Will President Kagame accept to talk with FDLR?One of President Kagame's critiques writes to President Jao Laurenco demanding FDLR and RPF negotiations

To:                   His Excellency Joâo Lourenço                                                                                                                     President of the Republic of Angola, Luanda – Angola

Subject:           Opinions and considerations on the DRC-Rwanda peace process:

                        Kigali must negotiate with the FDLR.

Your Excellency Mr President,

– Considering your status as Mediator of the African Union in the ongoing peace process between DRC and Rwanda;

– Considering your leadership and the invaluable efforts you are making to bring peace between the two brotherly countries and to recreate conditions of collective security throughout the Great Lakes region of Africa and the continent as a whole;

– Considering the significant progress made in the aforementioned peace process since the first ministerial meeting in Luanda on 31 March 2024;

– Considering in particular the resolutions and reciprocal commitments of the two countries, as recorded in the Minutes at the end of the 3rd ministerial meeting of Luanda on 7 and 8 August 2024;

– Considering that the Congolese government has discovered Kigali’s Machiavellian plan to equate the FDLR with all Rwandan refugees in the DRC, with Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese, and with the Congolese armed forces (FARDC); this prompted Minister Thérèse Wagner to categorically reject any idea of direct negotiation with the M23 and to devalue the operations to combat the FDLR, which had been planned by a committee of military and intelligence experts at the meeting held in Rubavu on 30 August 2024.

– Considering also that no consensus was reached at the Luanda talks on the withdrawal of Rwandan troops (RDF) from Congolese territory, as had been hoped for by the international community and the people of eastern DRC, who are seriously suffering the effects of this war; Rwanda, for its part, has decided to maintain its firm position, continuing its murderous actions against Congolese civilians and continuing to plunder the natural resources of the DRC. The wars initiated by Kagame in the DRC since 1996 have already cost the lives of more than 15 million people in the DRC;

– Given the instrumentalisation of the Rwandan tragedy, the current situation of the Rwandan people in the grip of a brutal and criminal dictatorship and the immeasurable tragedy being experienced by the peoples of the Great Lakes sub-region of Africa as a result of the incessant wars imposed by Kigali for the benefit of the imperialist networks and powers determined to get their hands on the natural wealth of the African continent;

– Driven by the ideal of the right to peace for the peoples of Africa ;

We, the Rwandan Movement for the Republic and Democracy (MRD), a political platform committed and determined to eradicate all forms of injustice, oppression and inhumanity characteristic of the oppressive RPF regime headed by Paul Kagame, have the great honour of coming to your eminent personality to submit to you, by way of contribution to the search for a rediscovered and lasting peace between the DRC and Rwanda, the following Opinions and Considerations:

1. The Congolese government’s current about-turn is far from surprising. Indeed, given that the war is taking place on Congolese soil, with all that this implies in terms of suffering inflicted on the civilian population, Kinshasa has every right to be doubly vigilant about the content of the reciprocal commitments and the chances of success.  Kinshasa has every right to be doubly vigilant as to the content of the reciprocal commitments and the real chances of their fulfilment;

2. Recent experience of the negotiations between the two parties, involving the Rwandan and Congolese governments, shows beyond doubt that the RPF-Inkotanyi regime in power in Rwanda has always shown a notorious lack of good faith, which is reflected, in particular, in its disrespect for international rules and principles and commitments made on the international stage.

3. There remains a glaring imbalance between the commitments of the two parties. While the Congolese side had undertaken to negotiate with the M23 and to dismantle the FDLR, the Rwandan side had not committed itself to anything concrete, having never officially admitted that it had committed troops to the fighting in the DRC, despite all the reliable reports showing this interference, with photos to back them up. How can we say that we are going to withdraw troops whose involvement on the ground we persist in denying?

4. Your responsibility as Mediator of the African Union is enormous, Your Excellency, since all the eyes and prayers of the peoples of the two countries and of the sub-region are turned towards You. In any case, in order to restore the confidence of the Congolese side, which is currently calling the whole process into question, we need more commitment and good faith from the Rwandan side.

That is why, for the sake of stability and lasting peace in the Great Lakes sub-region of Africa, we propose the following considerations:

a) to demand that Kigali unconditionally withdraw its troops from Congolese soil;

b) demand that Kigali canton the M23 fighters with a view to their disarmament and repatriation;

c) to demand that Kigali open direct negotiations with the FDLR. To this end, our Movement is prepared to play the role of Facilitator between you and the FDLR on the one hand, and between the Rwandan Government and the FDLR on the other;

d) demand that Kinshasa clarify its reasons for rejecting the process.

In the expectation of a wise response to this letter, please accept, Your Excellency, the expression of our highest consideration.

Washington DC, 18th  September 2024

Mrs Christine COLEMAN, President of the MRD

Copy for information :

– President of the DRC

– President of Tanzania

– President of Burundi

– President of South Africa

– President of Malawi

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