Icyemezo cy'abasenateri b'Amerika gisaba gufatira abafasha M23 ibihano cyavugishije intore menshi

Iki ni ikiganiro hagati y’intore zirimo na Ministre Mushikiwabo ziga uburyo zizahangana n’ibyemezo by’amahanga akomeje gufatira Leta bashyigikiye ya Perezida Kagame.

Begin forwarded message:

From: [email protected]
Date: December 2, 2012, 4:23:10 PM EST
To: “Urubuga Intore” <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [Urubugarw_Intore] US Senate votes to sanction those helping M23 in Eastern Congo
Reply-To: [email protected]

Intore Zacu muraho cyane! Nakomeje gukurikira ibitekerezo byiza binyuranye mwatanze kuri iki kibazo, mbanje kubashimira ubushake mwagaragaje mugushaka ibisubizo nk’Abanyarwanda kuko nitwe tuzarurwanira, no matter what! Please forgive this very long e-mail, ndifuza gusobanura uburyo bumwe twagira icyo dukora. I. PROCESS: Inzira iyi Senate vote inyuramo kugirango ibe itegeko ryuzuye: icyambere iyo mubona ngo “Senate unanimously voted…”icyo bisobanura nuko hari abasenateri bafite inyungu cyangwa connection nikibazo nka 2 cyangwa 3 bazana iyi motion, noneho abandi bose bakabona ko ntamuntu koko ukwiye gushyigikira inyeshyamba zikora ibibi nkuko baba bazivuga, bagashyigikira ko uwazifasha wese yafatirwa ibihano. Icyakabiri nuko amendment izava muri Senate ikigwaho muri House, bakayikoraho n’ubugororangingo bwabo, noneho ikajya kwa Prezida, nawe yashaka akagira ibyo ahinduraho, hanyuma aha Ministri w’Ububanyi n’Amahanga (Secretary of State) atanga inama ku bantu b’Abanyamahanga bashobora gufatirwa ibihano cyangwa ntibabifatirwe kubera ko byahungabanya cyangwa ntibihungabanye umubano w’igihugu/ibihugu bakomokamo na Leta Zunze Ubumwe z’Amerika. Ubwo hakava liste y’abantu cyangwa bakaba babyihoreye. Ubwo iyo bigezaho niho itegeko riba rigeze gushyira mu bikorwa. Inzira ni ndende, cyane cyane amategeko asaba amafaranga akenshi abagize Inteko barayihorera akicara agategereza iyo atarimo inyungu zikomeye z’igihugu. Nubwo ariko inzira ari ndende ntabwo twakwicara gusa ngo dukurikire aho rinyura kuko nk’iyo inyungu za politike zibonetse ibintu birihutishwa cyane, byaba cyangwa bitaba rero twahaguruka tukamagana uwashaka guhanira Abanyarwanda ikibazo cy’Abanyekongo. Ku rwego rwa Government rero dufite ibikorwa tuzakurikirana tugerageza gukura mu nzira iri tegeko ryatubangamira, ariko twebwe nk’Intore: II. WHAT WE CAN DO: tudasubije inyuma ibitekerezo byinshi byiza mwatanze, ndabona icyihutirwa ari uko abatuye Amerika n’Ubwongereza mwakwandikira abadepite banyu, ndetse mukanabwira inshuti zanyu z’Abenegihugu mwese hamwe mugasaba kudahohotera u Rwanda n’Abanyarwanda bitewe no kutumva neza ikibazo cyangwa n’inyungu zitandukanye. Ikindi cyoroshye nacyo n’ukuganiriza abantu aho mukora cyangwa mu banyamahanga mubana, bigira akamaro cyane. III. SOME SUGGESTED POINTS mwakwiyongereraho: Rwanda is not at all the origin, nor the enabler of the current DRC crisis/ Rwanda did not create M23, nor did it support it, that’s a fact/ Not solving the problem of Congo, but rather creating another one for Rwanda is counterproductive/ Aid utilization in Rwanda is governed by agreed processes between donor and recipient, and visible through impressive results on the ground/The so-called UN Group of Experts Report is deeply flawed from people who produced it, factual errors, methodology and the manipulation around it/ The Coordinator of the report, as proven by his publications, is a man who’s sympathetic to the FDLR, an armed group based in DRC, that committed genocide in Rwanda/ Such a report can in no way be the basis to judge the Rwandan Government/ The fact that inaccuracies are repeated over and over doesn’t make them truth/ Wasting time in the blame game without contributing to a solution is irresponsible/ DRC neighbors, Rwanda included, have worked out a plan in Kampala last week to get out of the crisis, it needs to be supported by those who want a stable Congo. IV. Finally, Intore, mukurikire amakuru hafi, ameza muyasakaze henshi, abeshya muyamagane actively on social media, especially, ubundi TWIKOMEREZE IMIHIGO! LM
Envoyés à partir de mon appareil sans fil BlackBerry® smartphone alimenté par MTN
From: miheto tatien <[email protected]>
Sender: [email protected]
Date: Sun, 2 Dec 2012 20:11:53 +0000 (GMT)
To: [email protected]<[email protected]>
ReplyTo: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Urubugarw_Intore] US Senate votes to sanction those helping M23 in Eastern Congo
Intore Bayingana,

Nange ndasanga dukwiye kugira icyo dukora mu Rwanda no mu bihugu by’amahanga.

Mu Rwanda byaba bikwiye hakozwe inyigaragambyo imeze nk’iyigeze gukorwa igihe Afande Rose Kabuye afatirwa mu gihugu cy’Ubudage, bishobotse ndetse twakora igikorwa kirushijeho uburemere (ville morte nako Igihugu cyose, igisibo nk’icyo mu cyunamo n’ibindi bwakwigwaho). Ndahamya ko yaba ari message ikomeye abanyarwanda tuza kuba duhaye abaturenganya bafunga imfashanyo zo kuzahura abanyarwanda bari mu bibazo by’ubukene n’ibindi.

Mu Rwanda dukwiye gufata iyambere maze muri diaspora naho tugakurikizaho.

Ibikorwa byacu byaherekezwa na messages zisobanutse kandi zirasa ku ntego.

De : “[email protected]” <[email protected]>
À : Urubuga rw’Intore <[email protected]>
Envoyé le : Dimanche 2 décembre 2012 16h48
Objet : Re: [Urubugarw_Intore] US Senate votes to sanction those helping M23 in Eastern Congo
Intore,

Ni byiza kandi biranihutirwa ko hagira igikorwa kugirango twamagane akarengane tugirirwa n’amahanga. Yaba imyigaragambyo cyangwa ikindi gikorwa jyewe mbona dukwiye kugira icyo dukora nk’abaturage kuko abayobozi bacu ntako batagize ngo basobanure ko biriya turegwa ari ibihimbano.

Gusa nagirango mbaze Intore ziba muri biriya bihugu byafashe biriya byemezo. Kuki abafite ubwenegihugu bwabyo batabaza bariya ba deputes impamvu bafata biriya byemezo bishingiye ku mpuha? Ko ari abantu mwitoreye bagomba kubaha ibisobanuro ku byemezo bafata, ni kuki mutababaza? Cyari igitekerezo ubwo Intore bireba mwatubwira uko mubyumva.

Aimable
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From: Claude Rutsinzi <[email protected]>
Sender: [email protected]
Date: Sun, 2 Dec 2012 14:47:48 +0000 (GMT)
To: [email protected]<[email protected]>
ReplyTo: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Urubugarw_Intore] US Senate votes to sanction those helping M23 in Eastern Congo
Dear Intore ndabasuhuje,

Good to see finally we are taking interest in debating this issue of DRC. since its beginning, I feel like I have been to lone voice on this forum to speak on the matter and how whether wrongly or rightly Rwanda will certainly be made to look like its the one behind all this.

I can confidently say that our policymakers have failed to large extent on our most important principle which is that of preempting events and react before they come to harm us. It’s not all lost however, The ICGLR statement is being respected by M23, I am not sure if DRC government will, given how emboldened now they feel as Rwanda takes the heat from all corners most especially from its most perceived close ally the UK. Our inadequate or absence of response to these malicious allegation of Rwanda intention to harm two Rwandan individuals in the UK is the hurtful one if you asked me. As for International community nothing have changed and i fear things may go from bad to worse. At the UN, we are not in total bad shape but watching our representative on two occasions recently responding to DRC accusations it does not ring bells of confidence that we shaking off these attacks.
I have also been most critical of Rwanda civil society, it has failed our country on this occasion both internally and abroad.

So, what next?

At home: A peaceful demonstration denouncing the injustice our country is being subjected to once again should take place led by civil society mainly in front of not only UN, US, UK and EU major offices or embassies but also in front of our MINAFET and Parliament in support of our government commitment to sustainable development, national unity and long term stability and asking Rwanda to act decisively in dealing with the threat we face coming from DRC and the indifference of the international community.

Abroad: Rwanda diaspora across Europe,North America, must coordinate our action by signing a well prepared petition to a number of institutions and offices;
In Europe for instance that petition could be addressed to the European Union commission & parliament
In the UK we could address the petition to No10 and International development select committee.

In North American, We should certainly petition State department, congress & Senate even the White house.

What’s important here is the message we will be sending and how well this message is prepared. What ever we do we must seek to be different from how others do things we must be unique as we have always been and effectiveness should be the main characteristics of what we do. We have lately failed ourselves, our President who has constantly led the battle from the front and more importantly lets not fail Rwandan people.

I would also suggest that after the peaceful demonstration and receiving the petition, the Rt. Hon Minister for Foreign affair issues an unequivocal statement on major global news organisation that DRC gvt and M23 have to get their head together find a solution soon otherwise Rwanda will no longer tolerate the conflict to go on. Rwanda must show its determination to fight both parties and disarm them if it has to. I am not naive of international law implication around this statement but Rwanda is directly threatened and is facing the blunt of this conflict. Those who will pose obstacles must be denounced openly. We must and should show our resolve to support our leadership in taking the most difficult decision of them all that is of committing our men/women into harms away.

I would hope that Rwanda is already working on international coalition to deal decisively with the conflict in case DRC gvt and M23 do not show signs of getting a peaceful agreement forget the ICGLR neutral force Rwanda and Uganda must accept to bare the biggest if not all the burden whether DRC likes it or not. As I said before Rwanda must and should take lead in this coalition no matter how difficult this is. The alternative is that everything that we have worked hard for in the last 18 years is put at risk by unstable DRC.
I strongly believe that Rwanda still has good relations with some major powers, UK,USA etc… As I said before at the beginning of this conflict, we must revisit our lobbying strategies. A detailed and comprehensive plan of how to pacify eastern DRC must be presented to them and this plan must seek to cater for their interests not antagonise them. This major powers including the EU must be be shown that their and the regional interests are best served by sticking&supporting Rwanda and not punishing us. Our long term aim should be to see the end of MONUSCO in our back yard by pointing out its failures and how we are ready to support it and how effective we can be in doing so. We should not spend to much energy in dealing with DRC gvt now. Instead, much efforts should be focused on its Western reluctant backers.

All the above are things that can be done in short term. For the long term, we must start rethinking our media&communication strategies, gvt structure the reforms of some institutions are paramount; those strategic and well performing should be strengthened and those which are failing should be lifted and some few which are not fit for purpose must be abolished. I have my own ideas and will provide them in due course and when its necessary.

My ideas may be seen as bonkers of course and get dismissed as such I understand by they are just ideas.

Many thanks

From: ignatius mugabo <[email protected]>
To: Urubuga Rwintore <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, 2 December 2012, 9:09
Subject: RE: [Urubugarw_Intore] US Senate votes to sanction those helping M23 in Eastern Congo
Good morning Intore,
On this unfolding scenario of aid cuts and other maneuvers against Rwanda by the donors, it looks like we are already in reactive mode, I’m afraid.
I would think we need to step back a little, pose and ask the hard question: how did we get here in the first place? Take the example of the United Kingdom, which I’m fairly familiar with; we have seen this coming. First allegations that our envoy there was intimidating members of Rwandan Diaspora, flopping of our planned Diaspora Convention, then allegation that Rwanda was planning to harm two members of Rwandan Diaspora; this coming from Scotland Yard/London Metropolitan Police. No matter how much we tried to dispel these allegation, it had come from the Met, period! Sustained bad press followed against Rwanda, not only from the right wing media, but also from some media houses we considered friendly and liberal. Then came this recent UN GoE debacle, aid suspension, Andrew Mitchel lost his position as ID Secretary, not before he unsuspended the first tranche of 16m GBP on his last day in office, in what has been termed the “Andrew Mitchel scandal”, and as this “scandal” was still unfolding, then came the recent Documentary on UK’s flagship TV, Channel 4: Rwanda: where has your aid money gone? I watched it with horror, knowing that a NEW Secretary of State Justine Greening was just days away from taking a decision on Rwanda. This is just, but a brief chronology of how things have unfolded in the case of UK, to get where we are. And now we are talking of being proactive? Unless I don’t understand the meaning of that concept! Someone mentioned finding out where some officials stand on these issues (Susan Rice, Secretary Clinton, the White House & its myriad of advisers, who’s still friendly, who’s neutral and who’s more hostile at Capitol Hill; No.10 Downing Street, FCO- Foreign & Commonwealth Office, who’s friendly & who’s not in the British House of Commons and Lords etc), that will help to plan the next move. Otherwise, any poorly planned move may serve to inflame the situation.

Thank you.
Ignatius Mugabo

 

To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Date: Sun, 2 Dec 2012 06:08:28 +0000
Subject: Re: [Urubugarw_Intore] US Senate votes to sanction those helping M23 in Eastern Congo
Dear Intore Betty and others,
To me, we need to be proactive not reactive. Buriya ikiye gukurikiraho nyuma yo guhagarika inkunga zabo ni gukoresha abaturwanya b’abanyarwanda gutangira imyigaragambyo no gusabira uRwanda ibihano bindi.
Mbona dukwiye kubatanga tubereka ko ibyo barimo byose ari “Conspiracy”.
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From: [email protected]
Sender: [email protected]
Date: Sun, 2 Dec 2012 05:58:09 +0000
To: <[email protected]>
ReplyTo: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Urubugarw_Intore] US Senate votes to sanction those helping M23 in Eastern Congo
Hmm, Intore ndabashuhuje. Buriyase ntitwaba twihuse kurasa kumwanzi da! Nge najya inama ko twaba turetse iriya myigaragambyo maze tukabanza tukamenya neza ko mubadufatira icyemezo cyanyuma ntawiteguye gusubiza inyuma iriya serwakira. Just an idea. Blessings
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From: [email protected]
Sender: [email protected]
Date: Sun, 2 Dec 2012 05:15:34 +0000
To: <[email protected]>
ReplyTo: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Urubugarw_Intore] US Senate votes to sanction those helping M23 in Eastern Congo
Thanks Fred !!!

I also think you’re correct !! Tukongeraho ko twarambiwe AGASUZUGURO !!….

Izo nkunga baherekeza n’amagambo menshi zigeraho zigata AGACIRO !!!…

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From: [email protected]
Sender: [email protected]
Date: Sun, 2 Dec 2012 05:07:15 +0000
To: <[email protected]>
ReplyTo: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Urubugarw_Intore] US Senate votes to sanction those helping M23 in Eastern Congo
Intore,
Njye numva twagira imyigaragambyo iri peaceful, ifite ingingo imwe abanyarwanda n’inshuti zabo basaba amahanga: “STOP CONSPIRACY AGAINST RWANDA”. Ingingo yaherekezwa n’andi magambo make ayishimangira, urugero:
– Conspiracy resulted into the 1994 genocide in Rwanda
– The motive of the UN GoEs should be investigated
– UN Stop Injustice Now, Rwanda also deserves Justice
– Need of Congo’s Minerals shouldn’t substitute Peace
– UN, UK, US, EU..silence on FDLR attacks is a shame
We should really wake up and show the World our disappointment nubwo nta byinshi tubatezeho ariko tubereke ko ibyo bakora abanyarwanda tubisobanukiwe.

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From: Geoffrey Murangira <[email protected]>
Sender: [email protected]
Date: Sat, 1 Dec 2012 16:42:48 -0800 (PST)
To: <[email protected]>
ReplyTo: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Urubugarw_Intore] US Senate votes to sanction those helping M23 in Eastern Congo
Intore,
Do we know Hilary Clinton and Susan Rice positions on these sanctions ?
They surely represent Obama’s views whatever the case on the Disapora front
imyigaragambyo irakenewe hamwe na petitions. Abadukuriye muduhe directions
— On Sat, 12/1/12, Joseph Mungarulire <[email protected]> wrote:

From: Joseph Mungarulire <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [Urubugarw_Intore] US Senate votes to sanction those helping M23 in Eastern Congo
To: [email protected]
Received: Saturday, December 1, 2012, 2:00 PM
Agreed Fred.

Intore Ladislas,

Nubwo mu kinyarwanda tuvuga ngo “Ibuye ryabonetse ntiriba rikishe isuka”, biraboneka ko abaturwanya basa naho bavuga bati nubwo “ibuye” baribonye ntacyo bivuze, reka dukomeze dushyiremo utundi tubuye n’amabuye!

Biragaragara ko objectives zabo bazishyize hariya nizo bareba. The overall OUTCOME nuko bagira control ya Congo, whatever it takes nkuko byanditswe cyane i.e. the 20 000 people or so ba Monusco bakora ubusa hariya for so long. Other OUTPUTS? Lies and Lies and Lies again, nkuko hari uwigeze kubivuga mbere yanjye, stating yuko ari uRwanda ruteza ibibazo rushyigikira M23, ubundi bati rufatanyije na Uganda..

Ngirango twigeze kubiganiraho hambere, kera ubundi boherezaga abantu babo to organize coups, ariko ubu ntibicyoroshye nk’icyo gihe. Naho ubundi ziriya nyamaswa ziba zaraturiye kera!

Mugihe ibuye ryabonetse rero ariko waribona uwariteze ati nihahandi ndakomeza mutege ayandi, igisigaye ni ugukoma akamo uko tubishoboye.

Iriya myigaragambyo ku giti cyanjye ndabona ikenewe. Conspiracy irakabije, ntabwo communications zo muri newspapers, kuri internet, tweets etc.. ziri butuvane muri aka “kaduruvayo” aba ba mpatsibihugu n’abambari babo bashaka kudushyiramo.

Naje gusanga ngo uriya mu Tanzania Bernard Kamilius Membe uvuga amateka ya Great Lakes Region nk’aho nta history na nkeya yaho azi, ngo in 2007 “was appointed chairman of South African Development Community (SADC) organ on peace, security & defence during which SADC organ dealt with various peace & security issues in the region including DRC & Zimbabwe”. Uwo ni umuntu ufite Masters muri International Relations (Conflict resolution, International law and International Economics).

Ntabwo ibyo yavuze ko bariya bantu bo muri Kivu bahari illegally ntabwo ari uko nta bwenge afite. yarize bihagije. Ahubwo ba giti mu jisho bamubwiye isomo ryoroshye kwigisha riganisha kuri ya outcome: “LIE AND LIE AND LIE AGAIN”. Nicyo bamukeneyeho gusa, kandi ntabwo kiruhije mugihe yemeye kuba igikoresho cyabo.

To cut it short (bu not so short, and sorry for that!), ndabona imyigaragambyo iri bube ngombwa. Tubereke ko amabuye yagaragaye kandi tubereke nuko tuzi abagiye bayatega..

Ngaho murare aharyana, ahataryana harare umwanzi.

Kind regards.

Joseph Mungarulire
Johannesburg

 

On Sat, Dec 1, 2012 at 9:37 PM, <[email protected]> wrote:

Ladislas, what do you mean publicising the issue? It’s already publicised my brother, every talk, news, parliament sessions etc, Rwanda is the talk or target, remember silence means consent – though we have tried to provide enough but they completely ignored.

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From: “Ladislas” <[email protected]>
Sender: [email protected]
Date: Sat, 1 Dec 2012 19:26:55 +0000
To: <[email protected]>
ReplyTo: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Urubugarw_Intore] US Senate votes to sanction those helping M23 in Eastern Congo
Dear Fred;

Did you know that when you organize “imyigaragambyo”, you are publicizing the issue and give it more airtime?

It is very important to think about checks and balances as well as “opportunity costs”!

Good night.
Twitter @NLadislas
From: [email protected]
Sender: [email protected]
Date: Sat, 1 Dec 2012 19:03:50 +0000
To: <[email protected]>
ReplyTo: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Urubugarw_Intore] US Senate votes to sanction those helping M23 in Eastern Congo
Dear Patrick,
You are 100% correct, hari ibyo abanyarwanda tugomba gukora nubwo bisa nkaho ntacyo bibabwiye kubera imigambi yabo. Ndumva mu ngamba twafata habaho imyigaragambyo within and outside Rwanda twamagana “unfairness of international community and super power countries against Rwanda”. Nibyumvika rwose impamvu FDLR iba armed ikagera naho itera uRwanda ndetse bakanabyigamba ariko ntihagire icyo international community ikora ahubwo bakarenga bakarenganya uRwanda. This kind of injustice shouldn’t be accepted at all especially by Rwandan community with and outside Rwanda.
We can think of other strategies to address these western malicious acts.
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From: byusa patrick <[email protected]>
Sender: [email protected]
Date: Sat, 1 Dec 2012 18:41:33 +0000 (GMT)
To: [email protected]<[email protected]>
ReplyTo: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Urubugarw_Intore] US Senate votes to sanction those helping M23 in Eastern Congo
Intore,

mwibaza zo habaye manifestation D.C isaba aba ba senateurs kwumva neza uko ikibazo kimeze maze ibyo byemezo bakabifata bamaze kwumva neza uko ibintu bimeze hari icyo byafasha? Jyewe ndumva bafite informations zituruka ku ruhande rumwe kandi bakazifata uko zimeze. Ibisobanuro Urwanda na M23 batanga ntibashaka no kubitega amatwi. Nimba ibyo mvuze bitari byo n’iki kindi cyakorwa?

De : J-Mujaribu <[email protected]>
À : Urubugarw_Intore <[email protected]>
Envoyé le : Samedi 1 décembre 2012 6h29
Objet : [Urubugarw_Intore] US Senate votes to sanction those helping M23 in Eastern Congo
http://www.coons.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/release/senate-votes-to-sanction-those-helping-m23-in-eastern-congo

Nimucishemo amaso,noneho biranasekeje hejuru yo kubabaza, ngo M23 ifata kungufu (rape) abagore 1000 ku munsi nukuvuga ngo abagore 12% ba RD-Congo bafatwa ku ngufu kumunsi na M 23 !!!!!!!! birababaje kabisa kubona abantu nkaba bicara bakandika ibintu nkibi?! Ubwo kandi sindunva bicara ngo babyandike kuri FDLR/FARDC naza Mai Mai babaitangiye kuva za 94 kugeza magingo aya !

Intore, ibi biri very serious,niba bituruka mubantu bari muri iriya position yo hejuru mugihugu tuzi as a super power worldwide, birakwiriye ko binyomozwa rwose,abahanga bakadufasha baduha guidance, byaba na ngombwa nabariya basore barwana bakerekwa urubarindiriye mu minsi yavuba bakitegura kubirwanya , nubundi ntituregwa kubafasha kandi twarabihakanye ntibigire icyo bifata!?!! communication warfare ishyigikirwe cyane,aba mamans bo muri biriya bice bahabwe ijambo bamagane ibibavugwaho berekane uko babanyeho neza nabababohoye,niba hari cases ziriho zinagaragzwe ariko ho gukomeza kumvwa one side igamije kutubumba kumusaraba twese uko twakabye muri aka karere!

Janvier.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, November 30, 2012
CONTACT: Ian Koski at 202-224-4216

Senate votes to sanction those helping M23 in Eastern Congo

Amendment imposing an asset freeze and visa ban on those supporting the M23 added to Defense Authorization bill

WASHINGTON – The United States Senate unanimously passed an amendment Thursday night imposing sanctions on those providing financial, material, or technological support to the M23 rebel group in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Amendment 3199 to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was introduced by Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.).
“M23 has demonstrated an unconscionable disregard for human life and Congo’s territorial integrity and seems determined to sink central Africa in another deadly, devastating war that could set the region back a generation,” Senator Coons said. “The actions of M23 rebels, as well as those who aid and abet the M23, are deplorable and must be stopped immediately. These sanctions are designed to stop the illicit and dangerous support the M23 is receiving from those seeking to destabilize the region. I applaud Senator Durbin for taking the lead on this amendment, and am pleased the Senate spoke with one voice in unanimously supporting its passage.” Senator Coons is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs.
“The civil war in eastern Congo is the most lethal conflict since the Second World War and its barbarism defies description,” Senator Durbin said. “Last week, a well-armed rebel forces occupied the city of Goma and have set their sights on Kinshasa, Congo’s capital. The rebels, known for brutal violence and led by known war criminals, have the potential to destabilize the entire nation. As the violence continues to escalate, it is clear that the rebels are benefitting from strategic and material support from outside forces. This amendment freezes the assets and implements a visa ban for any person providing such troubling support. Our goal is to hasten an end to the violence by starving the rebels of their key lines of support.” Senator Durbin is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs.
Eastern Congo has been plagued by civil war for over the better part of two decades. Fighting for control of the region’s vast mineral resources, the fighting has killed millions and subjected innocent civilians to unspeakable levels of violence, include rape as a weapon of war. Known as the “Rape Capital of the World,” an estimated 1,000 women assaulted every day – nearly 12 percent of all women in Congo. The conflict is also marred by the use of child soldiers and the bloody and brutal violence inflicted on civilian populations.
M23 is a rebel group comprised largely of defectors from the Congolese army. The group seized the eastern city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo last week and, despite reports of a planned withdrawal yesterday, still occupies the important trading city. According to a report by the U.N. Group of Experts, the group is reported to be receiving significant assistance from neighboring Rwanda.
Last week, the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution calling on M23 to disarm, disband, and return control of Goma to the Congolese government, and urging nations to impose sanctions on M23 and its supporters. On Monday, the African Union said it was considering deploying an international force from Tanzania to oversee the withdrawal of M23.
The Democratic Republic of Congo was founded in 2003 at the conclusion of Second Congo War — a five-year multi-lateral conflict involving eight nations and two-dozen militia groups. The war and lingering conflicts are reported to have claimed the lives of 5.4 million people. It was the deadliest war in modern African history.
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