Regional
UN report: FDLR controls DR Congo’s Virunga National Park
A
latest report by a United Nations Group of Experts has revealed that
the FDLR, a terrorist group responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the
Tutsi, controls part of DR Congo and currently involved in
mass recruitment across the eastern part of the country.
The report dated
June 14, 2022 and submitted to the UN Security Council, a copy of
which The New Times has seen, indicates that the FDLR also controls all
businesses and operations that happen within the park on
the DR Congo side.
“FDLR remained
active in Virunga National Park, launched a new recruitment drive
and consolidated its cooperation with local armed groups,” reads part of
the report.
The
group, which was formed by remnants of the forces that executed the Genocide
against the Tutsi, has for years been operating in eastern Congo from where
they launch offensives on Rwandan territory, killing civilians.
The park,
which borders Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, is being used as the
terrorist group’s base, where they hold hostages, some of whom released after
paying a ransom.
“It
is impossible for anyone to operate in the Park without at least the
tacit consent of FDLR or some of its members, as
the Park is controlled by that armed group.”
The
experts who compiled the report indicated that they spoke to several
sources who attested that all FDLR attacks occurred within a few
hundred meters from the DR Congo (FARDC) FARDC positions.
Despite
some of its leaders killed and following various military
operations FDLR continued to recruit and provide training to several
local armed groups and according to the report, since 2020, the leadership
and organizational structure of FDLR did not change much.
The
leadership
Sanctioned
individual “Lieutenant-General” Gaston Iyamuremye, alias Rumuli or Victor
Byiringiro was appointed president and political leader, replacing Ignace
Murwanashyaka who died in German prison in 2019.
Pacifique
Ntawunguka, alias Omega has since assumed leadership of the military wing after
the death of Sylvestre Mudacumura, who was killed in combat in
2019 and is assisted by Jean Baptiste Gakwerere, alias Julius Mkobo, Sobo Stany
or Kolomboka.
Other
leaders of the outfit include Curé Ngoma, based in Muchababwe near Bukombo, are
in charge of FDLR political affairs while Apollinaire Hakizimana
alias Amikwe Lepic or Poète, based in FDLR’s base known as Mozambique next
to Kibirizi serves as “Defense commissioner. Aimé Gustave Omega, located in
Birambizo, is mentioned in the report as the head of intelligence.
The UN report also
indicated that the Protogène Ruvugayimikore, alias Ruhinda, and his deputy
known as “Silencieux”, leads an elite unit known as Commando de Recherche et
d’Action en Profondeur (CRAP) while Ruhinda also oversaw the training
of FDLR combatants.
For
long, Rwanda has accused the DRC government for failure to kick out
the FDLR. In fact, reports backed by evidence indicate
that DR Congo army operates alongside FDLR in fighting
other armed groups.
The
same stand was maintained by Rwanda’s Permanent Representative at the UN,
Claver Gatete on Wednesday, June 29 during the UN Security Council
briefing on the situation in the DR Congo.
“FARDC
should avoid the tendency of forging alliances with hostile and sanctioned
armed groups to fight other armed groups. It is counterproductive and
undermines the commitment of the region and the United Nations to stabilise
eastern DRC,” Gatete said.
MONUSCO,
the UN mission in DR Congo has been supporting the
Congolese army (FARDC) in fighting M23 rebels. The alliance between FARDC and
MONUSCO, according to Gatete, puts MONUSCO in a very difficult position, because supporting FARDC while
it fights alongside FDLR is tantamount to supporting a genocidal
armed group.
A
blanc cheque
Reacting
to the UN Group of Experts report, Albert Rudatsimburwa, an
analyst of regional security affairs said that the report is just a
confirmation of what is already known that the FDLR was given a free
pass to operate freely in the DR Congo.
“It
is as though the FDLR was handed a blank cheque. What makes it worse
is, they are not operating deep inside DRC, they are operating just near the
border with Rwanda and the DRC government gave them that piece of the country
to control it,” he said.
Rudatsimburwa,
who is also a veteran journalist, also piled blame on the Congolese government
and MONUSCO for failure to eliminate the FDLR.
“They
all know where the FDLR is and what it is doing. The international
community knows it, MONUSCO knows it and so is the DRC government but they have
not done anything about it. This is proof of lack of willingness to deal with a
genocidal force,” he added.
Meanwhile,
during the UN Security Briefing on DRC, some western countries said
that Rwanda should not accuse MONUSCO of working with the FDLR – a claim
that Rudatsimburwa called misplaced and intended to cover up some interests in
MONUSCO’s wrong doings.
“More
than anyone else, Rwanda knows how important peacekeeping is and that is why
Rwanda can never accuse any peacekeeping mission of wrong doings without
evidence. Those defending MONUSCO know that it would put them in danger if the
accusations persist but Rwanda should not be silent about MONUSCO operating in
a criminal way,” he added.
He
added that claims that lives of MONUSCO peacekeepers would be in danger if
Rwanda persists with the accusation are wrong.
“Rwanda’s
point is, is it true or not? Rwanda knows much more about the value of lives of
blue helmets than those claiming to be speaking for them. And Rwanda doesn’t
take their lives and contribution lightly. If Rwanda is not lying then they
shouldn’t silence them,” said Rudatsimburwa.
Source:
www.newtimes.co.rw