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DRC: Kinshasa’s responsibility in FDLR atrocities revealed in court
FDLR elements.
In his
July 24 hearing in a Kinshasa military court, Nkuba Shebandu Eric, alias
Malembe, the former strategic advisor of the leader of Congo River Alliance
(AFC), Corneille Nangaa, reiterated that Kinshasa works with a Rwandan
genocidal militia, FDLR.
The
FDLR is a terrorist group formed by remnants of the perpetrators of the 1994
genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda who fled to the east of the Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC), then Zaire, after their genocidal regime had been
overthrown.
Nkuba
was captured by Tanzanian intelligence services on January 3, at the airport in
Dar es Salaam while heading to a meeting. He was then transferred to Kinshasa.
Among others, the defendant is accused of “war crimes, participation in an
insurrectional movement and treason.”
The
trial involves 25 defendants, mostly top leaders of AFC and M23 rebel group.
Five who were captured were physically present in the courtroom while others
were prosecuted in absentia.
Nkuba
told the military court that during his extended stay in Rutshuru, North Kivu
province, he saw Congolese national army, FARDC, collaborating with the FDLR in
the battle against M23 rebels.
"FDLR
is heavily featured in FARDC. If you (the Congolese authorities) hadn't taken
away my computer, I would have shown you images, videos, and even documents of
the FDLR working with FARDC to fight the M23 rebels," Nkuba said in court.
He
said that FDLR had been in Rutshuru since 1994. It was the FDLR which had a
final say on everything done not only in Rutshuru territory but also nearly the
whole eastern DRC. Even tourists had to first pay FDLR once they got to the
area.
The
FDLR ruled in Rutshuru before the arrival of M23 rebels. Even the FARDC could
not set foot there.
On
numerous occasions, Kinshasa has been denying the presence of FDLR in the
country while collaborating with the genocidal militia integrated in the
national army. Some FDLR combatants are in the Congolese Republican Guard.
In its
July 26 list of sanctioned individuals, the European Union (EU) sanctioned the
deputy Commander Pierre Celestin Rurakabije and Commander Gustave Kubwayo of
FDLR.
The EU
revealed how FDLR sustains the armed conflict, instability and insecurity in
DRC, in particular through inciting violence. In addition, the FDLR is responsible
for serious human rights abuses, including killings, sexual violence and
attacks on civilians, as well as child recruitment.
Despite
the violence orchestrated by FDLR, it remained Kinshasa’s ally.
A
Human Rights Watch report published on October 18, 2022, pined Congolese army
commanders on supplying arms and ammunitions to the FDLR. An FDLR fighter told HRW that he witnessed
four transfers of ammunition. “It’s the government [troops] that would always
provide us with ammunition,” he said. “They also gave us uniforms and boots.”
The
latest UN Group of Experts on DRC report confirms that FDLR remains an
important actor in the ever-escalating conflict in eastern DRC. The FDLR poses
security threats not only in eastern DRC but also in the African great lakes
region at large.
