Rwanda president Paul Kagame says the problem of the Democratic Republic of Congo is not the M23 rebels.
During an official visit to Benin at the weekend, Kagame says the problem is east Congo are beyond President Felix Tshisekedi.
The Congolese authorities have qualified as a provocation the new declarations of the Rwandan president on the conflict in the east.
During his 72-hour visit to Benin, the Rwandan President spoke about the conflict between the M23 and the regular army in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
President Kagame said Saturday in Cotonou that the problem dates back to the colonial period.
For him, the borders resulting from colonization, have divided the peoples by giving a part of Rwanda to the east of the DRC and another part to the south of Uganda.
“These issues are beyond me. They go beyond my person and the person of President Tshisekedi,” defended Paul Kagame, accused of supporting and arming the March 23 Movement (M23). According to Paul Kagame, the M23 rebellion is a matter of “Congolese who claim their Rwandan heritage.”
It was enough to provoke strong reactions from the Congolese authorities. On his Facebook page, the Minister of Communication and Media, government spokesperson, denounced a new provocation. “Kagame transgresses history. His words constitute a new provocation ,” wrote Patrick Muyaya.
He calls on the Rwandan president to recognize that he is the cause of insecurity in eastern DRC for having created the M23 rebellion. To finish his short message on his facebook page, Minister Patrick Muyaya sent a warning to President Kagame. “What he must never forget is that we will defend every centimeter of our territory.”
A United Nations report from December 2022 accuses Rwanda of sending its soldiers to fight alongside the M23 in eastern DRC. The document also accuses Kigali of supplying weapons, ammunition and uniforms to the rebels. A report that Rwanda strongly contested.
The March 23 movement claims to have taken up arms against the discrimination of which Congolese Tutsis are victims.
CREDIT: Additional Reporting by APA News
