The spokesperson of the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday July 19 issued a rebuttal to a perceived statement made earlier by the Government of Rwanda. Interestingly, there had not been any form of statement from Rwanda regarding the situation in the DR Congo. Not in as many days, and certainly not in the text that the Congolese statement was quoting. ALSO READ Rwanda warns against DR Congo’s pretext for attack In the statement, the Congolese military publicist alleged that Rwanda Defence Force was preparing to make an incursion into the neighbouring country to pursue FDLR terrorists who have found a safe haven there. Since the escalation of tensions between Rwanda and DR Congo, there has been growing proliferation of fake news, where forged statements attributed to Rwanda have been periodically distributed by the Congolese propaganda machine making all sorts of claims. ALSO READ: New footage suggests FDLR fighting alongside DR Congo army However, this is the first time that the DR Congo has officially made a reaction to a nonexistent statement from the Rwandan side. This however is all consistent with the conduct of the Congolese leadership over the past one year, where they have prioritized misinformation over meaningful and well-intentioned efforts to bring peace in the restive eastern part of the country. In the statement, the Congolese military spokesperson speaks of activating their military units – which have been merged with genocidal fugitives under their militia group FDLR – to launch an attack on Rwandan territory, to thwart the “anticipated attack” from Rwanda. Kinshasa, through President Felix Tshisekedi, has made many public declarations of its intent to cause regime change in Rwanda and continues to integrate FDLR into FARDC, as part of a deliberate strategy to escalate hostilities, threaten Rwanda's territorial integrity, and further destabilize the Great Lakes region. Unfortunately, despite the determination by regional countries to find a meaningful solution to the insecurity challenges that have blighted DR Congo for nearly three decades, the Congolese government continues to look elsewhere and has only been keen on scuttling any such effort. With all these shenanigans by the Congolese leadership, the government of Rwanda must do what it has got to do to make sure her territorial integrity remains inviolable, amidst such threats. That is what the people of Rwanda expect and must get.
