Rwanda, DRC clerics condemn UN Report

Muslims and Christians leaders in districts bordering eastern DRC have announced that the UN Mapping Report, that accuses Rwandan forces of committing atrocities in the DRC, has a hidden agenda of destabilising the region. During the interdenominational meeting that was held in Rubavu, the clerics urged their followers to shun the controversial report and called for unity between citizens of the two countries. “We are here to discuss the UN Report, but the truth is this report doesn’t help any of the citizens of our countries. These NGOs that compiled the report just want conflict to continue serving their personal interests while posing as humanitarian workers,” Rwanda’s Mufti, Sheikh Swalleh Habimana said. According to Rev Simon Masasu, the representative of revival churches in the area who also doubles as the senior Pastor at the Restoration Church, the UN is trying to shift the blame of failing to provide security and justice in the region. “They failed to stop the Genocide in 1994, they failed to repatriate Rwandans who were living in Congo as refugees, they still fail the women and men of DRC now. The reports of mass rape has become a major burden to the church in the region,” Masasu complained, saying that most of these victims are members of their congregation. The religious leaders pointed out that thousands of people died as a result of cholera, resisting to be repatriated and aiding Interahamwe who were preparing to invade Rwanda “I lived in Mugunga camp where Interahamwe and ex-FAR made massive recruitment, then surprisingly the Rwanda’s forces repatriated us to our country but the people who feared justice stayed with the militias,” testified one Hassan Hakizimana. The Mayor of Goma, Rashid Tumbula, who also attended the meeting, questioned the authenticity of the report which he said is targeting to destroy the flourishing relations between Rwanda and Congo. “Why did UN decide to release the report after the normalisation of Rwanda-DRC relations? Why this time? What is the report helping the citizens of these two countries?” Tambula wondered. The report has widely been disputed by sections of Rwandans within the country and in the Diaspora. Ends

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Rwanda, DRC clerics condemn UN Report