Rwanda remains "deeply concerned about the ongoing collaboration and arming of FDLR and indigenous armed groups by the government in Kinshasa”, Rwanda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Claver Gatete, has said.

The FDLR is a UN sanctioned genocidal force formed by the masterminds of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

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Gatete said this in a statement at Security Council Briefing on MONUSCO Secretary General’s report on September 28, 2023, in New York.

He said that in the wake of the Luanda and Nairobi mechanisms, which were reinforced by numerous communiqués from various Heads of State Summits, the concurrent withdrawal of M23 and the deployment of the East Africa Regional Force (EACRF) ignited optimism for finally putting an end to the devastating conflict that has caused immense suffering to the people of the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

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The Rwandan envoy noted that the swift deployment of the EACRF and the relatively quick establishment of a ceasefire underscore the political determination to address the regional crisis.

He said that a ceasefire is only one step in the conflict resolution process, contingent upon the willingness of all warring parties to pursue a peaceful solution.

Regrettably, he noted, the withdrawal of M23 and the ceasefire have been followed by sporadic clashes involving the Congolese coalition of Wazalendo, mercenaries, and FDLR militia, against M23.

Rwanda remains deeply concerned about this situation, particularly given the ongoing collaboration and arming of FDLR and indigenous armed groups by the government in Kinshasa,” he noted.

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He warned that the disruptive behaviour of these negative forces, in alliance with the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC), "threatens to reignite hostilities and undermine any positive regional initiatives.”

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"Therefore, this council should urge the DRC government to fulfill its responsibility to disassociate from the FDLR and ensure their immediate repatriation, as stipulated in the Luanda and Nairobi mechanisms.”

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He reiterated that the proliferation of hate speech targeting Rwandophones, along with the killings and confiscation of property belonging to Kinyarwanda-speaking communities, "poses a grave threat not only to Rwanda but also to the Great Lakes Region.”

Ambassador Gatete added that the dissemination of disinformation, misinformation, and hate speech directed at MONUSCO and the EACRF, coupled with the DRC government's reluctance to extend the EACRF mission during this critical period, unmistakably signals an intention to resume hostilities.

"Rwanda implores this Council to hold the DRC accountable for the resumption of hostilities. It’s imperative that the DRC seizes the opportunity provided by the ceasefire and the withdrawal of M23 and address the root causes and drivers of the conflict rather than resorting to scapegoating Rwanda while tangible internal failures persist.”

Rwanda, he noted, gains no benefit from an insecure DRC and wishes to reaffirm its steadfast support for regional mechanisms adding those who seek to exploit the conflict for personal political gains are pursuing a misguided course of action.

"In addition, actions by certain external powers to please the DRC government in pursuit of their economic interests at the expense of Rwanda are unhelpful and risk aggravating the situation in DRC. This is the paramount issue that demands the Council's attention,” he said.

According to Gatete, Rwanda remains deeply concerned about the dire humanitarian plight of DRC refugees, most of whom have been sheltered in Rwanda for over 20 years and internally displaced persons.

"We appeal to this Council to direct its collective efforts towards creating conducive conditions for their safe repatriation and return,” he appealed.