James Karuhanga
3 November 2008
Kigali — Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe has sent in military support to the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to back Joseph Kabila's struggling FARDC forces against the rebel group National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP).
In an exclusive telephone interview with The New Times, Rene Abandi, CNDP Foreign Affairs Commissioner, made these revelations: "Zimbabweans and the FDLR are the ones that fight, government forces simply run away and we remain fighting. We have given this evidence to MONUC and they acknowledge this."
"Apart from Zimbabwe, Kabila wants to bring in SADC and as you've heard, the French also want to come in, their Foreign Minister has been lobbying for a French dominated EU humanitarian mission of about 1,500 soldiers," added Abandi.
"Their role is real," he said, declaring that they had evidence of - Zimbabwe ammunition - from the battle field.
If this is proved true, then Zimbabwe becomes complicit in the rampant looting, rape and killing taking place in the Eastern DR Congo. Commenting on the atrocities committed last week Abandi said : "They raped women, looted and maimed families on that night."
He also claimed that these brutal atrocities in Goma town were designed by the DR Congo government troops in a bid to put blame on the advancing rebel army (CNDP).
"Bad things happened in Goma before we ceased fire. When just four kilometers away and before government soldiers withdrew, they killed people who don't speak Kinyarwanda, and this was planned to be blamed on us to tarnish our image once we took over," Abandi said.
"All this they did to smear us. But what is more painful is that the international community sees this but does not act," he lamented.
Abandi sounded bitter while explaining that recently Ban Ki Moon, the UN Secretary General simply condemned the government army for - indiscipline.
"Such type of killing and he merely calls it indiscipline?"
"Secondly, after our ceasefire, in all the areas under our control, people have resettled people have peace but this is not mentioned by the international community," he stressed.
"No one has been harmed in the many areas we control but the good things on the ground the truth, and the good on our side, is not mentioned," he added.
"The humanitarian crisis overly talked about is actually on the decline. We are finding a solution for it but this is news that they don't want to accept," he said.
Commenting on possible dialogue with Kinshasa and Rwanda's role in the conflict, Abandi said: "Instead of talking to us (Congolese), they want to talk to Kigali but we have a problem as Congolese between ourselves," he said, while strongly dismissing claims that Kigali supports his group.
Abandi, however, acknowledged that Rwanda shares a similar concern, over the alliance between the fatal rebel Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and the Military of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) - - saying that this is a fact that government uses as an excuse to say Rwanda helps CNDP. The FDLR rebels are genocidal forces responsible for the 1994 Tutsi genocide, which claimed over a million lives.
"We never buy weapons but capture from government," he stressed on their source of funding, adding that their strength comes from sheer determination, backed by truth.
"The first source of strength comes from willpower, but most importantly, from truth and our side has got truth.
And truth wins by all means," he said, accusing Kinshasa of corruption and divisionism, among others.
"Government does not work but pillages, they behave like mercenaries!"
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You are being misread by the rumours of the micredited Kagame and Nkunda, both of them in behave of bigger powers are fighting a war that will kill more Africans, they drag the name of Mugabe to help their cause, be careful of what you read, they have interest in fusing both Kabila's and Mugabe's government as that would discredit Kabila's democratically elected, regionally and internationally recognised governement that must rule the whole of its sovereign as mandated by its own people, such discrediting of the young democracy only will go in to discrediting the undemocratic forces acting in Kigali… [Read Full Text]
This is not new,in fact the Americans have always sought ways to cause trouble in the D:R:C, and back then Mugabe came to fight on the side of the congolese. Now let,s see it like this,it,s common knowledge that the Americans support Rwandan forces under Paul Kagame,Kagame in turn is supporting the rebel incursions into Congo,hence the need for Zimbabwe to try to protect the D.R.C from a hungry resource monster(America),and congo has it in abundance. The A.U must come to D.R.C,s aid before it,s overun and taken over by the criminal Americans and their European allies, with support from… [Read Full Text]
Wai for the day monster Mugabe will be run over by the 4 million Zimbos refugees returning armed to teeth! Mugabe soldiers only know looting and raping! It's decades that his soldiers have stopped being professionals and turned into hooligans!
The very first shot from the returning refugees will get them under their bed!
This war has been financed by anglo-saxon, a very great power, which aims at expantionism. It started with Uganda, in 1986, and continues up todate.It is sponsored by very hungry resourses monstorswho have scared and misled Joseph Kabila due to fear and has resolted to betray to fight his fellow brothers,the FDLR. It is nice to hear that they are now failing.
Kagame, the so-called Hitler,I forsee him putting his fellows at risk. The Tutsi expansion plan will fail. Why can't he be satisfied with Rwanda,Uganda and Burundi.
Guys, stand WOOON !!!
What strange bedfellows? kabila and monstrous Mugabe!!
Kabila regime is backed by the Americans. While Mugabe riles against the Americans for the sake of local consumption, here he shows his real colour!
When it comes to make some quick bucks, there is no ideology to stop devil Mugabe. Kabila is paying him handsomely with exclusive rights to exploit mineral rich deposits in Congo!
He has also allowed his soldiers to continue looting and raping in lieu of ensuring their regular pay cheques??
Where are the Mabhiza, Leviboone and other mentally retarded admirers of Mugabe?
Why Mugabe did not instead order… [Read Full Text]