A new video has emerged showing combatants of the genocidal FDLR militia, who were captured fighting alongside the DR Congo armed forces in the east of the country. The video comes as the latest evidence of FARDC-FDLR collaboration, which Rwanda has long denounced. They were captured by the M23 rebel group, who have been fighting the coalition of forces led by the Congolese army (FARDC) in North Kivu province since May this year. Part of the coalition are fighters belonging to FDLR, an internationally blacklisted terrorist group which was founded by remnants of the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, after they fled to DR Congo over 28 years ago. ALSO READ: UN confirms FDLR active in DR Congo, warns of genocide The video, filmed on Tuesday, December 13, shows nine people, including youths and their parents who are members of the FDLR. Four of them are clad in FARDC camouflage uniform, which they testified was supplied to them by the Congolese military. One who identified himself as Lance Corporal Safari Mbitse says the FARDC also supplied them with ammunition. Another video in November suggested the FDLR were fighting alongside the Congolese army. Another one, Warrant Officer Innocent Uwamungu, says he worked in the administration office of Maj Gen Pacifique Ntawunguka, aka Omega, the military head of FDLR. “We work with FARDC in wartime,” Uwamungu says, responding to questions by an M23 officer. Another one called Jean Damascene Niyonzima claims to be a pastor and says he used to be an informant of the FDLR. Before he fled the country in 1994, Niyonzima said he was an assistant ‘bourgmetre’ (equivalent to a vice mayor) of Commune Kinyami in the former Byumba prefecture in the north of Rwanda. He says the FDLR thrives on collecting illegal taxes from the Congolese citizens, who are also forced to cede part of their agricultural harvest in areas they control in eastern DR Congo. Asked what he wishes for, Niyonzima said he was ready to be repatriated to Rwanda.
