PRESS RELEASE.
Date : 19 November 2012.
Considering the 12 October 2012 final report by the United Nations Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo addressed to the Chairman of Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1533 (2004) concerning the DRC ; Considering the current disaster in and around GOMA, capital city of Noth Kivu, the movement of Rwanda-led M23 forces towards Bukavu in South Kivu, and the now public disclosure by the same forces to take over the whole country;
The coordinating Committees of the Rwandan political organisations FDU-INKINGI and RNC demand direct sanctions against the Rwandan Defense Minister General James Kabarebe, General Charles Kayonga and other Rwandan officials mentioned in the UN Group of Experts Report. Those officials are under direct command of President Paul Kagame who must face international justice in respect to crimes against humanity committed in the DRC by his warlords. We believe that durable peace and security in the region will not be possible without robust sanctions targeting the highest level of the real masterminds of this unfolding tragedy.
The UN group of experts final report was prepared in pursuance of paragraph 4 of Security Council resolution 2021 (2011) on violations of the sanctions regime on arms embargo. It clearly says; « The Government of Rwanda (GoR) continues to violate the arms embargo through direct military support to M23 rebels, facilitation of recruitment, encouragement and facilitation of FARDC desertions, as well as the provision of arms and ammunition, intelligence, and political advice. M23’s de facto chain of command includes General Bosco Ntaganda and culminates with the Rwandan Minister of Defence General James Kabarebe ».There is converging information that other Rwandan military leaders including Division Commander Major General Alex Kagame, Brigadier Ruvusha and Colonel Gatama have a hand in the current attack against Kibumba and the surroundings of Goma.
On 18 October 2012, Rwanda was elected to serve a two year term on the United Nations Security Council. This is unfortunate, since it was a reward from the international community to a man and a regime that have absolute disregard for international norms and rules of behavior.
President Kagame’s regime’s policies and actions in the Democratic Republic of Congo are partly a result of the regime’s horrendous internal political and human rights record. As long as the government of Rwanda continues to fuel and support the rebellions in the DRC, as long as political and human rights are denied to Rwandas, we recommend that direct aid to the Rwandan government remains suspended and that clear sanctions targeting the warmongers be announced to pave the way to the international criminal justice.
COORDINATING COMMITTEE FDU-INKINGI
Coordinator
Dr. Nkiko Nsengimana
Lausanne, Switzerland
[email protected]
RWANDA NATIONAL CONGRESS (RNC)
Interim Committee,
Co-ordinator.
Dr. Theogene Rudasingwa,
Washington DC, USA
[email protected]
