Rwanda accuses DR Congo of backing Hutu rebels
May 11, 2004
Rwanda accused the Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday of continuing to provide military and political support to Rwandan Hutu rebels in breach of peace accords between the two neighbours.
Rwanda accused the Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday of continuing to provide military and political support to Rwandan Hutu rebels in breach of peace accords between the two neighbours. The remarks by Richard Sezibera, President Paul Kagame's special envoy to Central Africa's Great Lakes region, are likely to further strain ties between Kigali and former foe Kinshasa, already taut over an upsurge in militia violence near their common border.
Sezibera said ethnic Hutu militias instrumental in Rwanda's 1994 genocide had regrouped in eastern Congo.
“These extremist forces have reorganised with support from some people in the Kinshasa government, especially the ruling (group)" Sezibera told Reuters. “If the supply of arms and ammunition were effectively cut off and political support ceased, then these 'genocidaire' forces would merely turn into bandits. They would not cause a military threat to Rwanda."
The Kinshasa government rejected the claims and accused the Rwandan army of carrying out its operations in the resource-rich eastern regions of the former Zaire. "How can we be arming them (militias) when our army is attacking them? The Interahamwe (Hutu militia) are no different to the Rwandan army. They steal, rape and kill and are both unwanted here in Congo," Congolese Communications Minister Vital Kamerhe told Reuters. The Hutu rebels have been fighting the Tutsi-led Rwandan government from bases in eastern Congo since fleeing to the country following the 1994 massacres. They also fought for Kinshasa against occupying Rwandan troops in a many-sided war, which began in 1998, when Rwanda and Uganda invaded for the second time in two years to back rebels. The conflict gradually subsided in 2003 after an estimated three million people were killed, mainly by war-related disease and hunger.
The latest fighting in the impoverished region of hills and lakes follows a spate of thinly veiled threats by Rwanda to send troops back into eastern Congo if the Kinshasa government and the United Nations failed to stop rebels attacking Rwandan territory.
Sezibera's comments came after the first reported raid on Rwandan territory for several years by Hutu rebels on April 8. A U.N. peacekeeping force reported Rwandan troops entered Congo in violation of the U.N.-monitored peace process last month, but Rwanda denied the accusation. Along with most other combatants in the war, Rwanda withdrew its troops in 2002.
But the Kigali government has said it would send them back if it felt threatened by Hutu rebels and has called on the U.N peacekeepers to forcibly disarm them. Congo's army says it has been trying to drive the Hutu rebels off its land. Fighting in the last week of April alone killed at least 77 rebels, soldiers and villagers and displaced thousands of civilians, U.N officials say.
Sezibera accused Congolese President Joseph Kabila of shunning initiatives to promote dialogue with Kigali. “We have reached out to (Congo), we have expressed our interest in collaborating with that government in any way they deem appropriate, but they never respond," he said.
Before the latest fighting, relations between Kagame and Kabila had appeared to be warming. Under a 2003 postwar political settlement, rival Congolese leaders, including Kabila, agreed to create a unity government and form a new national army out of their guerrilla forces and Kabila's troops.
But all sides acknowledge it has been hard to rebuild trust between rival rebel groups with longstanding alliances to neighbouring countries or powerful Congolese warlords.
Reuters
Sezibera said ethnic Hutu militias instrumental in Rwanda's 1994 genocide had regrouped in eastern Congo.
“These extremist forces have reorganised with support from some people in the Kinshasa government, especially the ruling (group)" Sezibera told Reuters. “If the supply of arms and ammunition were effectively cut off and political support ceased, then these 'genocidaire' forces would merely turn into bandits. They would not cause a military threat to Rwanda."
The Kinshasa government rejected the claims and accused the Rwandan army of carrying out its operations in the resource-rich eastern regions of the former Zaire. "How can we be arming them (militias) when our army is attacking them? The Interahamwe (Hutu militia) are no different to the Rwandan army. They steal, rape and kill and are both unwanted here in Congo," Congolese Communications Minister Vital Kamerhe told Reuters. The Hutu rebels have been fighting the Tutsi-led Rwandan government from bases in eastern Congo since fleeing to the country following the 1994 massacres. They also fought for Kinshasa against occupying Rwandan troops in a many-sided war, which began in 1998, when Rwanda and Uganda invaded for the second time in two years to back rebels. The conflict gradually subsided in 2003 after an estimated three million people were killed, mainly by war-related disease and hunger.
The latest fighting in the impoverished region of hills and lakes follows a spate of thinly veiled threats by Rwanda to send troops back into eastern Congo if the Kinshasa government and the United Nations failed to stop rebels attacking Rwandan territory.
Sezibera's comments came after the first reported raid on Rwandan territory for several years by Hutu rebels on April 8. A U.N. peacekeeping force reported Rwandan troops entered Congo in violation of the U.N.-monitored peace process last month, but Rwanda denied the accusation. Along with most other combatants in the war, Rwanda withdrew its troops in 2002.
But the Kigali government has said it would send them back if it felt threatened by Hutu rebels and has called on the U.N peacekeepers to forcibly disarm them. Congo's army says it has been trying to drive the Hutu rebels off its land. Fighting in the last week of April alone killed at least 77 rebels, soldiers and villagers and displaced thousands of civilians, U.N officials say.
Sezibera accused Congolese President Joseph Kabila of shunning initiatives to promote dialogue with Kigali. “We have reached out to (Congo), we have expressed our interest in collaborating with that government in any way they deem appropriate, but they never respond," he said.
Before the latest fighting, relations between Kagame and Kabila had appeared to be warming. Under a 2003 postwar political settlement, rival Congolese leaders, including Kabila, agreed to create a unity government and form a new national army out of their guerrilla forces and Kabila's troops.
But all sides acknowledge it has been hard to rebuild trust between rival rebel groups with longstanding alliances to neighbouring countries or powerful Congolese warlords.
Reuters