President Paul Kagame has reiterated that the conflict in the DR Congo, especially in the restive eastern part of the country is not for Rwanda to blame but rather reflects the failures of the latter to solve its longstanding internal problems relating to Congolese of Rwandan ethnicity. Kagame made the remarks during an interview with Alastair L. Clement, at the sidelines of the U.S-Africa Summit in Washington D.C. During the interview, the head of state shared insights on various issues including China-Africa relations, DRC crisis and the FLN-MRCD terror case involving Paul Rusesabagina. Reacting on the DR Congo crisis, Kagame said that whatever is going on in the country should not be put on Rwanda’s shoulders because there are more than 100 armed groups in the country, including the M23 rebel group. Kagame added that the M23 was born for the same reasons Rwanda hosts over 80, 000 Congolese refugees for decades, all linked to how the Congolese government has failed to resolve issues around Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese. “What I want to say clearly, this problem was not created by Rwanda and it is not Rwanda’s problem. It is Congo’s problem. They’re the ones that have to deal with it,” he said. While other people can be helpful, as the East African Community is trying to deal with the matter, it appears the entire responsibility has been put on the shoulders of Rwanda, he reiterated. “Be it the Congolese government and its leaders, be it the international community, everybody is running away from that problem and they say this is Rwanda’s problem,” he added. “I cannot be responsible for the fact that there are Congolese of Rwanda ethnicity in Congo who are being denied their rights as citizens. That is not my problem,” he said. Meanwhile, Kagame asserted, Rwanda has brought to the attention of both the Congolese government and international community the collaboration between FDLR and the national army, facts he said were largely ignored. Rusesabagina not wrongfully detained On the case of Paul Rusesabagina, who is among the 21 victims of the Nyabimata attacks, Kagame maintained that his case was very clear, after going through courts of law with due process, presenting evidence and facts particularly in the open. Rusesabagina and 20 others, all members of the National Liberation Front (FLN), the armed wing of the Rwanda Movement for Democratic Change (MRCD), were found guilty of carrying out attacks on Rwanda’s territory, between 2018 and 2019. Rwanda has proved over and over again that Rusesabagina committed crimes in Rwanda which he must be held accountable for, however, Kagame said, his case is one of those where a big country wants to tell a small what to do for themselves. He said that Rusesabagina was charged along with 20 others, who were also found guilty on the same charges, many of who admitted their actions and affirmed Rusesabagina as their leader. Disregarding the co-accused, he said some people say Rusesabagina should be released because he is a celebrity and that he is a resident of the U.S and for that matter should be released. “What are we going to have to deal with here? There is a serious case here but it will be nullified because somebody in the United States is saying so. Well, some people may find that normal, I don’t. Rwandans don’t,” Kagame said. Questioned on the advocacy by the United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, to have Rusesabagina released, President Kagame said no one will push Rwanda to defy a court decision. “We’ve made it clear. There isn’t anybody, going to come from anywhere, to bully us into something to do with our lives and we accept it,” he added, “you can maybe make an invasion and overrun the country” but Rwanda will not give in to pressure. He said that there is no way one person can be made so important that they won’t be held accountable, adding that the person in question provided evidence against himself by saying what he said on camera and it is there for all to see. Kagame also highlighted that Rusesabagina incriminated himself through activities he carried out leading to the loss of lives of different Rwandans and that nobody should think that these actions can be easily wished away.
