French NGO, Médecins Sans Frontières, On May 9, issued a press release reporting an increase in numbers of women and children being subjected to sexual violence in IDP camps around Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

 

This prompted Samantha Power, Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to release a statement on May 26, saying she is appalled by the situation.

 

In her statement Power used the unfortunate victims of sexual violence to put all the blame on the M23 rebels, and somehow, the Rwandan government. A part of the statement read: “The conflict with M23 in North Kivu has worsened an already dire situation in eastern DRC…. It is imperative that the Government of Rwanda cease its support to M23 and withdraw its troops from the DRC.”

 

Power’s statement insinuates that the sexual violence occurred in M23-controlled territory, and were perpetrated by the rebels, while advancing the baseless accusations of Rwanda’s support to the rebellion.

 

Rwanda has firmly denied these allegations, and urged the DRC and the international community to stop the blame games regarding these challenges, and instead address underlying causes of the dire situation that is leading to the sexual violence, exploitation and death of civilians.

 

When leaders like Power deliberately create confusion about the nature of the crisis in DRC, they perpetuate the conflict more, and shield the DRC government from taking accountability of the atrocities happening in its own country.

 

The Congolese government is clearly failing to provide clean water and other essential services to displaced citizens, but has also failed to keep them safe from these attacks, something that Power ignored.

 

The Congolese state has suffered from corruption, and bad governance since independence. This has emboldened armed groups whose crimes go unpunished.

 

Babysitting Kinshasa leaders by releasing statements of what they want to hear – blaming all the crisis in DRC on Rwanda - only perpetuates the conflict and does not bring any progress in their country.

 

The DRC has been home to more than 130 foreign and local armed groups, which are responsible for numerous atrocities.

 

Multiple interventions, including the United Nations’ largest peacekeeping mission in the country (MONUSCO), have failed to end decades of violence in the country, but Kinshasa chose to blame everything on the M23 rebels, and Rwanda.

 

Related: What makes DRC a safe haven for terror groups?

 

But for individuals like Power, the atrocities happening in DRC, are just another excuse to advance the senseless anti-Rwanda agenda, an assignment that she understands and accomplishes too well.

 

In November 2021, Devex published an article titled: “Samanta Power says Rwanda lacks environment that allows criticism”, and said that the country has no pluralistic party development. 

 

In January 2023, she took another jab at Rwanda.

 

Following the unfortunate death of a journalist, in a motorcycle accident, Power insisted that the government of Rwanda must allow “an independent, credible investigation” in the case. She was, clearly, questioning Rwanda’s authority in dealing with the case.

 

Related: Open letter to Samantha Power

 

Samantha Power’s rants are not providing any concrete solutions to one of the world’s most dire humanitarian situations.

 

She should remember that Rwanda is more concerned with the safety and security of its own citizens than anyone else. The DRC should too.