Rwanda is arming another RDC rebel group in DRC

By RNA Reporter
August 07, 2009

Barely 24hours after President Kagame told Congolese counterpart Joseph Kabila that his government will never be the source of instability for Congo, a renowned Belgian researcher and greatlakes' specialist claims Rwanda is arming another rebel group, RNA reports.

Prof Filip Reyntjens claims that on a visit two months ago to Uvira in South Kivu Province he “received information” indicating that Rwanda is working with Federal Republican Forces (FRF) which he described as “Congolese Tutsis”.

“Tracked telephone conversations from the FRF showed clearly that they in direct contact with elements in Rwanda”, Prof Reyntjens said Friday Morning on BBC French service.

The FRF was formed several years ago as an anti-Rwanda political movement, mainly backed by the "Banyamulenge", Congolese of Tutsi origin, who bankroll the new rebellion. The FRF has been also trying to integrate the MAYI-MAYI, a pro-Kinshasa tribal militia which is opposed to the foreign occupation of the east of DR Congo.

According to the contested UN report released last November, ING bank statements also confirmed the transfer of $20,000 on Apr. 10, 2006, to a Centenary Rural Development Bank account in Kampala (Uganda) in the name of Gendarme Rwema, whose mission has been to furnish the FRF.

The UN report describes the rebel group as “an anti-Rwanda political movement of Mai Mai backed by Congolese Tutsis]”. The money transferred was for Motorola equipment and currency they needed to operate.

Prof Reyntjens did not elaborate as to how the link between the Rwanda government and the FRF arises, but his allegations will only be shrugged off in Kigali considering that he remains a ‘persona non grata’ in Kigali. He is said to have been a very close friend of former Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana.

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