its destructive actions in the Congo.”

MAURICE CARNEY, info at friendsofthecongo.org
Carney, executive director of Friends of the Congo, said today: “The Rwandan government has acted as a major destabilizing force in the east of the Congo since 1996. However, as a staunch ally of the United States and the United Kingdom, the Rwandan government has benefited tremendously from the diplomatic cover and protection that accompanies its relationship with such powerful nations.”

Filed Under: Tagged With: Africa, Congo, Emira Woods, Jacques Bahati, Maurice Carney, Rwanda,