DR Congo: " You've finished playing hangman, you've cast the fateful dice"

The Security Council  has announced

SECURITY COUNCIL PRESS STATEMENT ON DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, GREAT LAKES REGION

                                                            FDLR criminals

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Mark Lyall Grant ( United Kingdom):

On 7 August, the members of the Security Council heard briefings by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), Martin Kobler, the outgoing Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region, Mary Robinson, and the Minister for Defence of Angola, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, in his capacity as representative of the Chair of the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR). The members of the Security Council welcomed the nomination of Said Djinnit as Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region.

So the only thing worth noting from that is that Said Djinnit is / is to be / might be / the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General. Somewhat at odds with his bio. in Wikipedia.

" Said Djinnit (Arabic: سعيد جينيت‎) (born June 7, 1954) is an Algerian diplomat who has been Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for the Great Lakes region in Africa since 2014. Previously he served as the Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA)."

On the whole I think Wikipedia is more likely to be correct than Mark Lyall Grant, who either clearly can't read or has the ability to alter the decisions of the UN Secretary General from this blog July 20.  

" To continue building on her work, the UN Secretary General recently announced the appointment of Said Djinnit, former Special Representative of the Secretary General for West Africa, to succeed Robinson. Ambassador Djinnit's appointment is a reassuring and welcomed sign of the UN's sustained commitment to the Great Lakes."

This blog has long argued for Security Council reform, this whilst minor is yet another example of an organisation that is out of all touch with reality. 


The members of the Security Council welcomed the progress against armed groups, including the military defeat of the 23 March Movement (M23), the signing of the Nairobi Declarations by the Democratic Republic of the Congo Government and M23, and the significant weakening of the Allied Democratic Forces—National Army for the Liberation of Uganda (ADF-NALU), but regretted that no significant progress was made towards the neutralization of the Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda (FDLR). They noted the initial efforts made by the Democratic Republic of the Congo Government and the Governments of the region towards fulfilling the commitments made under the Peace Security and Cooperation Framework, including the development of national and regional benchmarks. The members of the Security Council welcomed the efforts of regional organizations, in particular the role of the ICGLR, including that of President José Eduardo dos Santos as Chair, as subsequently demonstrated by the holding of two Heads of State and Government Mini-Summits in Luanda ( Angola) on 25 March and on 14 August.

For fucks sake M23 were defeated last year. The Nairobi Declarations signed by the Congolese Government were not the same declarations that were signed by M23 and for some reason Mark Lyall Grant seems unaware that there was in fact a third declaration signed in Nairobi. All had different text and all are totally meaningless.


" So we have three documents; according to the United Nations, Banda and Museveni signed one set, we appear to have photographic evidence to back this up.

Then we have Bertrand Bisimwa signing something that that says M23 is finished as a military force, something I would have thought was fairly self evident. At the same time the government of the DR Congo is signing a third set of papers that seem to bear no relationship with the previous two sets of documents and making matters even worse this is all just speculation on my part as I have not been able to track down the text of any of the documents."

As for the weakening of the Ugandan rebels ADF that is progress. Bloody slow progress but progress. The FDLR, my gut feeling is that they will not comply with the six month time frame to disarm. If MONUSCO and its component part the Intervention ( Africa ) Brigade want to maintain credibility they should be preparing a devastating response to be visited on the FDLR the day they go over the deadline. Genocidal killers deserve no respect. In the interests of avoiding unnecessary deaths, the FDLR have had ample time to demobilise.

The members of the Security Council reaffirmed their support for the swift neutralization of FDLR, as a top priority in bringing stability to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Great Lakes region. They recalled that leaders and members of FDLR were among the perpetrators of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, during which Hutu and others who opposed the genocide were also killed, and recalled that FDLR is a group under United Nations sanctions, operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and which has continued to promote and commit ethnically based and other killings in Rwanda and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They expressed deep concern regarding the sustained domestic and regional threat posed by FDLR, including recent reports of continued human rights abuses by members of FDLR and continued recruiting and training of combatants, including children, and stressed the importance of disarming and ending the threat caused by this illegal armed group.

As I said above if the FDLR think they can play games with the world it is time they reflected upon the fallacy of that position and if they do so from the perspective of watching the grass grow above them so be it.

The members of the Security Council took note of ongoing ICGLR and Southern African Development Community (SADC) diplomatic efforts to harmonize views and approaches on the neutralisation and unconditional disarmament of FDLR. They further took note of the six-month timeframe for the voluntary surrender of FDLR from 2 July and the review of progress after three months, as set out by the joint ICGLR-SADC meeting of Ministers of Defence on 2 July. They expressed concern about reports by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Democratic Republic of the Congo that FDLR has interpreted this six-month timeframe as a call to stall previously scheduled demobilizations. They noted that the disarmament process should be concluded swiftly, have a clearly defined end state and be supported by credible military action. Meanwhile, they encouraged the Democratic Republic of the Congo Government, in coordination with the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), to actively pursue military action against those leaders and members of FDLR who do not engage in the demobilization process or who continue to carry out human rights abuses. They underlined MONUSCO’s mandate to neutralize all armed groups, in line with resolutions 2098 (2013) and 2147 (2014), and further underlined their support for an effective disarmament, demobilization, repatriation, reintegration and resettlement programme, paying a particular attention to women and children, as part of the demobilization process.

That is a Security Council authorisation for MONUSCO to neutralise kill the bastards. They deserve it.

The members of the Security Council took note of the technical missions carried out by the Democratic Republic of the Congo Government-led delegations to Uganda and Rwanda in April and July, respectively, to assess and process amnesty requests for former M23 combatants, in preparation for the repatriation of those eligible for reintegration, and underlined the need to fast-track and conclude their return to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in accordance with an agreed timetable. In this regard, they encouraged the parties to speed up the implementation of the Kampala Dialogue/Nairobi Declarations in order to ensure the permanent demobilization of M23.

What fucking dreamland are the Security Council living in ? Security Council President Mark Lyall Grant is a bloody fool. M23 have not gone away and will not go away " ...the permanent demobilization of M23." As I said we need Security Council reform. Mark Lyall Grant is an idiot.
The members of the Security Council called for the full and swift implementation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s national commitments under the Peace and Security Council Framework, including the restoration of State authority and the wider governance, economic and security sector reforms needed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to consolidate the progress made so far. They noted in this context the particular importance of security sector reform, including the establishment of a rapid reaction force. They stressed that the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo bears primary responsibility for security, protection of civilians, national reconciliation, peacebuilding and development in the country.

Nothing unreasonable there, other than how ? Easy let's repatriate to the DR Congo all the receipts of all the wealth stolen from them... yup billions upon billions of dollars. America you are fucked and the UK with you your economies just failed due to debt failure.

Or we could do what we are doing now and a lot more... not just leave the DR Congo to spend another century in hell.

The members of the Security Council commended the work of Special Representative of the Secretary-General Kobler and outgoing Special Envoy of the Secretary-General Robinson, and underlined the continuing crucial role of MONUSCO in protecting civilians and promoting peace and stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They stressed the importance of the troop-contributing countries’ role in the implementation of the Mission’s full mandate, including the neutralization of all armed groups through its Intervention Brigade, in support of the authorities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, either unilaterally or jointly with the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC), and in cooperation with the whole of MONUSCO. They further emphasized the importance for MONUSCO to support and work with the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to arrest and bring to justice those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity. They also stressed the need to continue to increase the effectiveness of the Mission, and looked forward to the outcome of the forthcoming Strategic Review of MONUSCO and the wider United Nations presence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Gobbledygook at its best.

The members of the Security Council encouraged the United Nations, the African Union, ICGLR, SADC and other relevant international and regional organizations to continue to work together to support the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Governments of the region towards the full implementation of the national and regional commitments under the Peace and Security Council Framework.

New Zealand is running for a seat on the Security Council and I think we might get it. I hope we don't. The last thing the world needs right now is us.

DR Congo: " Venomous verbs of ruthless candour plagiarise assassins fervour "

Congo DRC News alleges I have translated this from French using Google Translate and then attempted to clean up the result ( against what most people would call good
judgement ). Congo DRC News is an M23 Facebook page. 

All translation mistakes are mine. 

Official Statement of Management of the Movement of March 23. 

We are totally distressed, dismayed, frustrated after new reports of 

summary execution of prisoners of war by the department military Intelligence 

DRC in Kinshasa. 

These are serious allegations. The problem is that they are being made by Bertrand Bisiimwa who is the head of what remains of M23. To call the management of M23 pathological lairs would be being generous.

The executions occurred between the months of July and August 2014. Those executed were soldiers from the National Congress for the Defense of the People, Acronym CNDP, which were integrated into the Government Army to seal the Peace Agreement signed March 23, 2009 between the CNDP and the DRC Government. They were part of the hundred military personnel who were arrested in Goma, Masisi and Beni between May 2012 and August 2013 for the suspicion of belonging to the Movement of March 23. 

The CNDP was the predecessor organisation to M23. The M23 acronym comes from the failure of the integration of the CNDP in the Congolese army ( FARDC ). I don't think it would be unreasonable for the Government of the DR Congo to hold suspicions about former CNDP rebels having connections with M23. Acting on those suspicions without proof and one must assume without judicial process would fall into the category of war crimes. The question remains did it actually happen ?

There are soldiers whose situation remains unknown. They were sent to Kinshasa and kept in different jails with no accessible services under the jurisdiction of FARDC Military Intelligence and subjected to atrocious torture and constant degrading treatment seriously damaging their health.

None of those fitting this category appear to be named. The dead can wait if there are soldiers fitting this designation they should be named, that they haven't been makes me very suspicious. 

Ten of them were summarily executed between the months of 

July and August 2014, They are: 

1 Basanganira Donatien 

2 Mahoro Faustin 

3 Nzirasanaho Emmanuel 

4 Hakizimana Richard 

5 BISENGIMANA Martin 

6 Kivamussa Simpenzwe, 

7 Hakizimana Fidel 

8 Bonane, 

9 Aliete Ndibindela, 

10 Molisho Safari. 

Under international criminal law, the execution of prisoners War is described as
war crime. Nations committing war crimes are liable to appropriate jurisdictions. 

I have had to clean up this a lot to make any sense of it. I assume the point Bisiimwa is trying to make is that the DR Congo government may be accountable to the Hague for these executions if they happened, or they happened without due process. 

Therefore, we are strongly concerned about the fate of other Prisoners of war on the list submitted to the Government for release. Their fate remains unanswered, eight months after signing. ( Nairobi agreement )

As for the " signing "

" So we have three documents; according to the United Nations, Banda and Museveni signed one set, we appear to have photographic evidence to back this up. Then we have Bertrand Bisimwa signing something that that says M23 is finished as a military force, something I would have thought was fairly self evident.  At the same time the government of the DR Congo is signing a third set of papers that seem to bear no relationship with the previous two sets of documents and making matters even worse this is all just speculation on my part as I have not been able to track down the text of any of the documents."

We have as far as I can see no mutually agreed document signed by M23 and Kinshasa. Those who are alleged to have been executed do not fall into the prisoners of war category they according to this article are former CNDP members who had joined the Congolese Army. The failure of Bisiimwa to distinguish again adds huge credibility questions to this report.

Statements of Nairobi. 

It is the same with respect to members Movement of 23 March who returned to the country in response to the many  messages initiated by DR Congo. Despite the Government  commitment to the amnesty. those who returned have been arrested in their homes by the security services and placed in detention without any judicial process. 

As far as I am aware the Congolese Government hasn't encouraged any of the M23 rebels to return. Bisiimwa's credibility as usual is stretched beyond breaking point. The Nairobi agreement is meaningless. M23 have in effect accepted an unconditional surrender and unconditional means just that.

In the city of Goma, we were able to identify 19 cases including 14 at the Central Prison Munzenze: NDAMWENGE BYENDA Daniel KAMBALE MBUSA Felix KAKULE TASI Mark Rwamanywa HABIPFURA, BIAITU FESTO, SEMPEZWE on, SENGIYUMVA Samuel BAHATI Bahari Roger Kalimunda Gerard Kazimoto Desire hamuli RWAMAKUBA Kaigo, Bonane BINEY, BAKUNZI Steve KAYEMBE Ally; 5 to Dungeon the National Agency for Information, ANR acronym Kabasha Olivier Bwira Eugene, Murhula Patrick jeanjacques PRINCE Andrew and SIBOMANA. 

I think we in New Zealand can assume our future head of state is not in gaol in Goma.

We recall that about 100 prisoners of war from CNDP, beneficiaries of the Amnesty agreement of 2009 that the DRC government had asserted to have released and transported in planes to the East are so far still missing. The subject was discussed at the talks in Kampala without agreement. Kinshasa has been criticized for not having delivered the prisoners to the Leadership of the CNDP as stipulated in the agreement.

Five years is a long time.

We denounce and condemn these acts of murder. We just to request from the 

ICGLR and SADC international inquiry to get to some light on this issue 

with similar facts have always legitimized specifications movements 

insurgency. 

Allegations without evidence sums this up. M23 need to provide some hard evidence. I think it reasonable that should the DR Congo government face ICC action over these allegations of war crimes then the M23 should also be held to account for the many Crimes Against Humanity that they are accused of.

Made in Kampala, August 17, 2014 

The President of the Movement of March 23.

DR Congo: " Forever kissing frogs that think they're princes "

All Africa reports

Africa: Sustained Engagement a 'Paradigm Shift' Boosting Peace Prospects for Great Lakes and Congo

                                                                        Russ Feingold visits the DRC

Washington, DC — I walked into the State Department just over a year ago to take on my new role of U.S. Special Envoy for the African Great Lakes Region and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Part of my eagerness in accepting the job came from the recognition that we were entering a period of unprecedented international commitment to and partnership with Africa, including the Great Lakes Region.

Lets remember that Feingold does seem to view the Great Lakes Region with rose coloured spectacles. 

" Russell Feingold, US special envoy to the Great Lakes Region of Africa, said the deal needed to raise the issue of amnesty and reintegration of rebels ( M23 ) into the army to ensure its durability."

Now you could argue that with regard to amnesty and M23's reintegration into the Congolese Army ( FARDC ) that America if not the international community with demands such as that was very much advocating for a continuation of the statuesque. It was a bloody stupid statement and given how things played out, a statement I suspect he regrets making. American exploitation of Congolese resources through the offices of Rwandan President Paul Kagame is not partnership.

Having worked on Africa for over 18 years in the U.S. Senate, on too many occasions I watched the international community swoop into parts of Africa in times of dire crisis, only to swoop back out after the first sign of progress or failure. Today, I believe we are witnessing a paradigm shift in how the international community, and the United States in particular, engages with Africa.

Really. A paradigm shift ? The Intervention ( Africa ) Brigade was an initiative of The International Conference for the Great Lakes Region ( ICGLR ) and specifically ironically proposed by Rwanda and Uganda both nations were some what horrified to discover that there was no room for their troops in the brigade. The Intervention Brigade has been one of the game changers for the region and the US and the International Community had bugger all to do with it.

" It takes a lot for a Kiwi to feel sorry for France but I must say I am starting to think they are getting an unjustifiably hard time. Let us remember the Intervention Brigade concept grew out of a meeting of the ICGLR ( International Conference Great Lakes Region ) and was put forward by Rwanda and Uganda under the Africa Brigade monicker. The ICGLR loved the idea and then decided that the Brigade would be more effective as part of MONUSCO much to Rwanda's horror, how fucking ironic is that. Rwanda was given enough rope and promptly hung themselves. "

The increased commitment of the United States and the international community is already bearing fruit in the Great Lakes. When I was appointed, Secretary Kerry's marching orders were to do everything I could to help the region end the armed rebellion by the M23 rebel group. The tide had begun to turn against the M23 in early to mid-2013, after the international community and the region increased the military and diplomatic pressure on all parties. A key element of that push was the establishment of the UN's intervention brigade within the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC and the negotiation of the Peace, Security, and Cooperation Framework, signed by 13 African countries.

Historical revisionism ? The US and the International Community ( excluding African Nations ) had very little to do with the " ..tide turning..." As I point out above Feingold was initially so out of touch with reality he suggested M23 should be reintegrated into FARDC.

These steps helped pave the way for a resolution to the rebellion. In addition to military pressure, the end to the rebellion was achieved via the Kampala Dialogue, facilitated by Uganda, with the active participation of a team of international envoys that included the outgoing UN Special Envoy for the Great Lakes, Mary Robinson, and me. In December, the Nairobi Declarations were finally signed by the DRC and the M23, representing the political resolution to a long-running rebellion.

And so we descend into farce. The Kampala talks were a joke, in the end the DRC Government and M23 signed different documents and it occurred in Nairobi ( these were Kampala talks ) after the military defeat of M23. Lets not pretend that the Rwandan backed M23 reached a political agreement with the DR Congo Government.

" I am of the opinion that Kinshasa are just going through the motions at the Kampala peace talks and so it would now seem are M23. The real issue is that there is nothing for either side to talk about. This much vaunted political solution has failed yet again, neither side is participating in good faith that leaves a military solution on the table. " 

At that point, we could have declared victory and gone home. Instead, we increased our efforts to help the region fully implement the Nairobi Declarations and the Framework, with the vital goal of achieving sustainable peace and prosperity in the region.

Who could have declared victory ? The US, the International Community ? Lets not bloody well lie to ourselves, we had very little to do with it. The progress that has been made has been made by African Nations not by the West or the US. Is this another colonialism ? Yes. Have we gone home ? I suspect we have.

One of the Framework's core objectives is to eradicate all armed groups. The international community and the region, including the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, currently under the effective chairmanship of Angola, are now demonstrating unprecedented commitment to once and for all neutralize the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a rebel group whose members include individuals responsible for the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

" ...all armed groups " That is how we will be judged.

The FDLR has been active in eastern DRC for years, destroying communities, committing heinous abuses, including sexual violence and the illegal recruitment and use of child soldiers, and causing mass-displacement – without any accountability.

It would seem that like M23 the FDLR will not face any accountability. That is a political reality I hate but the alternatives are worse.

" When it come to crimes against humanity I am very much in the " never forgive , never forget " school. However much this goes against the grain it is probably the only workable solution and the alternatives are far worse."

Again, we are seeing progress, although with much work still to be done. Earlier this year, the FDLR committed to voluntarily demobilize, in part to avoid military action by the DRC military and the UN. Regional governments have since announced a six-month timeline for the FDLR to fully demobilize. This process must be credible and irreversible, and the timeline cannot be an excuse for six more months of predatory behavior or false promises to demobilize by the FDLR.

I think the FDLR will demobilise. It boils down to death or surrender. Let's not forget though, that we in the West had fuck all to do with it.

It's up to all of us in the international community to remain engaged and to help the region ensure that the Nairobi Declarations are implemented and the M23 is permanently demobilized, and that the FDLR is finally and fully neutralized and its leadership held accountable.

Just how are you going to hold the FDLR accountable ? The M23 leadership has not been held to account. They are in Rwanda and Uganda. Feingold would do better to stop talking shit designed for Western consumption. The best we can do at the moment is to stop the killing and yes that is far more important than locking up the genociders in the Hague. The dead will wait for the living.  

Mary Robinson made an enormous commitment to progress in the Great Lakes. While the world will welcome and greatly benefit from her leadership in her new role as UN Special Envoy on Climate Change, she will be missed in Africa.

A separate blog. No she did not and neither have you. She will achieve nothing in her new role. She will not be missed. She did very little and has moved on to a job in which she will achieve less. I am very disappointed with the former Irish politician. We can handle global warming, you had a job to do and you fucked up, you left before you had done it. Mary Robinson you are a lite weight.

To continue building on her work, the UN Secretary General recently announced the appointment of Said Djinnit, former Special Representative of the Secretary General for West Africa, to succeed Robinson. Ambassador Djinnit's appointment is a reassuring and welcomed sign of the UN's sustained commitment to the Great Lakes.

He couldn't be worse.

When President Obama welcomes African heads of state to Washington on August 6, it will represent more than a one-off meeting. It will affirm deepened and sustained U.S.-Africa economic, democratic and security cooperation. It is this type of expanded commitment and cooperation which has allowed us to support marked progress in addressing the conflict in the Great Lakes region.

Yawn.

Russell D. Feingold became U.S. Special Envoy for the African Great Lakes Region and the Democratic Republic of the Congo on July 18, 2013. Throughout his 18 years in the United States Senate (1993 to 2011), he served on and led the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa.

He is starting to understand the job. I would leave him and hope.

Rwanda: " So you are just another coffin..."

African Arguments blogs


Rwanda ponders own security while FDLR remains a strategic threat 

 By Jonathan Beloff

A militant from the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) squats near a pile of weapons after their surrender in Kateku, a small town in eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), May 30, 2014.

In April 2014, the world began its 20th commemoration of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. The Rwandan government has billed this year’s event as one of Kwibuka (Kinyarwandan for ‘remembrance’). This ought to be a time for Rwandans to reflect on their past while nurturing hope for a better future for their children. However, the commemoration has been marred by continuing fears of terrorist attacks by former genocidaires amidst a skeptical international environment.

The question that needs answering is why the International Community is so skeptical ? The answer is in my opinion that the world is sick to death of the current Rwandan administrations refusal to actually tell the truth. Rwanda despite overwhelming and in my opinion legally admissible evidence provided by a variety of sources, thus meeting the triangulation test, refuse point blank to acknowledge their backing of M23 and consequently the massive harm inflicted by these thugs on the population of the Eastern DR Congo. 

" One of the simple yet key concepts in intelligence gathering is triangulation: try to receive information from at least three independent sources about a given subject or target in order to avoid selection bias, erroneous reporting, disinformation or content manipulation. It is the mark of the intelligence professional that s/he avoids making value judgements or offering assessments until source triangulation has confirmed the accuracy or veracity of reporting from the field or in intelligence streams provided by informants, contract assets, liaison partners and open sources."

Within the walls of Rwandan government buildings, those who once liberated the country – believe that at any time Rwanda may be struck down by forces moving in from across the border in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), bent on establishing a political and social agenda for a ‘Tutsi-free Rwanda’.

Really ? I guess that would mean the New Zealand Jewish community lives in fear of Kyle Chapman and his merry men   band of fucking morons.   They don't. Neither do the inhabitants of Rwandan government buildings. It just suits their purposes to give lip service to such bullshit.

" Chapman was born in Taumarunui, New Zealand. He has said that he wanted to join the National Front from the age of 14, and that he was a skinhead during the 1980s and early 1990s. As a teenager he was a member of several skinhead gangs. He was the founding member of the New Zealand Hammerskins.

In May 2009 Chapman married Claire Clifford, a Mormon, but they separated in October of the same year, reportedly due to his failure to fulfill his promise of abandoning his involvement in white supremacy groups.

He was convicted of fire-bombing a marae.^[He has admitted to hurling Molotov cocktails at various buildings, including Ngāi Tahu Murihiku Marae and a school."

Since Rwanda’s ‘liberation’ by the RPF, the fortunes of the former genocidaires have been in decline, while those of post-genocide Rwanda have greatly increased in the areas of economic development, access to healthcare services and education. These accomplishments have convinced thousands of former genocidaires to return to Rwanda, attracted by this new ear of growth and stability. In recent years, however, one incarnation of the genocidaires, known as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), has coalesced into a potent terrorist force, subjugating Rwandans to grenade attacks at village and city markets, kidnappings and cross border strikes. The Rwandan government, working in collaboration with the Congolese military in 2009 under a joint military operation named ‘Umoja Wetu,’ (‘Our Unity’ in Swahili) attempted to destroy FDLR strongholds – an opportunity that was only partially successful.

"...potent terrorist force, subjugating Rwandans to grenade attacks at village and city markets,..." Lets look at that. The last such incident I am aware of was committed by a kid for $20 US. It happened last November.

 “The rebel commanders assured that if we continue throwing the grenades in Kigali, just like others had done, we will be rewarded heavily once the rebels take power.. They actually assured us that the Kigali government will be overthrown this year” Ntakirutimana narrated to the media.

Ntakirutimana also pleaded guilty of the Nyabogogo grenade attacks and said he was not forced to do it but was paid 20 US dollars to do the job. “That money is a lot if you are a rebel in Congo” he noted."

A potent terrorist force ? A stupid kid bribed would seem more like the truth.

Parts of the international community, specifically the United Nations, have recently recognised the genocidal tendencies of the FLDR and have assumed greater responsibility for flushing out the terrorist group. The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) peacekeeping mission works with the DRC, admittedly belatedly, on this objective. But there remains some residue of uncertainty about the precise threat the FDLR poses. This is in large part due to the influence of some regional observers and researchers, such as Jason Stearns who recently dismissed the military threat that the organization poses to Rwanda. He and others view the FDLR as merely a fragmented group of no more than 1500-2500 fighters scattered across eastern DRC, and which therefore poses more of a threat to the Congolese than the Rwandans across the border.

Yes " Parts of the international community, specifically the United Nations,.."

" Callixte Mbarushimana is a Hutu Rwandan and former United Nations employee (1992-2001) who is alleged to have participated in the Rwandan Genocide of 1994. On 28 September 2010, Mbarushimana was indicted by theInternational Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2009. He was arrested in France in October 2010 and extradited to the ICC on 25 January 2011. However, he was released on 23 December 2011 as the ICC found there was insufficient evidence for prosecuting him."

Whoops. And

" This is in large part due to the influence of some regional observers and researchers, such as Jason Stearns who recently dismissed the military threat that the organization poses to Rwanda. He and others view the FDLR as merely a fragmented group of no more than 1500-2500 fighters scattered across eastern DRC, and which therefore poses more of a threat to the Congolese than the Rwandans across the border."

Jason Stearns runs the Congo Siasa blog and has been ( much to my annoyance ) quite for the last couple of months. I absolutely concur with Stearns view on the FDLR.

Many within the Rwandan government believe the FDLR to number an estimated 4000 fighters and remain a significant terrorist threat that can create widespread public panic through violent acts. No matter the troop numbers, the FLDR has proved its ability to do this despite not posing a threat to the overall stability of the country.

Again really ? The Rwandan government believes in very little, it does however believe in bullshit and hoping that those who read it believe it. Just how has the FDLR  "proved its ability to do this " ? The FDLR has proved in my opinion that it has the ability to be wiped out by MONUSCO and the Intervention ( Africa ) Brigade.  

Where the Rwandan government prioritises the country and its people’s security, there are those who would rather undermine the very real threat from the FDLR. The latter perspective gives the FDLR the capacity to secure soft-political power among other forces in East Africa, including Tanzania. Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete has always had an unsteady relationship with his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame. In May 2013, he publicly called on Rwanda to enter into dialogue with the FDLR without any preconditions. In response, Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs Minister Louise Mushikiwabo dismissed President Kikwete’s attempt to be a moderator of the dispute and openly condemned Tanzania for trying to force Rwanda to negotiate without preconditions with the FDLR.

Yes good point... except. Have you Jonathan ever heard of M23. Actually have you ever heard of Bulkanisation ? It comes down to trust and as you pointed out the International Community are deeply skeptical as are almost all Africa watchers.

There are emotional as well as political reasons for Rwanda’s refusal to be drawn into dialogue with the new manifestation of the genocidal forces that maimed a country and its people. At an individual level, Tanzania’s call was a personal insult to the genocide survivors. At a political level, the two countries are locked in an implicit battle for hegemony in the African Great Lakes region; and the apparent call for reconciliation hides the uglier truth that Tanzania is bringing together anti-Rwandan government allies such as the Rwanda National Congress with anti-Kagame exiled political leaders such as Kayumba Nyamwasa and the late Patrick Karegeya to further destabilise the country.

" At an individual level, Tanzania’s call was a personal insult to the genocide survivors." 

What ? At an individual level I know many Tutsi and sorry you are talking shit if you are talking about Tutsi in the DRC.
Tanzania and Rwanda in a hegemonic battle. Rwanda just lost it is called Real Politiks. 

The quandary that Rwanda finds itself in is by no means simple: it is to international eyes, at least, being offered an opportunity to engage with a peace process. Participating instead with military operations against the FDLR and related genocidal forces via the military programme of Umoja Wetu will be negatively received.

What ? Are you thinking. Rwanda will not participate in any operation against the FDLR. It is over for Rwanda, thew world is sick to the death of Rwanda. Kagame leads a republic run by fools for fools. The price of this for humanity will be high but hey Clinton and Blair will help you through.

In the FDLR, the Rwandan government recognises a force that will always try to find the right time to reassert itself. As the FDLR unites with other anti-Rwandan groups and continues to gain soft power political support from President Kikwete, it is forming a political weapon that is to be combined with its terrorism, which will be more effective in creating instability in Rwanda. Consequently, Rwanda is right to be vigilant, even as the commemoration of 20 years since the genocide reminds us of the country’s lost generation.

Yeah Paul, Kill everyone and I wouldn't mind that cheque for my intellectual honesty and my toeing of the Rwanda line.

Jonathan Beloff is studying for a PhD at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), London.

He should shift to Rwanda

Rwanda: " We place our faith in human rights "

New Times Rwanda reports

Is HRW merely an embedded undercover political actor?

                                                 Obviously not the same picture as used in the New Times report

The Ministry of Justice has released an assessment of the work Human Rights Watch carries out in Rwanda. The New Times publishes the assessment in full.

1. It has become inevitable that Rwanda critically reassesses the current relationship with Human Rights Watch (HRW) and seek answers to questions such as: who and for what objectives does the organisation serve? What motivations lie behind their publications? Is it a bona fide, independent human rights watcher or an embedded undercover political actor? To whom is HRW accountable and to whom does one complain when the organisation is thought to be involved in acts harmful to one’s interest?

The history of Human Rights Watch is fairly easy to discover. Interestingly if you follow the link you will find this.

" In the past, the Human Rights Watch has played a notable role in documenting events of ethnic cleansing in Rwanda and Bosnia, and of the Kurds in Iraq. In the case of Rwanda, the HRW had been proactive in their warning of ethnic tensions in the region - tensions that ultimately led to the bloody genocide in 1994. While other organizations failed to take action when the killing began, Dr. Alison Des Forges, senior advisor to the HRW’s Africa decision at the time, did everything in her power to save victims, as she had dedicated her life’s work to the region and then to the genocide’s aftermath. Forges’ detailed account of the events were later outlined in her award-winning book Leave None to Tell the Story, she appeared as a top witness in eleven ensuing trials, including that of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, and she provided many documents and other forms of assistance for four other judicial proceedings involving the genocide. Working for the HRW, she used her authority to never let the crimes of the Rwandan government forces go unnoticed or unprosecuted. In this way, she represents the integrity of the Human Rights Watch in their commitment to bringing truth to the people and defending and protecting their rights."

The problem from Rwanda's perspective of course is that human rights are universal, or to put it more succinctly the citizens of the Eastern DR Congo have rights and those rights include not being robbed, raped and murdered  by Rwandan soldiers and proxy Rwandan forces such as M23 operating illegally in Congolese territory. 

2. In 2011, the Ministry signed a memorandum of understanding with HRW that defines the terms of their work in Rwanda. It has been renewed annually. We are now in the third year. The overall aim is to work jointly and consistently to achieve broad protection of human rights in Rwanda.

Yes well if your regime's primary foreign policy goal is to annex huge parts of an other nations territory, namely the DR Congo as well as suppressing any domestic opposition to your regime whilst at the same time signing an agreement with an organisation whose raison d'etre is to expose such crimes well....Kagame isn't really very smart.  

3. In article VI(6), HRW committed itself to “high ethical standards, rigorous methodology and analysis to produce evidence based information.” 

Yup something that Rwanda would not and indeed could not do. The Kagame regime is notable for its total lack of ethics. The irony I see is that word " evidence " something no court in Rwanda ever troubles itself with. That said this is the efforts of the Rwandan Ministry of Justice. Justice is a joke in Rwanda. 

4. Article VIII provides for the building of mutual trust and a good faith practice of dialogue which “…would promote openness and transparency.” The MoU contains many more noble ideals which the Ministry has lived up to.

LMAO. The Rwandan Ministry of Justice sits in judgement over itself and concludes it is a noble institution. I am tempted by the " fox in charge of the chicken run " analogy, but the truth is foxes have a more refined appreciation of justice than any member of the Rwandan government and chickens can occasionally escape. This is more like putting rabbits in charge of the lettuce patch.

5. The ministry has observed a consistent and persistent pattern of actions, activities and publications on the part of HRW that the Ministry finds capable of only one explanation: a deliberate, sustained, and politically motivated propaganda campaign against the Government of Rwanda.

" Deliberate and sustained "... Yup. It is the role of HRW to document abuses of human rights. The government of Rwanda commits so many abuses and HRW has no alternative as should be the case, but to document them.

6. More particularly, HRW seems to have become more overtly the campaign mouthpiece of the FDLR, the armed genocidaires who after committing genocide in Rwanda in 1994, were given safe passage to eastern DR Congo and have been accorded, ever since, a lucrative safe haven and  shelter from justice.

Whoops bit of a fuck up Rwanda.I will remind my readers of the efforts of HRW to bring to justice the genocidaires of the previous regime. From above.

"...Working for the HRW, she used her authority to never let the crimes of the Rwandan government forces go unnoticed or unprosecuted. In this way, she represents the integrity of the Human Rights Watch in their commitment to bringing truth to the people and defending and protecting their rights."

The Kagame regime seem to think they are immune from criticism and should anyone dare to do so they will kill them and boast about it. The implication that HRW granted safe passage to the FDLR genocidaires is laughable. Stalin in a conversation with Pierre Laval said " The Pope! How many divisions has he got? " 

Today they have turned that area into the country’s loot and rape region. It is a known fact that the FDLR, continues to, plan, train and destabilise Rwanda through incessant armed incursions, terrorist attacks and commits a host of other small and big criminal acts on Rwanda soil.

Looting and raping. Yes back to M23 as reported by HRW which is what this is all about: 

"Rwanda is actively supporting the M23 rebels in DR Congo despite the group being responsible for a series of murders, rapes and forced recruitment of children, a report by a respected human rights group has alleged.

Since March, the M23 has established a reign of terror in areas of eastern DR Congo with the assent and cooperation of the Rwandan government in Kigali, according to a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW).

"Not only is Rwanda allowing its territory to be used by the abusive M23 to get recruits and equipment, but the Rwandan military is still directly supporting the M23," said Daniel Bekele, Africa director at HRW.

It is also not in doubt that, given the opportunity, the FDLR would, again and again, attempt to finish their unfinished genocide business.

This blog has never and will never support the FDLR I despise them. The reality is that the FDLR is now a force of about 1400 members who have the operational ability to do little more than get themselves killed, they are also in the process of surrendering to MONUSCO. Stupid is as stupid does. Paul Kagame, the world is not stupid. You are. 

7. Late in 2013, intelligence intercepted information from an FDLR commander in DR congo in which he was instructing a group of operatives to/from Rwanda to immediately inform HRW should they be suspected and/or arrested. This commander supplied a HRW staff e-mail address. This information was recently shared with HRW’s Lewis Mudge.

Love the way that this allegation is backed up with facts that can be attributed to a source. Mr Mudge it would seem has not backed this up. Could it be that Rwanda is yet again lying ?

8. The members of this particular group were subsequently arrested at diifferent times and places both on Rwandan territory and beyond. They included Lt. Joel Mutabazi, a deserter from the Rwanda Defence Forces. 

" The latest development follows the arrest and extradition to Rwanda of Lt Joel Mutabazi – a former personal bodyguard of Rwandese president Paul Kagame – without following the due process. 

Following Mutabazi’s extradition, the United Nation’s High Commission for Refugees lodged a formal complaint to government resulting into the suspension of Joel Aguma – the deputy CIID director in charge of crime intelligence. 
It’s alleged that Aguma coordinated the arrest and extradition of Mutabazi last month. 

Long sought after by the Rwandese government, Mutabazi had been granted asylum in Uganda, although according to Police Spokesperson, Judith Nabakoba, Kigali had handed the Ugandan authorities his warrant of arrest over criminal charges related to a bank robbery. "

So the illegal kidnapping of a former and disillusioned member of Kagame's inside circle who had been granted refugee status by the UN or in other words a gross crime against human rights committed by Rwanda and the fools think that they can publish this and expect the world to take it seriously ?

The group is currently being prosecuted for, inter alia, terrorism and complicity in terrorism. Prosecution says they had evidence that Mutabazi stage-managed an armed attack on his Kampala residence in the night. The case is still before court and we cannot prejudge. Inspite of this, HRW claimed, through mass publication again, that Rwanda government agents had attacked Mutabazi.

Well no. The press did. That happens when " Rwanda government agents had attacked Mutabazi." shit like this happens. He is not in Uganda but is in Rwanda ? A fact . Whoops fucking it up is almost compulsory if you are a Rwandan. 

9. Lt. Mutabazi was handed to the Rwanda National Police (RNP) by the Ugandan Police.  The government has, in compliance with the law, refrained from discussing this case in the media or elsewhere as it is before the courts. 

Yes and if I was running HRW that would worry me. 

HRW has, however, in the guise of human rights work, unilaterally mounted a relentless campaign against the RNP and attacking the independence of Rwanda’s judiciary by making unevidenced “findings” that Lt. Mutabazi was abducted from Uganda, that he was tortured and forced to confess to crimes, usurping the courts’ role in the process and putting the courts’ capacity to issue restraining orders to stress tests.

"..relentless campaign against the RNP "  The current regime. The crazy thing is none of this is denied as yet. The killers in Kigali really think they can pull it off.

Flouting and operating above the laws protecting the independence of the judiciary and providing for contempt of court has been a HRW trademark. 

We hoped that open and transparent engagement would yield a minimum of respect for the law. Careful evaluation of HRW’s conduct in its whole existence in Rwanda, however, shows us clearly the strategy has not worked.

Actually just give me one judgement, just one that is the result of an independent judiciary ... you can't. No such judgement exists.

 I can't be bothered. Rwanda's lairs will discover justice. I hope I have helped.