Rwanda cannot just ignore the love affair between DRC and FDLR rebels leading to facilitated bombing into the Rwandan territory.
President Paul Kagame warned the DRC government on Monday that such a relationship and the resultant joint actions with the FDLR was unacceptable.
“It’s on record and with facts, DRC is supporting FDLR, and unfortunately with the knowledge of MONUSCO-the UN Force on the ground, and that is how it happened that they were shelling our territory,” President Kagame said while speaking to citizens via the national broadcaster.
He said that this shelling from DRC territory into Rwanda killed people and damaged property several times.
“It is not acceptable that FDLR would be supported to cross into Rwanda or shell our territory and kill citizens. We have not done that to Congo,” the President said.
Commenting on the deteriorating relationship with the DRC neighbour, he said it was not his responsibility to address the internal problems of Congo.
However, Kinshasa government accuses Rwanda of backing the M23 rebels, who have been involved in a series of clashes with the army since the end of May and seizing large territories including major border towns and the country’s second largest military barracks.
Kagame insisted there is evidence that the Congolese army together with FDLR and Monusco as one force are fighting against the M23 rebels.
“Recently, these FDLR (elements) are fighting alongside DRC Forces, FARDC, against M23. And then to make it worse, the UN got into the mix…,” Kagame said, adding that the FDLR should have been fought and eliminated from that situation and repatriating them to Rwanda.
According to President Kagame, the Congolese until recently have been behaving like spoiled children. They cause trouble and in the end cry foul and shout that somebody is doing something wrong to them.
Unfortunately the world in some respects have responded by being on the side of DRC even when they are the ones in the wrong.
In the past it was a very big issue and we tried to explain it but we were not heard. But this time they made a big mistake which everybody was able to see, “Creating a war that had no good grounds.”
“There is a need to address this problem of kinyarwanda speaking congolese including the so called M23. That is the problem of DRC to solve, not mine,” President Kagame said.
In response to President Tshisekedi who repeatedly accuses Rwanda of medling into DRC’s affairs, President Kagame outrightly rejected the accusations.
“I cannot understand why President Felix Tshisekedi can say such things in a statement to the press. He should very well know the facts as they are because we have discussed these matters for a long time since he came to power and well before the ongoing crisis,” Kagame said.
For President Kagame, “I wish for the best for both of us, DR Congo and Rwanda. But if the best doesn’t come, it should always find me prepared for the worst.”
