James Munyaneza
18 April 2005
Nairobi — Days after the Congo based Interahamwe and die-hard fighters of the defunct Rwanda Armed Forces, which are now jointly called the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), declared a ceasefire, the Rwandan government has expressed concern over the UN and European Union's plan to hold diplomatic talks with the militia.
A communique from the Foreign Ministry says Kigali welcomes the rebels' decision to disarm voluntarily, but adds that it is gravely concerned at information that the two organisations and some countries were behind a plan to negotiate peace with the rebels. The rebels have been the centre of a long-running diplomatic and military conflict between Kigali and Kinshasa, and arguably the source of insecurity across the Great Lakes region for the past 11 years.
While the government understands the need of the government of the DRC to talk to these genocidal groups to cease their activities on DRC territory and disarm, [the Rwanda] government is gravely concerned by the information that the United Nations, the European Union and some countries plan to sit on the same table with a group that committed the last horrific genocide of the 20th century.
"Rwanda believes that such a course of action would be an indelible blot on the respect, honour, and moral standing of the bodies and countries in question," says the communique, released on April 12.
Presidential envoy to the Great Lakes region Richard Sezibera said any diplomatic talks with the rebels would not only be in total violation of international conventions and protocols against genocide and acts against humanity, but also a breach of all treaties signed between Kigali and Kinshasa.
"Under both Lusaka (1999) and Pretoria (2002) agreements, these forces are supposed to be disarmed and repatriated, and nothing more. Any diplomatic talks by anyone are therefore illegal, unacceptable and uncalled for," Sezibera told The EastAfrican by telephone.
He advised the rebels to "expeditiously" disarm voluntarily or face forced disarmament by the African Union force. "The AU is continuing with its plan. If they disarm voluntarily it will ease their [AU's] work; but if they don't then they will have to be disarmed and repatriated forcibly," he said.
In a March 31 statement, signed by FDLR president Dr Ignace Murwanashyaka in Rome, Italy, following talks between the group and the Congolese government, which were brokered by Sant Egidio Community, the rebels made an unconditional declaration of an end to the 11-year insurgence and for the first time condemned the 1994 genocide and its actors.
The group, whose overall commander Maj Gen Paul Rwarakabije is now a serving officer in the Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) after he surrendered in late 2003, also condemned terrorist activities worldwide and particularly in the Great Lakes region.
However, gripped by increasing insecurity particularly related to the Gacaca courts, genocide survivors back in Rwanda have received with pessimism the news of the insurgents' possible laying down of arms. They warn the government against making "uncalculated concessions to the genocidal forces," saying these forces are still bent on carrying on with genocide. "The government should be careful with the recent declaration of surrender by Intarahamwe/ ex-Far.
This is not enough; we need to see them not only returning, but actively telling the truth about the Genocide in the ongoing gacaca courts," Francois Ngarambe, president of Ibuka, the survivors' umbrella, said during the 11th the genocide anniversary ceremonies.
The Rwandan government also says it is "gravely concerned that the political leadership of these groups is based in, and have an official address in Belgium (Rwanda's former colonial master). This is unacceptable to the Rwandan people, and should be to the whole of humanity."
However, Kigali says it is ready to receive the combatants and help reintegrate them in society. "Those Rwandese, who have spent the past decade roaming the forests of the DRC in the service of a misguided and criminal enterprise deserve a better life, and are called to join other Rwandans in the building of a better future for all, Foreign Minister Charles Murigande said.
The forces, which allegedly have over 10,000 remaining fighters, some of whom were conscripted after the 1994 genocide, led over a million Hutus to Congo in a massive exodus in 1994, but Kigali's first invasion of Congolese territory in 1996 saw the majority of the refugees repatriated.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2005 The East African. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
