Africa History

Saturday, 31 May 2014

[RwandaLibre] Rwandan rebels begin to surrender, but demand talks with Kigali

Rwandan rebels begin to surrender, but demand talks with Kigali

Photo: A militant from the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of
Rwanda (FDLR) squats near a pile of weapons after their surrender in
Kateku, a small town in eastern region of the Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC), May 30, 2014.

(Reuters) - Rwandan rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
began what they claimed was the first step in disarming their fighters
on Friday, but warned that continuing the process would depend on the
government in Kigali agreeing to talks.

Kigali needs to come to the table now. I agree with the Kigali line
that you do not negotiate with terrorists and that is the only
possible way to describe the FDLR. This partial surrender however
changes the dynamics somewhat and if Rwanda is serious about cleaning
this mess up now is the time to compromise.

The Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) said last
month that they would "lay down their weaponry and consecrate
themselves to political struggle."

About 100 fighters surrendered during a ceremony in North Kivu
province, handing in weapons including some heavy artillery, according
to a Reuters witness.

Charly Kasereka is on the ground in Bulessa Village‬ which may suggest
that the surrender is gathering pace although I would take that with a
grain of salt.

Charly tweets: Just 105 militiamen with 102 weapons present at
much-touted #FDLR"surrender"

Photo: Charly Kasereka in a bulletproof (I assume) vest second from right.

"With this act of good faith the international community is called to
assume its responsibility to obtain a political dialogue among
Rwandans," said FDLR president, General Victor Byiringiro.

Authorities in Rwanda have repeatedly rejected the possibility of
negotiations with the FDLR, which Kigali considers a terrorist
organization that espouses a genocidal ideology.

The ball would seem to be in President Kagame's court.

Composed in part of former soldiers and Hutu militia who fled into
Congo after massacring around 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus during
Rwanda's 1994 genocide, the FDLR has since sought to topple the
government of President Paul Kagame.

They are regularly accused of human rights abuses, including civilian
massacres. And this week FDLR fighters burned homes and schools in
North Kivu's Walikale district during clashes with a rival militia
group, according to United Nations-sponsored radio.

Their presence along the border has also served as a pretext for
Rwandan military interventions in Congo, helping fuel nearly two
decades of conflict there that have killed millions.

Friday's ceremony was attended by representatives of Congo's U.N.
peacekeeping mission, known as MONUSCO, the South African Development
Community (SADC), and the International Conference on the Great Lakes
Region.

The FDLR has on previous occasions said it was ready to disarm, only
to later backtrack. And most officials remained cautious, however, and
shied away from making pledges to support talks with the Rwandan
government.

"There will be no negotiations with the FDLR. They have offered to
surrender, and we will see if this process is effective," Congolese
government spokesman Lambert Mende said.

Over 25,000 FDLR fighters have demobilized since 2002, but those
numbers have slowed to a trickle in recent years. The estimated 2,000
remaining rebels have hidden themselves among communities in Congo's
dense forests.

Last year, bolstered by a special Intervention Brigade with a robust
mandate to carry out offensive operations, MONUSCO launched a military
campaign against the remaining armed groups operating in the volatile,
mineral-rich borderlands.

"We hope that the commanders join this process (of demobilization),
not just the militiamen, because we have a mandate to neutralize armed
groups and want to see an end to the FDLR in Congo," said one U.N.
official, who asked not to be named.

I will update this later. Hat Tip Charly Kasereka.
Posted by H Stewart at 6:26 PM
Labels: Charly Kasereka, DR Congo, FDLR, Kagame, Rwanda

http://www.google.ca/gwt/x?gl=CA&hl=en-CA&u=http://hamishinauckland.blogspot.com/2014/05/dr-congo-fdlr-surrender-maybe-just-maybe.html&source=s&q=DR+Congo:+FDLR+surrender+%3F+Maybe+-+Just+maybe.&sa=X&ei=giGKU9-nC8eYyAT12IHICQ&ved=0CBUQFjAA

--
SIBOMANA Jean Bosco
Google+: https://plus.google.com/110493390983174363421/posts
YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9B4024D0AE764F3D
http://www.youtube.com/user/sibomanaxyz999
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[RwandaLibre] Tanzania-Rwanda relations may worsen - MPs

Tanzania-Rwanda relations may worsen - MPs

IPPmedia - 12 hours ago
BY POLYCARP MACHIRA
31st May 2014
Photo: Ezekiel Wenje

A war of words between Tanzania and Rwanda may soon resurface as the
parliament was this week dragged into discussing tension between
Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Relations between Tanzania and Rwanda took a plunge in May 2013
following President Jakaya Kikwete's appeal to Rwanda to engage FDRL
rebels in talks.

Media reported that Kikwete's suggestion at a meeting of the Great
Lakes countries, which met on the sidelines of the African Union
summit in Addis Ababa, did not go down well with Rwandan President
Paul Kagame. Rwandan government links the FDLR with the 1994 genocide,
in which over 800,000 people, mainly Tutsis and moderate Hutus, were
killed.

M23, which dominated the North Kivu Province since the end of the
Second Congo War in 2003 before it was defeated last year by a joint
force from Tanzania, South Africa and Malawi, is a reincarnation of
the National Congress for Defence of the People.

In April, 2012 up to 700 former CNDP soldiers mutinied against the DRC
government that was being supported by the peacekeeping contingent of
the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the
Democratic Republic of Congo (Monusco).

The debate about Rwanda and the DRC featured in Tanzanian parliament
mid this week during the ongoing budget session.

Presenting the Opposition's statement to the ministry of Foreign
Affairs and International Cooperation's 2014/ 2015 budget estimates
shadow minister, Ezekiel Wenje accused Foreign Affairs minister Mr
Benard Membe for causing diplomatic tensions between the two
countries.

He accused the minister of uttering inflammatory words against Rwanda
instead of using diplomatic language and refraining from interfering
in other country's affairs.

Wenje, who is also the Nyamagana MP, earlier told Parliament that
Membe's remarks on the BBC's Focus on Africa programme had worsened
the fragile relations between Tanzania and Rwanda.

He said such comments could only heighten confusion and anger among
ordinary citizens of the two countries. The shadow minister claimed
that Membe said Rwanda had exported insecurity and instability to
eastern DRC after sending rebels into country.

He said the minister made inaccurate statement. But in response Membe
hit back when responding to MPs' views, accusing the shadow minister
of acting on behalf of a foreign country.

He stood his ground, saying what he said was the truth, which had even
been documented by UN experts. Membe said Tanzania was playing a key
role in finding lasting peace in the Great Lakes Region.

Winding up debate on his ministry's 2014/15 budget proposals in
Parliament, Membe offered to resign if Wenje would provide documentary
proof that he was wrong when he said last September that the
Banyamulenge in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) were ethnic
Tutsis originating from Rwanda.
"This is a fact that cannot be denied," he said.

He said the Banyamulenge, who formed the M23 rebel group that fought
the DRC government for a number of years, were Tutsis originating from
Rwanda, while members of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of
Rwanda (FDLR) were Rwandans, who fled to eastern DRC after the 1994
genocide.

"When I told BBC that Rwandans were causing instability in Eastern
Congo, I meant what I said...it's the UN's group of experts that
originally accused Rwanda, not me," Membe told Parliament.

He admitted that relations between Tanzania and Rwanda were strained,
but added that "opportunists" had taken advantage of the situation to
fuel diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

Some members of parliament who talked to The Guardian here expressed
fear that Rwandan government may react to the debate that took place
in the parliament, causing heated debate among legislators.

Maswa West Member of Parliament, John Shibuda (Chadema) noted that it
was wrong for the parliament to dwell so much on discussing other
countries knowing the relations between Tanzania and Rwanda are
delicate.

"I know that Rwandans might hit back to this discussion as they have
always done mainly through the media" he said. He blamed the
government for making such a strong statement on Rwanda.

His sentiments were echoed by Bariadi West Member of Parliament, John
Cheyo (UDP) who also noted that the debate went a little bit off the
truck and may have diplomatic consequences.

He said Tanzania has played a very important role in enforcing peace
within the region and the continent at large, thus should refrain from
anything that can blemish its image in the international community.

The Nyamagana Member of Parliament, Ezekiel Wenje while speaking with
The Guardian at the parliament grounds maintained that it was wrong
for Tanzania to have such position against a neighbouring country,
saying the strained relationship might continue.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
http://www.google.ca/gwt/x?gl=CA&hl=en-CA&u=http://www.ippmedia.com/frontend/index.php%3Fl%3D68415&source=s&q=Tanzania-Rwanda+relations+may+worsen+-+MPs

--
SIBOMANA Jean Bosco
Google+: https://plus.google.com/110493390983174363421/posts
YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9B4024D0AE764F3D
http://www.youtube.com/user/sibomanaxyz999
***Online Time:15H30-20H30, heure de Montréal.***Fuseau horaire domestique:
heure normale de la côte Est des Etats-Unis et Canada (GMT-05:00)***