The government of Rwanda wants the United Nations Security Council to understand the real reasons for the problems in eastern DR Congo. They believe it is important to take Rwanda's worries about safety seriously if we want to find a lasting solution.
On Friday, the Security Council agreed that the AFC/M23 rebels should stop fighting and move forward. However, they did not talk about some of the biggest issues, like the fact that dangerous ideas from the genocide in Rwanda are still causing trouble.
Rwanda has tried many times to explain that some groups of people who speak the Kinyarwanda language are being treated very badly in DR Congo. This is why the M23 rebels started fighting in the first place. President Paul Kagame says it is like an ethnic war where some Congolese people are not given their rights, and Rwanda gets blamed for what happens.
Since January, the rebels have taken control of large parts of North and South Kivu provinces. They fought against a big group that included the Congolese army, soldiers from other countries, and even some people from Europe who were paid to fight. There is also a dangerous group called FDLR that is helping the Congolese army. FDLR is a terrorist group that wants to go back to Rwanda and hurt many people.
The fighting started when the Congolese army broke an agreement to stop the war. On January 27th, the rebels captured the city of Goma and worked to make things peaceful and organized. Later, there were problems in South Kivu, with reports of violence and bad behavior by the Congolese army and their helpers. The rebels decided to help by taking control of an important airport and then capturing the city of Bukavu on February 15th. Many people in these areas are happy that the rebels are now in charge and keeping them safe.
Ambassador Ernest Rwamucyo, who represents Rwanda at the United Nations, said it is very important to take Rwanda's concerns about safety seriously. He explained that Rwanda will continue protecting itself along the border with DR Congo as long as there are threats from the Congolese army and groups like FDLR.
Mr. Rwamucyo also said that the Congolese government must take responsibility for supporting FDLR, letting them join their army, giving them powerful weapons, and treating them like friends.
The problems started long ago, in 1994, when the people who led the genocide in Rwanda ran away to DR Congo with their weapons. They formed a group called FDLR to try and hide the terrible things they had done.
Rwanda wants everyone to remember that the M23 rebels are fighting because the Kinyarwanda-speaking people in DR Congo have been treated unfairly for a very long time. It's not just about Rwanda supporting them, as the Congolese government wants people to believe.
The war between the Congolese army and the M23 rebels started in 2021. The M23 is now part of a bigger group called AFC. They want a government that respects human rights, protects all Congolese people, and deals with the real causes of the fighting. The rebel leaders have promised to fight against tribalism, corruption, unfairness, and the dangerous ideas that led to the genocide.
Rwanda is worried that the United Nations is only focusing on the M23 rebels and not talking about the many other terrible things happening in other parts of DR Congo. Ambassador Rwamucyo said Rwanda supports the efforts of the African Union and other regional groups to find a solution.
Since the Security Council met on Wednesday, military leaders from East Africa and Southern Africa have been working together to find a way forward. Rwanda wants the Security Council to support these efforts and not make things more difficult.
Mr. Rwamucyo also pointed out that when people in Kinshasa were causing chaos and burning down embassies, the Security Council didn't say much about it. He believes they need to look at the very complicated situation in DR Congo and work with everyone involved to find answers.
Rwanda promises to keep working hard to bring peace and safety to the region. They want DR Congo to do what the African countries have asked, which is to start talking to everyone, including the M23 rebels, to find a peaceful solution.
On Friday, the Security Council agreed that the AFC/M23 rebels should stop fighting and move forward. However, they did not talk about some of the biggest issues, like the fact that dangerous ideas from the genocide in Rwanda are still causing trouble.
Rwanda has tried many times to explain that some groups of people who speak the Kinyarwanda language are being treated very badly in DR Congo. This is why the M23 rebels started fighting in the first place. President Paul Kagame says it is like an ethnic war where some Congolese people are not given their rights, and Rwanda gets blamed for what happens.
Since January, the rebels have taken control of large parts of North and South Kivu provinces. They fought against a big group that included the Congolese army, soldiers from other countries, and even some people from Europe who were paid to fight. There is also a dangerous group called FDLR that is helping the Congolese army. FDLR is a terrorist group that wants to go back to Rwanda and hurt many people.
The fighting started when the Congolese army broke an agreement to stop the war. On January 27th, the rebels captured the city of Goma and worked to make things peaceful and organized. Later, there were problems in South Kivu, with reports of violence and bad behavior by the Congolese army and their helpers. The rebels decided to help by taking control of an important airport and then capturing the city of Bukavu on February 15th. Many people in these areas are happy that the rebels are now in charge and keeping them safe.
Ambassador Ernest Rwamucyo, who represents Rwanda at the United Nations, said it is very important to take Rwanda's concerns about safety seriously. He explained that Rwanda will continue protecting itself along the border with DR Congo as long as there are threats from the Congolese army and groups like FDLR.
Mr. Rwamucyo also said that the Congolese government must take responsibility for supporting FDLR, letting them join their army, giving them powerful weapons, and treating them like friends.
The problems started long ago, in 1994, when the people who led the genocide in Rwanda ran away to DR Congo with their weapons. They formed a group called FDLR to try and hide the terrible things they had done.
Rwanda wants everyone to remember that the M23 rebels are fighting because the Kinyarwanda-speaking people in DR Congo have been treated unfairly for a very long time. It's not just about Rwanda supporting them, as the Congolese government wants people to believe.
The war between the Congolese army and the M23 rebels started in 2021. The M23 is now part of a bigger group called AFC. They want a government that respects human rights, protects all Congolese people, and deals with the real causes of the fighting. The rebel leaders have promised to fight against tribalism, corruption, unfairness, and the dangerous ideas that led to the genocide.
Rwanda is worried that the United Nations is only focusing on the M23 rebels and not talking about the many other terrible things happening in other parts of DR Congo. Ambassador Rwamucyo said Rwanda supports the efforts of the African Union and other regional groups to find a solution.
Since the Security Council met on Wednesday, military leaders from East Africa and Southern Africa have been working together to find a way forward. Rwanda wants the Security Council to support these efforts and not make things more difficult.
Mr. Rwamucyo also pointed out that when people in Kinshasa were causing chaos and burning down embassies, the Security Council didn't say much about it. He believes they need to look at the very complicated situation in DR Congo and work with everyone involved to find answers.
Rwanda promises to keep working hard to bring peace and safety to the region. They want DR Congo to do what the African countries have asked, which is to start talking to everyone, including the M23 rebels, to find a peaceful solution.
