In a major blow to the Rwandan Government, the US State Department has officially and unequivocally condemned the Rwandan Government for supporting the Congolese rebels M23. In a statement published on June 30, 2012, the US Government expresses its deep concern that “Rwanda is implicated in the provision of support to Congolese rebel groups, including mutinous elements now operating as the M23 armed group. .
The US Department bases its conclusions on the findings contained in a report by UN Experts that details the extent of the Rwandan Goevrnement support and names top Rwandan military chiefs who coordinated the support and command the operations from Kigali(see our article of June 27, 2012: UN Security Council Confirms that Rwandan Government and FDLR Deserters “Mandevu” Support M23 Congolese Rebels).
Perhaps one of the most damning condemnation is related to potential war crimes. The US State Department points to the report’s findings that the mutineers have forcibly recruited child soldiers.
The US State Deparment confirms that the US Government has asked Rwanda to halt and prevent the provision of such support from its territory.
Well before the beginning of the rebellion, AfroAmerica Network was the first source to document the Rwandan Government’s involvement in the preparation of the rebellion and its subsequent leading role in the execution of the mutiny. See our articles: Kivu Boiling: Rwanda Rearming CNDP and Serufuri’s RCD As Tshisekedi Is Expected to Win Elections of December 2, 2011 and Kivu Insurgency: PARECO and FARDC Deserters Take Up Arms Against FARDC and Rwandan Troops of February 16, 2012.
AfroAmerica Network findings were based on reports by sources in Kigali, Rwanda and in the Eastern DRC.
After the US Government condemnation, more questions remain and few answers, if any, are given. Is the Rwandan Government going to stop the support to mutineers? Does the UN Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) or even the UN as a whole have a leverage on Rwandan Government?
In fact, according the AfroAmerica Network sources in Eastern DRC, General Paul Kagame of Rwandan is determined to remove Joseph Kabila from power (see our article: DRC Government Accuses Rwandan Defenses Forces of Recruiting and Supporting Congolese Rebels of June 10, 2012).
According to AfroAmerica Network sources in the region, General Paul Kagame has chosen to change the actors by having the Congolese from other ethnic groups, other than the Tutsi viewed in DRC as close to the ruling elite in Rwanda, to officially lead the rebellion both politically and militarily, but keeping the commanding positions in the hands of Rwandan officers and Congolese Tutsis and stuffing operational troops with Rwandan soldiers and ex-FDLR deserters.
©2012 -AfroAmerica Network.
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Pourquoi paul kagame peut soutenir le m23!en tout cas si c gent ne laisse pas la guerre,ns les congolais on vas viole maintenant le frontiere pour entre au petit rwanda.