“Major fighting took place yesterday in Kusisa (Kalehe territory, South Kivu) between the Congolese army and the CNRD, a Rwandan rebellion that resulted from a split with the FDLR in 2016” (Kivu Security, 27.11.2019).
There are apparently two different views to what happened in Kusisa, Kalehe territory in South-Kivu province. What it says, there are claims of the violence towards civilians in a refugee camp by government soldiers and Rwandan soldiers camouflaged as so in South Kivu. While the Rwandan government claims the militia caused these attacks. The MRCD have already promised to wage war against Kigali, while they are still based in the DRC.
Clearly, they could play for the facade, but we never know in these instances. The MRCD claims a total different picture from the Rwandese, both using the UN documentation, while the DRC reporter states what the FARDC says it does. Therefore, it is hard to know what’s going on. But something is up and civilians are the casualties in all of this.
MRCD Statement:
“On the night of 25 to 26 November 2019, the FARDC (Armed Forces of the DRC), together with the Rwandan soldiers in Congolese army uniform, attacked and destroyed the Rwandan refugee camp in Kalehe territory in South Kivu. The Rwandan Movement for Democratic Change (MRCD-Ubumwe) had nevertheless alerted the International Community of the imminence of these attacks given the encirclement of this camp since 13/11/2019 by members of the RDF (Rwandese Defence Forces) disguised as Congolese soldiers. We denounce the silence and passivity of the International Community before such massacres against the survivors of the genocide perpetrated in Congo by the same troops of General Paul KAGAME in 1996-1998, as proved in the UN Mapping Report: These massacres of refugees are committed with the indifference of the UN military force MONUSCO, which has been present in the DRC since 1999. The MRCD-Ubumwe also recalls that MONUSCO has several soldiers not far from this camp of attacked refugees” (MRCD – ‘Rwandan soldiers in Congolese army uniform, attacked and destroyed the Rwandan refugee camp in Kalehe territory’ 26.11.2019).
Rwandan Embassy in Brussels Statement:
“Recently, and to the knowledge of the Belgian authorities, it has been proven that two politico military platforms named P5 and MRCD operate from the Kingdom of Belgium where some of its leaders are staying, including Paul Rusesabagina, who heads the Rwandan Movement for Peace. Democratic Change (MRCD Ubumwe), Faustin Twagiramungu and Placide Kayumba (Vice President of the United Democratic Forces (UDF) and co-founder of Jambo ASBL). This group meets regularly, signs pacts and raises funds for the sole purpose of overthrowing the Rwandan government by force. The details of the activities of the P5 military branch led by the Rwanda National Congress led by Kayumba Nyamwasa and the FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda) were analyzed in a report by the UN expert group. on the Congo from December 2018. As a reminder, the FDLR are the ideological heirs of the perpetrators of the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda in 1994 and since their presence in eastern Congo are responsible for systematic killings and rapes. In spite of these criminal acts, members of the ASBL under Belgian law called “Jambo ASBL”, actively involved in a misinformation campaign against Rwanda, regularly visited the eastern part of the Congo to meet with them. FDLR leaders” (Rwanda in Belgium – ‘Le Rwanda déplore que la presse belge fasse l’écho d’une campagne visant à le déstabiliser’ 27.11.2019).
Reports from the DRC:
“Information confirmed by the FARDC that announce that on the orders of the high military hierarchy, the operational sector Sukola 2 South Kivu and North Kivu, launched this Tuesday, November 26, an offensive against the armed group CNRD with the objective of neutralizing this group armed foreign active on Congolese soil. “For the only day of this Tuesday, November 26, the FARDC have already recovered the localities of Kitindiro, Rutare1 and 2, Bibatama and Nganjo, formerly under control CNRD. The populations of all these localities are asked to remain calm and to dissociate themselves with all these armed groups “, adds captain Dieudonné Kasereka military spokesman of the operation Sukola 2 South South-kivu” (Justin Mwamba – ‘Sud-Kivu : les FARDC récupèrent plusieurs localités jadis occupées par les CNRD à Kahele’ 27.11.2019, Actulite.cd).
We can clearly see that none of them is denouncing the skirmishes, the battles nor the actually fatalities in South Kivu Province. However, the FARDC says its liberated parts of the territory, while the MRCD claims the army did crimes against humanity and went after civilians in a refugee camp. That is not the story from the FARDC. But who would confess that directly? Secondly, what militia doesn’t want goodwill and try to portray their enemies in the worst light? Thirdly, what government doesn’t want to defend themselves, against the ones who want to overthrow it?
That is all reasonable, but, a very important but, someone is lying here. Someone is not coming with a straight face. There is a lie here and I cannot catch it. As there are two much between the lines and that I have no knowledge of. What we do know, is that Rwandan soldiers has been and easily could be in the Kivu provinces. The MRCD and allies are working to get rid of Kagame, that is a mere fact. FARDC has a bad rep together with MONUSCO to not shield citizens. Therefore, there is a lot at stake and also open questions. Neither do I trust the FARDC, the MRCD nor the Rwandan in this matter. Because, they could all be lying. However, there must be truth there somewhere, but I cannot see that either.
That’s because they are all lying and in war, the first thing that is the innocent and the innocence of people. They are all using all means to win. It doesn’t matter which side of the gun you are, as long as your not on the losing side. Because, that means either punishment or death. That’s why all of these will tell stories, will amplify or even spread propaganda for their own narrative. I just don’t know who to believe. That’s my issue. What’s the real issue is that by all accounts, civilians and refugees was in the midsts of cross-fire and certainly someone died because of warlords was busy tormenting the region. Peace.
MinBane 