Rwanda defence chief leads DR Congo rebels, UN report say

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19973366 Rwanda defence chief leads DR Congo rebels, UN report says COMMENTS (14) M23 rebels are named after a failed peace agreement signed on 23 March three years ago Continue reading the main story DR Congo Seeks Democracy 'Why we defected' Q&A: DR Congo conflict Rebel tactics How rebels make their money Rwanda's defence minister is effectively commanding a rebellion in the Democratic Republic of Congo, UN experts say. The confidential report, leaked to Reuters agency, says Uganda is also backing the M23 rebels, who have been fighting the DRC's army since April. The document builds on a UN report published in June which accused Rwanda of supporting the insurgents. Rwanda and Uganda strenuously deny supporting the rebellion. The BBC's Barbara Plett, at the UN, says that during the past two decades Rwanda has backed armed groups in the east of DR Congo as a way to fight Hutu rebels who fled there after the genocide of the 1990s. Some accuse Rwanda of using militias as proxies in an on-going battle for the region, which is rich in minerals, our correspondent adds. 'Co-ordinated the rebels' The latest report by the UN Security Council's Group of Experts provides more details of Rwanda's alleged continued involvement. It says M23 leaders "receive direct military orders" from Rwanda's chief of defence staff, Gen Charles Kayonga, "who in turn acts on instructions from the minister of defence", Gen James Kabarebe. It also says Kigali has supplied the M23 with heavy weapons and stepped up recruitment for the group. Both Rwandan and Ugandan officials have strongly denied the accusations made in the report. Olivier Nduhungirehe, a senior Rwandan diplomat at the country's UN mission, said the United Nations experts had been "allowed to pursue a political agenda that has nothing to do with getting at the true causes of conflict in the eastern DRC". Uganda's foreign minister, Henry Okello Oryem, told the BBC that the UN was seeking to blame others for the failure of its own peacekeeping force in the eastern Congo. But the the DRC's ambassador to the UK, Kikaya Bin Karubi, said the UN "must act" on the basis of the report. He told the BBC's Newsday programme: "When the chief of staff of an army, a minister of defence of a country creates a rebellion, supplies weapons, sends troops to fight against a legitimate government across the border, I think this is serious." The report - seen by Reuters news agency on Tuesday - says army units from Rwanda and Uganda have helped M23 expand its control of territory in eastern DR Congo. "Both Rwanda and Uganda have been supporting M23," according to the 44-page report. Thousands have been displaced by fighting between troops and rebels "While Rwandan officials co-ordinated the creation of the rebel movement as well as its major military operations, Uganda's more subtle support to M23 allowed the rebel group's political branch to operate from within Kampala and boost its external relations," it said. The UN report says former Congolese General Bosco Ntaganda controls the rebellion on the ground and M23 leader Col Sultani Makenga is in charge of co-ordination with allied groups. But it says M23's de facto chain of command culminates with Rwanda's defence minister. Gen Ntaganda, who is known as "the Terminator" and is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged war crimes, has fought for various militias over the years. The rebellion started in April, when a militia that had been absorbed into the Congolese army mutinied and went on the rampage in the eastern part of the country. Since then nearly half a million people have been displaced by fighting between the M23 and the army. The violence has drawn international condemnation and the US and some European countries have withheld aid from Rwanda.

BRUXELLES: MANIFESTATION DE SOUTIEN A MME VICTOIRE INGABIRE PRESIDENTE DES FDU-INKINGI

http://www.fdu-rwanda.com/fr/bruxelles-manifestation-de-soutien-a-mme-victoire-ingabire-presidente-des-fdu-inkingi BRUXELLES: MANIFESTATION DE SOUTIEN A MME VICTOIRE INGABIRE PRESIDENTE DES FDU-INKINGI OCTOBRE 16, 2012   BRUXELLES LE 20 OCTOBRE 2012 Heure: De 13h00 à 16h00 Adresse: - 13h00 => Rassemblement au Rond Point / Metro Montgomery - 14h00 => Marche vers l'Ambassade du Rwanda Avenue des Fleurs, 1 à 1150 Bruxelles. Object: Soutenir Mme Victoire INGABIRE UMUHOZA, présidente des FDU-INKINGI , et dénoncer son procès politique à Kigali. Exiger sa libération immédiate et sans conditions, ainsi que celle de tous les autres prisonniers politiques au Rwanda. Condamner les actes de violations des droits de l'homme et d'intimidation contre les membres de l'opposition politique . Demander l'ouverture de l'espace politique au Rwanda. Organisateur responsable : FDU-INKINGI – Contact : J. Bukeye +32478973762 Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza: Icône de la lutte pour la liberté et la démocratie au Rwanda

Mu nama y’ibihugu bivuga igifaransa, u Rwanda rwagaragaje ko rudashyigikiye ibihano byafatirwa FDLR !

http://www.veritasinfo.fr/article-mu-nama-y-ibihugu-bivuga-igifaransa-u-rwanda-rwagaragaje-ko-rudashyigikiye-ibihano-byafatirwa-fdlr-111277893.html Lundi 15 octobre 2012 Mu nama y'ibihugu bivuga igifaransa, u Rwanda rwagaragaje ko rudashyigikiye ibihano byafatirwa FDLR ! Kuri iki cyumweru taliki ya 14/10/2012 niho inama y'ibihugu bivuga ururimi rw'igifaransa yasoje imirimo yayo mu mujyi wa Kinshasa. Mu gusoza iyo nama hafashwe imyanzuro 2 ikomeye ijyanye n'ibyemezo bigomba gufatirwa imitwe yitwaje intwaro iri muburasirazuba bwa Congo ariyo FDLR na M23.   Iyo myanzuro yemejwe ntampaka n'abakuru b'ibihugu na za leta bose bari bateraniye muri iyo nama uretse intumwa z'igihugu cy'u Rwanda zari ziyobowe na ministre w'ububanyi n'amahanga Madame Mushikiwabo Louise zanze gushyira umukono kubyemezo byo kurwanya umutwe wa FDLR na M23 ; ibyo bikaba byarahise bigaragarira buri wese mu bari muri iyo nama ko u Rwanda rugaragaje ko rufite uruhare mu kurema no gutera inkunga umutwe wa M23 nk'uko byemejwe n'impuguke z'umuryango w'abibumbye.   Umwanzuro wemejwe n'ibihugu bivuga ururimi rw'igifaransa wateye igihugu cy'u Rwanda impungenge uteye utya : « umuryango w'ibihugu bivuga ururimi rw'igifaransa (Francophonie) wiyemeje gusaba akanama k'umuryango w'abibumbye gashinzwe amahoro ku isi gutanga ibihano byihariye kuri buri muntu wese wagize uruhare muguteza umutekano muke muburasirazuba bwa Congo ; igihugu cya Congo (RDC) kikaba kigomba gukurikirana mu nkiko abantu bose bakoze ibyaha by'intambara n'ibyaha byibasiye uburenganzira bwa muntu kandi umuryango mpuzamahanga ukaba ugomba kubifashamo Congo (RDC)».   Urwanda rumaze kubona uwo mwanzuro rwanze kuwushyiraho umukono , ruvuga ko ubwo buryo ibyo bihugu byemeje budashobora gukemura ikibazo k'intambara muri Congo ko ahubwo u Rwanda rwo rwifuza imishyikirano ya politiki hagati y'abashyamiranye muri icyo gihugu (gusaba leta ya Congo gushyikirana n'umutwe wa M23) ; icyo cyifuzo cy'u Rwanda kikaba kitarigeze gihabwa umwanya muri iyo nama kandi n'ahandi hose u Rwanda rwajyanye iki cyifuzo ntabwo cyakiriwe ; leta ya Congo yavuze ko idashobora gushyikirana n'umutwe wa M23 kimwe n'uko u Rwanda rwanze gushyikirana n'umutwe wa FDLR. Leta ya Congo ivuga ko umutwe wa M23 ari agakingirizo k'u Rwanda ikaba ahubwo isaba kuba yashyikirana n'u Rwanda aho kuba M23.   Uko biri kose ntabwo imyitwarire y'u Rwanda yo kwanga kwamagana umutwe wa M23 yatunguye abakuru b'ibihugu bivuga ururimi rw'igifaransa kuko bisanzwe bizwi ko u Rwanda arirwo rwashinze uwo mutwe rukawuha n'ubufasha mu rugamba rw'intambara rwashoje muri Congo. Perezida w'Ubufaransa François Hollande we yavuze ko ingabo z'umuryango w'abibumbye (Monusco) ziri muri Congo zigomba kongererwa ububasha kugira ngo zishobore guhangana n'ikibazo cy'umutekano muke uterwa n'imitwe yitwaje intwaro muri Congo ; ibyo kandi bishobora gukunda kuko Ubufaransa bufite ijambo mu muryango w'abibimbye akaba ari igihugu cya kabiri ku isi nyuma ya leta Zunze Ubumwe z'Amerika mu bihugu bitanga inkunga ikomeye mu gushyikira umutekano ku isi. Ibyemezo byafashwe n'ibihugu bivuga ururimi rw'igifaransa bishobora kwemerwa uko byakabaye n'akanama gashinzwe amahoro ku isi bitewe ni uko uwo muryango ugizwe n'ibihugu bingana na kimwe cya gatatu cy'ibihugu byose bigize umuryango w'abibumbye bityo ibyifuzo by'umuryango w'ibihugu bivuga ururimi rw'igifaransa bikaba bishobora guhita kuburyo bworoshye.   Ibihugu bivuga ururimi rw'igifaransa byafashe ibindi byemezo byerekeranye no kurwanya ikintu cyose cyateza umutekano muke mu bihugu biwugize cyane cyane ufata ibyemezo byo kugarura umutekano mu gihugu cya Mali,gutunganya ubucukuzi bw'amabuye y'agaciro no kurengera amashyamba,kwigisha ururimi rw'igifaransa hakoreshejwe ikoranabuhanga no kurwanya ibikorwa by'ubusahuzi bwa kibandi (piraterie) mu gihugu cya Congo no mu kigobe cya Guinée. Hari ibindi bihugu byinjiye mu muryango w'ibihugu bivuga ururimi rw'igifaransa ari byo :Arménie (umunyamuryango wuzuye),Uruguay (indorerezi) na Qatar (umunyamuryango mfatanyabikorwa); kwinjira mu muryango w'ibihugu bivuga ururimi rw'igifaransa ku gihugu cya Qatar byarasakuje cyane kuko kwemerwa kwacyo byihuse cyane kandi ubu icyo gihugu kikaba gifite ubukungu bwinshi cyane.    Dore uko televiziyo RTBF isobanura ko u Rwanda rwagaragaje ko rushyigikiye umutwe wa M23 : Francophonie -aveu de culpabilité du Rwanda dans la guerre en RDC avec M23 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4dFcjYp2v7o Ubwanditsi bwa veritasinfo.

Rwanda, Uganda arming Congo rebels, providing troops - UN panel

http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL1E8LGF8720121016?sp=true UPDATE 2-EXCLUSIVE-Rwanda, Uganda arming Congo rebels, providing troops - UN panel Tue Oct 16, 2012 10:37pm GMT   Print | Single Page [-] Text [+] * Rwanda minister is commanding rebels in Congo - report * UN source: Rwanda has effectively annexed eastern Congo * Rwanda, Uganda reject U.N. expert panel's report * Rebels recruit child soldiers, execute recruits (Adds new quotes, details) By Louis Charbonneau and Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Rwanda's defense minister is commanding a rebellion in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo that is being armed by Rwanda and Uganda, both of which sent troops to aid the insurgency in a deadly attack on U.N. peacekeepers, according to a U.N. report. The U.N. Security Council's Group of Experts said in a confidential report that Rwanda and Uganda - despite their strong denials - continued to support M23 rebels in their six-month fight against Congolese government troops in North Kivu province. "Both Rwanda and Uganda have been supporting M23," said the 44-page report, which was seen by Reuters on Tuesday. "While Rwandan officials coordinated the creation of the rebel movement as well as its major military operations, Uganda's more subtle support to M23 allowed the rebel group's political branch to operate from within Kampala and boost its external relations," it said. Bosco Ntaganda, a former Congolese general wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes, controls the rebellion on the ground and M23 leader Sultani Makenga is in charge of operations and coordination with allied armed groups, the U.N. report said. Both Ntaganda and Makenga "receive direct military orders from RDF (Rwandan army) Chief of Defense staff General Charles Kayonga, who in turn acts on instructions from Minister of Defense General James Kabarebe," it said. Uganda and Rwanda have denied the accusations of involvement by the U.N. experts, who monitor compliance with sanctions and an arms embargo on the Congo and delivered their report to the Security Council's Congo sanctions committee earlier this month. "Rwandan officials exercise overall command and strategic planning for M23," the report said. "Rwanda continues to violate the arms embargo through direct military support to M23 rebels, facilitation of recruitment, encouragement and facilitation of FARDC (Congolese army) desertions as well as the provision of arms and ammunition, intelligence, and political advice." "UPDF (Ugandan army) commanders sent troops and weapons to reinforce specific M23 operations and assisted in M23's recruitment and weapons procurement efforts in Uganda," it said. PEACEKEEPER KILLED Nearly half a million people have been displaced due to the fighting. M23 has proven so resilient that one senior U.N. diplomatic source told Reuters that Rwanda has effectively "annexed" mineral-rich eastern Congo thanks to the rebel force. U.N. peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous said last month that the rebels had set up de facto administration in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, controlling the people and collecting taxes. The rebellion also is being funded by traders in Rwanda who are profiting from tin, tungsten and tantalum smuggled across the border from mines in the eastern DRC, according to the U.N. experts' report. An interim report from the Group of Experts that was published in June raised similar accusations against Rwanda but with far less detail. Kigali was furious about that report, saying it was one-side and contained false allegations. Rwanda has backed armed movements in the Congo during the past two decades, citing a need to tackle Rwandan rebels operating out of Congo's eastern hills. The new report said that M23 had expanded its control of Rutshuru Territory with extensive foreign support in July 2012 and had taken advantage of a recent informal ceasefire "to expand alliances and command proxy operations elsewhere." The experts said that units of the Ugandan and Rwandan armies "jointly supported M23 in a series of attacks in July 2012 to take over the major towns in Rutshuru Territory, and the (Congolese army) base of Rumangabo." During these attacks, the rebels killed a U.N. peacekeeper and fired on a U.N. peacekeeping base at Kiwanja. "According to several M23 soldiers, RDF troops provided the rebels with heavy weapons such as 12.7 mm machine guns, 60 mm, 91 mm and 120 mm mortars, as well as anti-tank and anti-aircraft launchers ahead of the attack," the report said. "RDF Special Forces in Rutshuru also aided the rebels and fired 13 rounds on a FARDC (Congolese army) combat helicopter during the takeover of Kiwanja," it said. CHILD SOLDIERS Ugandan military spokesman Felix Kulayigye rejected the report. "Where's the evidence for their claims? Some of those so-called experts came here and did not interview anyone," he said. "Where's their authentic facts to back those claims? Those accusations are absolute rubbish, hogwash." Olivier Nduhungirehe, senior Rwandan diplomat at the country's U.N. mission, had a similar denial, which he sent to Reuters on Sunday. He said the U.N. experts have been "allowed to pursue a political agenda that has nothing to do with getting at the true causes of conflict in the eastern DRC." Rwandan President Paul Kagame reiterated Rwanda's denials at a high-level meeting in New York last month that both he and Congolese President Joseph Kabila attended. The Group of Experts said that it has corroborated its findings with multiple intelligence sources. "Various South African Development Community (SADC), European, Ugandan, and Burundian intelligence agents also confirmed the group's findings concerning Rwandan violations of the (arms) embargo," the report said. It added that the Rwandans have stepped up recruitment for M23, which has around 1,250 soldiers. "M23 faces challenges in carrying out independent operations and controlling heavily guarded positions due to troop shortages," said the report. It said the Rwandan army was targeting Rwandan demobilized soldiers and civilians and Congolese refugees to recruit for M23, while M23 itself has stepped up its use and recruitment of child soldiers. Since May, the experts said M23 has recruited some 250 children and killed dozens who tried to escape. "Furthermore, certain M23 commanders have ordered the extrajudicial executions of dozens of recruits and prisoners of war," the report said. "M23 uses boys on the frontlines as cover for advancing units, often after a week of training," the experts said. "Others act as porters, intelligence operatives and bodyguards. The rebels use young girls as cooks and as commanders' wives." (Additional reporting by Elias Biryabarema in Kampala and Yara Bayoumy in Nairobi; Editing by Paul Simao) © Thomson Reuters 2012 All rights reserved

Congolese opposition appeals for cessation of war in eastern DR Congo

http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?sid=11&aid=79&dir=2012/October/Tuesday16 Congolese opposition appeals for cessation of war in eastern DR Congo   KINSHASA: The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) opposition said on Sunday that it expects France to use its influence to urge the international community to adopt decisions that will help to end the fighting in the eastern parts of the country.   Article Tools 0  Comments Share this!!! E-mail a friend Print The opposition's appeal was made in Kinshasa at a press conference that was addressed by Lucien Mbusa, the deputy secretary general of the Congo Liberation Movement (MLC).Mbusa, who on Saturday met in Kinshasa with French President Francois Hollande, agreed with the president's opinion that the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Stabilisation of Congo (MONUSCO) should be reinforced so that the UN mission can help DR Congo to recover its territorial integrity. Mbusa said that he had discussed with Hollande about the general situation in DR Congo."We discussed about the war in eastern Congo, the legitimacy after the November 2011 presidential elections, corruption, the massive violations of human rights as well as the situation of the Congolese nationals who have been imprisoned for over five years without being charged in court," he said. During the meeting with the French president, Mbusa was accompanied by Vital Kamerhe who is the national chairman of the Union for the Congolese Nation (UNC), Martin Fayulu who is the chairman of the Engagement for Citizenship and Development (ECIDE), Samy Badibanga, a UDPS parliamentarian and Pierre Anatole Matusila who leads the Alliance for Kongo Builders (ABAKO). Etienne Tshisekedi, the chairman of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), the oldest Congolese opposition political party, also met with the French president on Saturday.Having been the main challenger of President Joseph Kabila during the 2011 presidential elections, Tshisekedi continued to lament over the rigging of those elections and considered himself as DR Congo's president-elect."Legitimacy in Congo should only come from the Congolese people, " the French president declared. (Xinhua)