President Paul Kagame, on March 16, cautioned Belgium against interfering in Rwanda's progress, accusing it of blaming Rwanda for DR Congo's problems and conspiring to impose sanctions, despite its colonial history of being the root cause of the region's longstanding issues.
The remarks were made during a Presidential Citizen Outreach event held at BK Arena, which brought together thousands of citizens, primarily from Kigali City.
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Since the escalation of conflict in eastern DR Congo, Belgium has aligned itself with the Kinshasa government, fueling ethnic violence, shifting blame onto Rwanda for Congo's governance failures, and driving Western-led sanctions against Rwanda.
This comes at a time when the international community has been urged to support African-led peace initiatives to stabilise the region.
President Kagame said that Rwanda and DR Congo share deep-rooted issues stemming from colonial rule. He pointed out that Belgium played a significant role in dividing the region, separating families across different borders.
"One of the misfortunes we have is having been colonised by a small country, similar in size to Rwanda, which partitioned Rwanda to match its own size," Kagame said.
He explained that some Rwandans found themselves on the other side of the current borders, emphasising, "It is not Rwanda that expelled them there. It is not Rwanda that chased people to Kisoro (Uganda), Masisi, and Rutshuru (DR Congo)."
"If you want to displace them, do so along with their land. If peace is truly the goal, people must be given their rights; otherwise, they will fight for them."
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Kagame said Belgium is guilty of historical atrocities against Rwandans, saying, "They killed Rwandans 30 years ago and have continued to return to finish off the survivors. We warned them before, and we are doing so again."
He reiterated that Rwanda did not start the war it is being blamed for, but it will resist the hidden agendas behind it.
"If Rwanda is to be blamed for problems created by countries unwilling to care for their people, we have no choice but to fight. When resources are limited, we rely on relentless will and courage to defend ourselves," Kagame stated.
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While warning Belgium, Kagame also urged Rwandans to uphold their national identity, dignity, and independence.
"You must have the mindset that we are Rwandans, not colonisers' subjects."
The President emphasised that Rwanda has chosen the path of dignity, seeking peaceful relations with others, and defending its territorial integrity when necessary.
'Baseles sanctions'
Kagame condemned what he termed "baseless sanctions," imposed by Western nations at Belgium's urging.
"It is ironic that those responsible for the problem are the same ones calling for sanctions against Rwanda," he noted.
He added that even when asked for justification, those imposing sanctions fail to provide clear reasons, merely stating, "We don't know, but we were told by the Belgians to do so."
Kagame urged Rwandans to remain steadfast in their development journey despite external challenges, fostering unity and maintaining peace with others based on mutual respect.
"There is nothing that can happen to us that is worse than the tragedy we survived. That is why we should not be afraid to speak out, to fight for ourselves, and to resist those who seek to annihilate us."
