German govt under pressure over FDLR leaders

KIGALI - A German daily, Die Tageszeitung has released a dossier detailing activities of the FDLR leader, who is currently based in the German town of Mannheim and questioning their authorities on why they have been adamant to kick the fugitive out of the country. Die Tageszeitung (TAZ) which is investigating the ongoing judicial proceedings against the FDLR leadership in German courts, recently ran a story, “Terror in Eastern Congo – The orders come from Germany,” that exposes much on the group and its leader, Ignace Murwanashyaka. TAZ’s Africa Editor Dominic Johnson told The New Times, that this was the first time details about the role of Murwanashyaka in FDLR operations in DRC have been revealed to the Germans. “We hope that this investigation will contribute towards raising the profile of this issue in Germany and encouraging the German authorities to take appropriate measures,” Johnson told The New Times. “It is clear that any European effort to bring peace to Eastern DRC has to involve moving against leaders of armed groups operating from Europe with impunity.” “From Mannheim, the president (Murwanashyaka) controls the militias in Congo. When will the German judiciary finally take action?” asks TAZ. The FDLR is made of remnants of masterminds of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, in which over one million people were killed. The group sought refuge in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly Zaire in provinces of North and South Kivu where they have continued to wreck havoc. The article, goes on to highlight several issues, asking; “Who gives the orders---who is responsible for finance, politics, strategy, ideology?” of the FDLR. The daily says; “All major decisions - whether it is arming the FDLR to attack or retreat – are made in Germany, under Murwanashyaka’s code name “Mihigo.” German asylum law does not permit him to be politically active, but Murwanashyaka continues to oversee the mayhem in DRC and is reported to have travelled to the country several times on fake documents. TAZ investigations reveal that he consults with his deputy Straton Musoni who lives in Hessian Neuffen, Germany, and the FDLR executive secretary Callixte Mbarushimana who lives and has refugee status in France. Murwanashyaka’s direct subordinate (and close friend) in DRC is the FDLR military commander Gen. Sylvestre Mudacumura. “The 55-year-old career soldier received a two-year education in the leadership academy of the armed forces in Hamburg before the Genocide.” His brother-in-law and former military spokesman Lt. Col. Edmond Ngarambe was captured by Rwandan and Congolese forces in their joint operation (Umoja Wetu) early this year. Ends

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German govt under pressure over FDLR leaders