AfroAmerica Network

FARDC Troops Celebrate Military Victory Over M23 Rebels in Kivu

“ The Directorate of Movement of March 23 informs the national and international community that it has decided from this day on, to put an end to its rebellion and to pursue, by purely political means, the search for solutions to the root causes that led to its creation.

The chief of general staff and the commanders of all major units are requested to prepare troops for disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration on terms to be agreed with the government of Congo.”   It is in these terms that the Bertrand Bisimwe,President of M23 Congolese rebels, backed [click to continue…]

North Kivu Governor Julien Paluku and FARDC Regional Commander Gen Bauma Ambamba in Kibumba on Oct 26, 2013

US Secretary of State, John Kerry and British Foreign Secretary, William Hague have called Rwandan dictator General Paul Kagame, today Friday November 1, 2013, to warn him of dire consequences if he  does not stay out of the conflict in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).  It is the second time, in a year,  that US and British leaders personally warn the Rwandan dictator to keep off the conflict in the DRC.  In December 2012, US President Obama called General Paul Kagame, to give similar warnings.

In July 2013, US Department of State spokesperson, Jen Psaki, publicly condemned Rwandan political and military leaders for their involvement in the DRC conflict (see our article: End Any Support to the M23 and Withdraw Military Personnel from Eastern D.R.C: US Government Tells Rwandan General Paul Kagame of July 23, 2013)

Jen Psaki was reacting to allegations of support by Rwandan senior military and political leaders to the [click to continue…]

12 Years a Slave: A movie I invite everyone to watch; A journey of overcoming, hope, and optimism, and to freedom.
by Felicien Kanyamibwa, PhD

12 Years A Slave

Today, I watched the movie “12 Years a Slave: The Extraordinary True Story of Solomon Northup”. I can’t find words to describe the experience of watching the movie, directed by Steve McQueen, which is based on the true story from the 1853 autobiography Twelve Years a Slave by Salomon Northup, a free black man who was kidnapped in Washington, D.C. in 1841 and sold into slavery. It is the first time that I watch a movie and hear so many moviegoers cry and sob. When the movie ended, I realized how many people in the theater had shed tears and were wiping their eyes. Women, men, young adults – it is rated R – Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians; almost everybody appeared to have been crying [click to continue…]

Rwandan Defense Forces in DRC

On Friday October 25, 2013, FARDC, the national army of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), has taken control of the center of the strategic town of Kibumba from the Rwandan Government backed M23 rebels. The FARDC pushed the M23 rebels out of the town in the early afternoon, after intense fightings and bombardment, that resulted in heavy casualties on both sides. The M23 rebels, supported by Rwandan Defense Forces, withdrew to the outskirts of the town, where sources said they were reorganizing since Friday night, after receiving reinforcements in troops and ammunitions from Rwanda. The troops from Rwanda entered the area from the forests spanning the border between Rwanda and the DRC and Kabuhanga, a Rwandan border town. As of early Saturday, Rwandan troops were seen by sources in Kabuhanga, carrying heavy [click to continue…]

Mai Mai Cheka in Uniforms of the Rwandan Defense Forces Special Forces

Sources in Masisi, North-Kivu, Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) tell AfroAmerica Network that the United Nations Mission in the DRC, MONUSCO, has been holding meetings with the populations and leaders in Eastern DRC to ease serious tensions. The tensions have erupted over the suspicions by the local populations that MONUSCO has been supplying weapons and supporting the Mai-Mai fighters, known as Sheka or Cheka, from the Ndumba Defense of Congo (NDC), one of the countless militias roaming the Congolese forests. These Mai-Mai are funded and armed by the Rwandan government and receive military training from Rwandan Special Forces.

The accusations were motivated by an incident that happened on September 26, 2013, involving a MONUSCO vehicle, a woman suspected of being Rwandan Special [click to continue…]

Ian Khama President of Bostwana

The country is recognized by Transparency International as the Least Corrupt in Africa. Its leaders have received accolades across the World for their unrelenting efforts to lead their country and its people towards sustainable development. Graced with rich minerals, especially diamond, the country also has massive natural reserves, that are home to wildlife, including giraffes, hippos, elephants, cheetahs, leopards, and endangered wild dogs. The country is Botswana.
The current president, Ian Seretse Khama, is clear about the future of Botswana: “Botswana is prepared to play a leadership role in sustainable development in Africa. The pressure on the world’s natural resources is immense and not sustainable without change and we are committed to developing the country sustainably, not with the short-term approach that leaves nothing for the future. We will not let this happen here.”

That was the focus of the motivation for his selection among the 2013 Conde Nast Traveler’s Global Visionary laureates, as announced during a dinner held at the not-yet-open-to-the-public The Marquand at 11 East 68th Street, in New York City, on September 23, 2013.

The dinner party was attended by several New York and international [click to continue…]

Spanish Senator Pere Sampol and Human Rights Activist Juan Carrero leading protests against General Paul Kagame in New York. Sep 2010

” It took me so long to  testify  for three reasons:  first, while I was a member of the [Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF)] government, doing so meant  an automatic death sentence;  second, even outside Rwanda , it is difficult to escape the control of Kagame and I did not want to go into exile so soon. I was born exile and had only lived inside my country for only  five years ; third,  as Chief of staff  [or Rwandan General Paul Kagame] I had access and I wanted  to uncover more information, before I could,  one day,  testify, ” Dr Theogene Rudasingwa told the Spanish High Court, known as Audiencia Nacional on Monday October 14, 2013.

Dr Rusasingwa was testifying as the key witness of the prosecution in the case against Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA) and RPF  leaders, now leading Rwanda. The RPF [click to continue…]

Rwandan Defense Forces Major Gerard Ntashamaje,  allegedly the new political commissioner of M23 Congolese Revolutionary Army

Sources within M23 Congolese rebels tell AfroAmerica Network that a Rwandan Defense Forces high ranking officer, Major Gerard Ntashamaje, is the new political commissioner of the armed wing of the M23 rebels, known as the Congolese Revolutionary Army (ARC). In his role, Major Gerard Ntashamaje is responsible for coordinating the training of M23 officers in political and legal matters. He is also responsible for recruiting young people from inside Rwanda. He directly reports to Colonel Eric Murokore, who is responsible for the youth militias of the Rwandan ruling party, Rwandan Patriotic Front (see here).

According to the sources, Major Gerard Ntashamaje’s headquarter is in the Congolese border town of Bunagana, where training of M23 rebels is held. However, he also [click to continue…]

Mai Mai Cheka in Uniforms of the Rwandan Defense Forces Special Forces

The renegade Rwandan Government backed Congolese Mai-Mai Ntabo Ntaberi Cheka (aka Sheka) and his militias have been launching raids into villages across the Masisi territory in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The attacks, followed by the systematic looting and burning of villages, have sent tens of thousand of people into forests and camps of internally displaced people.
Mai-Mai fighters, known as Sheka or Cheka, form the Ndumba Defense of Congo (NDC), one of the countless militias roaming the Congolese forests. They are funded and armed by the Rwandan government and receive the training from Rwandan Special Forces. On November 20, 2011, with the help of the Rwandan Defense Forces Special Forces, they killed the FDLR commander of the most active battalion in North Kivu, Colonel Jean Marie-Vianney Kanzeguhera, aka Colonel Evariste aka Colonel Sadiki during an ambush and in an apparent assassination (see here: FDLR Commander Colonel Sadiki Killed by Mai-Mai Cheka of November 21, 2011).

Later, the Mai-Mai Cheka ambushed and killed 2 FARDC commanders, in the territories of Walikale and Masisi, Colonel Cyuma and Colonel Pilipili. Colonel Pilipili was the FARDC Division Commander based in Walikale.
According to sources in Eastern DRC, in recent weeks, Mai-Mai Cheka’s NDC has [click to continue…]