DRC: Manhunt against innocent civilian populations of North Kivu

By Callixte Mbarushimana
Paris
January 30, 2009

The Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR) inform the public and the International Community that the coalition of Rwandan and Congolese armies began to pursue the Rwandan refugee population in the DRC and the Congolese populations of North Kivu pushing them to flee and hide in forests.

Information reaching us indicates a plan to exterminate the populations of the Kivu region by the armed coalition and to put the responsibility on the FDLR shoulders.

The FDLR urge the African Union, the European Union and the International Community at large to take all necessary urgent measures to ensure the protection of populations threatened with extinction and prevent the repetition of the humanitarian disaster of 1996/1997 which took place in the forests of the DRC in their eyes.

Moreover, the FDLR strongly condemn acts of rape which are being committed by the armies of the RPA- FARDC coalition on innocent civilians. Thus, on 26 January 2009 at night, three soldiers of the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA) and the DRC Armed Forces (FARDC) have raped several women and girls including one called Cecilia, daughter of Butwire Didace, who sells beverages in the district of Chemchem, town of Nyamilima , Binja group in the territory of Rutshuru in North Kivu . The innocent victim is being treated at the hospital of Nyamilima.

These barbaric acts against innocent civilians must clearly and strongly be condemned and punished. The FDLR urge once again the Rwandan and Congolese authorities to immediately stop their military offensive and focus on the way of dialogue rather than to plunge their countries into a crazy, unnecessary and deadly war.

Finally, the FDLR warn the MONUC against risks to which could lead the United Nations support for a crazy and dangerous plan because by supporting such a plan, officials of the MONUC create a historical precedent to use UN forces as a back-up troop to oppressive forces. This support would be interpreted as a blank check given by the UN to a plan to exterminate the peoples of the African Great Lakes region by armed predators of their peoples and their wealth.

Therefore, officials of the MONUC must be prepared to fully assume all the consequences of such acts before History.

The FDLR remain committed to peace and reiterate their commitments made in Rome on 31 March 2005.

Callixte Mbarushimana is Executive Secretary of the FDLR

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Rwandan refugees in Congo on the brink of extermination