President Paul Kagame has maintained that Rwanda's security is a priority and that defensive measures against Kinshasa-backed FDLR militia will remain in place. In an interview with Jeune Afrique, Kagame condemned attempts to blame Rwanda for the conflict in eastern DR Congo, noting that its root causes have been ignored for over three decades. ALSO READ: Kagame: Habyarimana's son is part of Kinshasa-FDLR network The way this conflict started, it was not started by Rwanda, it did not originate from Rwanda, he said. That negligence by those who should have handled it the right way made FDLR an issue for a long time and continue to constitute a threat against Rwanda, especially when it is being fed and supported by a government. Sanctions, all kinds of threats, literally insults being hurled at Rwanda, as if we have done anything other than defending ourselves and making sure no threat crosses the border into Rwanda from anywhere, and particularly from eastern Congo. He said imposing sanctions was like blaming the victim and praising the perpetrator. ALSO READ: Kagame: Rwanda faces impossible choice to tolerate or defend against FDLR The blame, the sanctions, the threats... it's easy. But can it give a solution when you are keeping quiet about the real issues, the root cause? he said. We refuse to remove defensive measures, whether it means troops and whatever else, we call it defensive measures. And in your logic, why would a threat be against me and you're asking me to remove my defensive measures, but you're not dealing with the threat? While there has been relative security on Rwandan border since AFC/M23 rebels took control of key cities in eastern DR Congo, Kagame said more needs to end security issues in the eastern region and the whole country. So can eastern Congo or the whole of Congo not be a danger to the neighbors especially ourselves that that's these are the basic demands, he said. I don't want anybody to threaten the security of our country. So we will be very hard on saying we have to secure our border. There's no question about it.
