DEMOCRATIC FORCES FOR THE LIBERATION OF RWANDA, FDLR
ATTENTION: Mr Russell D. FEINGOLD, The US Special Envoy for the
African Great Lakes Region and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
SUBJECT: INTENDED MILITARY ATTACKS AGAINST FDLR
Dear Mr Russel D. FEINGOLD,
The Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) have been following with great interest all your “peace and stability” endeavours within the African Great Lakes Region since your appointment (18/07/2013) up to date. FDLR humbly salutes both your determination and good faith invested in this complex, challenging but noble humanitarian cause.
Dear Mr Feingold It was in this regard that FDLR has learned about your recent statement during the “2014 US-Africa Summit” in Washington DC: you stated that: “We have to get rid of the FDLR, not so much because of their military capacity, but because of what they represent and the destabilising effect that they have with regard to relations with Rwanda. That is our top priority, … I’ve been involved with efforts to communicate to them that it’s time for them to surrender. That they will be attacked militarily if they don’t. That there will be no political dialogue.”
Dear Feingold, We feel compelled to explicitly assert FDLR’s determination of pursuing the restoration of long-lasting peace and stability within the African Great Lakes Region without any further shading of more innocent human blood. The FDLRs are more than convinced that the unilateral initiative of laying their weapons down and focussing on non-armed political struggle, an inter-Rwandan political dialogue, highly inclusive, between the RPF/ KAGAME Government and FDLR/Rwandan opposition is a noble cause, which deserves the support of all peoples, institutions and governments, that claim to be both proponents of democratic values and defendants of fundamental human right.
Dear Feingold, It was with dismay that FDLR received the words from your statement as quoted herein above. Dear Feingold, We feel compelled to recall how zealous, concerned and committed were the U.S Special Representatives in “legally representing” the Rwandese Patriotic Front during the “1992-1993 Rwandan Arusha negotiations” (RPF- which then was an “illegitimate rebel/armed group” in the eyes of the then Rwandan Government) , and the U.S Special Representatives would not spare any effort as to not only impose economic sanctions and military embargo on the Rwandan government (in order to constrain it to negotiating with RPF);
but also to advocating both the urgency, the need and necessity of the Arusha Peace Agreement, and its relevant implications, such as the signing of a power sharing between RPF and the Rwandan government (which had become the heart of both Arusha negotiations and subsequent reached peace agreement); the peaceful, and voluntary repatriation of the then Rwandan refugees within humane conditions; the implementation of democracy (basically the establishment of genuine democratic State of Law) , etc.
Additionally, Dear Feingold, it’s worth it highlighting that the United States, whose Special Envoy you currently are, were among the spearheading governments besides France, Belgium, Tanzania and the African Union (then the Organisation for African Unity) to feel concerned about the plight of Rwandan refugees of that time and imposed unconditional political dialogue between the Rwandan government and RPF, a rebel armed group, which represented the interests of those Rwandan refugees.
Dear Feingold, you are quite aware that unconditional political negotiations, between the Rwandan government and RPF, as they were mediated by the Tanzanian government, the African Union, France, Belgium and the U.S governments started in June 1992 and were signed August 4, 1993 by the then conflicting parties.
Dear Feingold, it is actually a heart- breaking experience and unprecedented dejection to realise how thousands of Rwandan refugees, who have been unanimously abandoned by the international community (the United Nations, UN institutions, Governments -the U.S included-) at their own fate, for almost 20 years, since 1995 up to date, have been not only the prey of various and persistent armed attacks and injustices from RPF /KAGAME government and proxies, for almost two decades, but also when we, who are among those who happened to be the fittest and survived all those adversities, do manifest our will to voluntary repatriate back to our mother land and enjoy our citizenry, we are being rather threatened of decimation by means of bombs & bullets, as advocated by Governments that claim to be proponent of democracy and defendant of fundamental human rights.
Dear Feingold, drawing on your own discourses, you have already sentenced to death for the second time thousands of children, women and men of innocent civilian Rwandan refugees, currently in DRC, who had already been sentenced to death by RPF/KAGAME repetitive and persistent armed attacks, but have survived the test of time by the grace of God. Therefore, while we are still breathing let us bring the following points unto your special attention:
- By means of advocating military attacks against us, instead of exercising pressure on RPF/KAGAME government for needed and necessary inter- Rwandan political talks, which would enable current Rwandan refugees to voluntarily repatriate back to our motherland, you are actually indicating that Rwandan refugees (generation of 1959-1990), whose advocate the U.S Government was during 1990-1994 were “angels”whose concerns and needs were to be unconditionally addressed, while we, current Rwandan refugees (generation of 1994-2014) are “demons” to get rid of, and whose concerns and plight are to be definitely ignored;
- While FDLR is doing its best to have the Rwandan crisis resolved through political dialogue, and have the Rwandan refugees issue solved once for all through pacific means, you have already devised a plan of shading more innocent Rwandan-refugee blood; Instead of exercising diplomatic pressure of RPF/KAGAME government as you did during the 1990-1994 Rwandan war (which was imposed on Rwanda, by RPF armed rebel and was launched from Uganda) when the U.S imposed sanctions and compelled the then Rwandan government to negotiate with RPF, now in 2014,
- you have already decreed, on behalf of the current RPF/KAGAME government that there will be no negotiations with FDLR; Instead of promoting and encouraging democratic processes in Rwanda by suggesting the opening of wider political freedom and space, you are upholding RPF/KAGAME dictatorship and would make sure no Rwandan refugee goes back home free and alive from the DRC through your intended military attacks on FDLR scheduled sometime end of 2014;
- FDLR believes that the Rwandan problem is a political problem and therefore its solutions are political and not military; FDLR as politico-military organisation believes the RPF/UN advocated Disarmament, Demobilization, Repatriation, Reinsertion and Reintegration, (DDRRR) process, can only be applicable as an outcome of political dialogue between RPF/KAGAME government and FDLR/Rwandan opposition and never as a pre-condition to the negotiations in question;
- FDLR strongly believes an inter–Rwandan political dialogue, highly inclusive, between RPF/KAGAME government and FDLR with all other political opposition parties is a required pre-condition for any voluntary repatriation of Rwandan refugees, and it is equally a pre-requisite for democratic transition in Rwanda, as well as for restoration of peace and stability in the African Great Lakes Region.
FDLR would humbly suggest that the U.S, through its Special Envoy in the Great Lakes and DRC, stop its biased and unfair mindset and attitudes towards Rwandan refugees in the eastern – DRC, and rather support the efforts of FDLR of seeking and achieving pacific political solutions to the complex and problematic Rwandan political problems, without any further shading of innocent human blood and unnecessary sufferings.
Dear Feingold, please find attached herewith FDLR’s overview and pathway to the New Rwanda & Democratic State of Law. Yours in Rwandan peaceful & democratic process.
Done in Walikale, August 08, 2014
For FDLR, Victor BYIRINGIRO Major General,
President ad interim
CC:
- His Excellency Mr Ban KI-MOON, Secretary General of the United Nations;
- Her Excellency Madam Angela MERKEL, The Chancellor of GERMANY
- His Excellency Mr Herman Van RUMPUY, Chairperson of the European Union Council;
- His Excellency Mr Emmanuel BAROSSO, Chairperson of the European Union Commission
- His Excellency Mr Xi JINPING, President of the People’s Republic of China 中华人民共和国主席
- His Excellency Mr François HOLLANDE, Président de la République Française
- His Excellency Mr Vladimir PUTIN, President of the Russian Federation Президент Российской Федерации,
- His Excellency Mr David CAMERON, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
- His Excellency Mr Barack OBAMA, President of the United States of America
- His Excellency General-President Paul KAGAME, President of the Republic of Rwanda;
- His Excellency Joseph KABILA KABANGE, President of the Democratic Republic of Cong (DRC)
- His Excellency Martin KOBLER, the Head of MONUSCO
- Her Excellency Madame Doctor Nkosazana Dlamini ZUMA, Chairperson of the African Union Commission;
- Her Excellency Madame Joyce BANDA, Former President of the Republic of MALAWI and Chairperson of SADC
- His Excellency Mr José Eduardo DOS SANTOS, President of the republic of ANGOLA and Chairperson of International Conference for the African Great Lakes Region;
- His Excellency Mr Robert MUGABE, President of the republic of ZIMBABWE; Deputy–Chairperson of the African Union Commission and Deputy–Chairperson of SADC
- His Excellency Mr Jakaya M. KIKWETE, President of TANZANIA
- His Excellency Mr Jacob ZUMA, President of the republic of South Africa;
- His Excellency Michael Sata President of the Republic of Zambia
- His Excellency Mr Armando Guebuza , President of republic of Mozambique
- His Excellency Mr Hifikepunye Pohamba, President of republic of Namibia
- His Excellency King Mswati III King of Swaziland
- His excellency Mr Seretse Khama Ian Khama President of republic of Botswana
- His Excellency Mr Uhuru KENYATTA, President of the republic of KENYA and Chairperson of the East African Community
- Director of institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS)
- His Excellency Faustin Twagiramungu Président de la CPC
