All For Rwanda, as a global movement of Rwandan refugees, wishes to express its firm support for the deployment of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC) to the eastern regions of the DRC. Its offensive mandate is a critical step towards eradicating the threat posed by the Rwandan army through the M23, a situation that affects not only the DRC and its populace but also the Rwandan refugee community.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has registered approximately 250,000 Rwandan refugees in the DRC, a figure that does not include unregistered individuals and stateless persons, estimated to be more than double this number. These particularly vulnerable and often overlooked individuals are among the primary current targets of the violence and instability generated by the M23. They also bear the scars of the tragic destruction of their camps in 1996 by the Rwandan regime. Since then, they have endured chronic threats and massacres perpetrated by armed groups and the Rwandan army.
In this complex and precarious context, we believe that the SAMIDRC’s intervention is necessary to bolster the FARDC’s war efforts and protect the Congolese population as well as Rwandan refugees.
We applaud the brave decision of Burundi and the SADC, particularly South Africa, Tanzania, and Malawi, who have taken the initiative to support the Congolese people and Rwandan refugees against the aggressions and incursions of the Rwandan army.
We express our gratitude to the African Union for its vital support of the SAMIDRC and endorse the recommendations of the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, suggesting MONUSCO’s support for this mission. This backing is a key milestone that should encourage increased solidarity among African nations, the UN Security Council, and major international actors such as the United States, China, Russia, and the European Union.
It is deeply regrettable and saddening that, thirty years after the tragic year of 1994, the Rwandan regime continues in its diplomatic rhetoric to exploit and instrumentalize for political purposes the tragedies that have befallen the Rwandan people. This manipulation of history cannot legitimize hostile behaviors nor justify incursions into the DRC, motivated by mercenary interests. Rwanda’s stance towards the FDLR, used as a pretext, should deceive no informed observer.
The campaign of rhetorical, diplomatic, and military warfare waged by Kigali’s regime against refugees and refugee organizations since 1994 must give way to a genuinely inclusive dialogue. Our support for the military eradication of the M23 threat must be bolstered by a political process compelling Kigali to negotiate with Rwandan refugee representatives, aiming to ensure a dignified and massive return of these individuals to their homeland.
The issue of Rwandan refugees remains a major and unresolved challenge, inseparable from the perpetuation of an authoritarian regime that flouts fundamental freedoms. Without addressing this issue, the prospect of true peace, stable security, and lasting prosperity for the Great Lakes region of Africa will remain a distant goal.
ALL FOR RWANDA
For any further inquiries, please contact:
Norman Ishimwe Sinamenye (Coordinator of the Humanitarian and Human Rights Division of All For Rwanda)
norman.sinamenye@allforrwanda.org