Contrary to the disinformation and harmful propaganda of the Kinshasa regime, the meeting held in Goma on June 13, between the UN peacekeeping mission in DR Congo (MONUSCO) and AFC/M23 delegations was constructive, rich and full of hope for peace.
ALSO READ: MONUSCO chief Bintou Keita says visited AFC/M23 territory to ‘listen’
Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC/M23) spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka stressed this Saturday, June 14, a day after rebel leader Corneille Nangaa held talks with Bintou Keita, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and Head of MONUSCO. According a post on X, Keita declared that she came to Goma, the rebel held capital of North Kivu Province, "in a spirit of listening” and exchanging.
Kanyuka posted: "The AFC/M23 welcomes MONUSCO&039;s commitment to support any initiative likely to ease tensions.
"Furthermore, we wish to alert the national and international community to the tragic fate of our Banyamulenge compatriots, victims of a hidden genocide and unspeakable acts of barbarity, including cannibalistic atrocities. The truth must now triumph over lies and manipulation.”
ALSO READ: AFC/M23 leader Corneille Nangaa states four reasons why his movement is fighting Tshisekedi govt
AFC/M23 rebels have, many times, alerted the international community about the Congolese government’s ceaseless attacks against the Banyamulenge community in South Kivu province.
On numerous occasions, since last year, Kanyuka, has reported and described as "terrorist actions” operations systematically launched on various densely populated areas of South Kivu, saying these "barbaric attacks have caused countless human losses and plunged the region into an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.”
ALSO READ: Banyamulenge villages in South Kivu attacked again
End February, Kanyuka indicated that the Congolese government continued massacring civilians in Minembwe, Uvira, and surrounding areas in South Kivu Province, using attack drones guided by MONUSCO intelligence. At the time, villages inhabited by unarmed Banyamulenge civilians were targeted and destroyed by the drones, Sukhoi fighter jets, and mortars of the DR Congo army coalition in South Kivu Province, Bertrand Bisimwa, the rebellion’s deputy coordinator, said a week later, on March 4.
ALSO READ: M23 warns of Kinshasa’s continued targeting of civilians
The Banyamulenge community has, in the past, petitioned the international community to intervene and stop brutal killings targeting them in South Kivu Province, to no avail.