Rwanda is unfairly blamed for the crisis in eastern DR Congo, which is a result of internal governance failures and threats on Rwandan leaders, for which the Congolese government should be held accountable, Village Urugwiro Press Secretary Stephanie Nyombayire said.

"Rwanda’s real crime is taking our destiny into our own hands. How dare we protect our security without asking for permission? How dare we think that a dignified, peaceful country is something we deserve?” Nyombayire wrote in post on X on Sunday, February 2.

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Her remarks come amid escalating tensions between Rwanda and DR Congo, with Rwanda dismissing allegations of backing M23 rebels, who recently seized Goma, the capital of North Kivu province.

Rwanda points to Kinshasa’s collaboration with armed groups, including FDLR, a faction made up of remnants of the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

Not one call for DR Congo’s accountability

Nyombayire questioned why international actors remain silent on Kinshasa’s actions, despite its reliance on foreign mercenaries and armed groups accused of atrocities.

"An army unpaid, hundreds of mercenaries (rebranded as paramilitaries), genocidaires and soldiers from four different countries killing DRC citizens, a President that openly calls for the overthrow of Rwanda’s government, ministers calling for ethnic cleansing, looting of national resources at an unprecedented scale... and somehow not one call for DRC’s accountability,” she stated.

President Félix Tshisekedi has intensified hostile rhetoric toward Rwanda and threatening to cause regime change in the country. His ministers have also been accused of inciting ethnic violence, with calls targeting Congolese Tutsi communities.

"Rwanda is blamed for DRC’s failure of governance, evident on the entirety of the territory of the 2nd largest country on the continent, not because it is true, but because our quest for self-determination is unacceptable,” Nyombayire said.

Rwanda has long insisted that the root cause of the conflict in eastern DR Congo be addressed in order to end the plight of Congolese Tutsi community, and disarm the FDLR.

Rwanda has consistently expressed its willingness to engage in the Luanda peace process as a political solution to the ongoing conflict in eastern DR Congo.

The country advocates for dialogue through this framework, emphasizing a peaceful resolution that respects the sovereignty of all nations involved.

As the crisis deepens, Rwanda maintains that it will not compromise on its security interests, despite mounting external pressure.