| ### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ### |
| ### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ### |
In his first interview since an armed group backed by Rwanda seized swaths of his country's territory this year, Felix Tshisekedi, the president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, offered the United States and Europe a stake in his country's vast mineral wealth, a sector currently dominated by China.
Congo is considered to be among the world's wealthiest country in terms of natural resources. It provides much of the world's coltan, which is used to power smartphones and computers. It also holds more than half the world's cobalt reserves, used in electric vehicles.
Mr. Tshisekedi seemed eager to capitalize on this as he tries to manage a conflict he says is similar to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Mr. Tshisekedi has pinned his hopes on Western pressure against Rwanda, calculating that major investments in Congo — including a possible minerals deal — would bring his country much more security and stability.
China currently has far greater access to Congo's mineral wealth than the United States, while the European Union has negotiated with Rwanda, agreeing to give it about $935 million in return for access to minerals like tin, tungsten and gold.
Mr. Tshisekedi said those minerals are plundered by Rwanda from his country, and called Europe's deal "an absolute scandal," accusing the European Union of being "complicit in the theft and looting of Congo."
The European Union has argued that the deal will lead to increased regulation and greater cooperation in the fight against conflict materials. Last week, the European Parliament called for the deal to be suspended until Rwanda ceased all interference in Congo, "including exporting minerals mined from M23-controlled areas."
Competition over Congo's riches has long kept its population among the world's poorest, and the weakness of its army has kept it vulnerable to outsiders.
An armed group called M23 began its lightning offensive in eastern Congo earlier this year. The group is made up of roughly 8,000 men that the United States and the United Nations say are directed and funded by Rwanda.
M23 has killed thousands of Congolese soldiers and civilians since January, capturing two key airports and two major eastern cities, Goma and Bukavu. It is currently marching toward a third.
On Thursday, the United States announced sanctions on an M23 spokesman and a Rwandan government minister for links to the violence in eastern Congo.
A thousand miles to the west in Kinshasa, Congo's capital, Mr. Tshisekedi has been running out of options. Speaking over video call from his wood-paneled office, he said he had skipped recent peace talks on the conflict because Rwanda has insisted he speak directly to M23.
"I don't want to negotiate with M23," he said. "M23 is an empty shell."
Mr. Tshisekedi accuses Rwanda of trying to disguise M23 as a Congolese armed movement, saying it is really a creation of the Rwandan military meant to defend Rwandan interests in Congo, including plundering minerals. "We'd rather talk to Rwanda," he said.
Paul Kagame, the president of Rwanda, has denied funding or directing M23. In response to a request for comment, a spokeswoman for Mr. Kagame wrote that Mr. Tshisekedi was promoting a "tired story," and encouraged him to "follow the road map African regional leaders have decided."
Those regional efforts to resolve the crisis have floundered, and Mr. Kagame has also refused to attend recent peace talks. Calls by the African Union for a cease-fire have so far gone unheeded.
But the crisis is at a pivotal moment. In its sanctions announcement on Thursday, the United States warned of the prospect of a wider regional war.
This week, M23 attacked all the main Congolese military positions on the road to Butembo, a city north of Goma, according to local reports. M23 has also said it has its sights on Kinshasa. Mr. Tshisekedi has vowed to retake Goma from M23 "either through dialogue or military reconquest."
The Trump administration has already shown interest in a deal that could ensure a stream of strategic minerals directly from Congo, Mr. Tshisekedi said. He also touted investments in major Congolese projects including a mega dam that, if completed, would be the world's largest hydroelectric plant.
At the same time, Rwanda has cultivated relationships with Western powers — hosting major sporting events and concerts with celebrities like Kendrick Lamar — making more aggressive sanctions from the West unlikely to come quickly, analysts say.
"Leaders need to be braver," Mr. Tshisekedi said. "It seems to me everyone's afraid of Kagame. Why? That surprises me."
M23 claims its mission is to protect one of Congo's ethnic minorities.
Thirty years ago, about 800,000 civilians, mostly Tutsis, were slaughtered in Rwanda by members of the Hutu majority. After the genocide, many of the Hutus in Rwanda fled into Congo to avoid facing justice. M23 claims the Tshisekedi government is failing to protect Congolese Tutsi, known in Congo as Banyamulenge, from discrimination.
Mr. Tshisekedi has denied this. "That's not true," he said in the interview. "I am the first president of this country to have said loud and clear to all my compatriots that the Banyamulenge, or Congolese Kinyarwanda-speaking Tutsi, all are indeed Congolese."
Mr. Kagame says the conflict in eastern Congo must be resolved between Congolese leaders and the rebels. He has acknowledged that Rwandan troops are present in Congo, but denies supporting M23. Fighters hostile to Rwanda in eastern Congo pose a national security risk for his country, Mr. Kagame has said.
Mr. Tshisekedi said in the interview that this was a false pretext to justify invasion. "In reality, they're plundering Congo's natural resources," he said, calling Mr. Kagame a "warlord" with a "mania to be the apex predator." According to the United Nations, M23 already controls much of Congo's coltan.
So far, the United States has issued condemnations of Rwanda but taken little action. On Jan. 30, President Trump called the fighting in eastern Congo "a very serious problem" but declined to say more.
Experts said the sanctions announced on Thursday were a significant symbolic step — particularly those against James Kabarebe, one of Mr. Kagame's oldest loyalists, who helped a previous incarnation of Rwanda-backed rebels seize Kinshasa in 1997.
But, analysts say, the United States could go much further, for instance by pushing the World Bank to cut Rwanda's funding, much of which is provided by the U.S. government, and by reviewing Rwanda's lucrative role as a supplier of troops to peacekeeping missions.
On Friday, the U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted a draft resolution that called for the withdrawal of Rwandan troops in Congo and an end to the M23 offensive.
"The only language Kagame understands is force," Mr. Tshisekedi said. "Diplomacy is not in his DNA."
Ruth Maclean is the West Africa bureau chief for The Times, covering 25 countries including Nigeria, Congo, the countries in the Sahel region as well as Central Africa. More about Ruth Maclean
| ### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ### |
| ### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ### |
| ### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ### |
Pourquoi le Rapport Mapping n'a jamais été considéré et ses recommandations non mises en exécution
https://africaalliance.blogspot.com/2025/02/pourquoi-le-rapport-mapping-na-pas-ete.html
Understanding Uganda's Political Risks
https://africaalliance.blogspot.com/2025/02/understanding-ugandas-political-risks.html
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Rwanda Under Paul Kagame: A Regime of Repression, Violence, and Political Myths
https://rwandanalliance.blogspot.com/2025/02/rwanda-under-paul-kagame-regime-of.html
| ### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ### |
KABAREBE, James, Rwanda; DOB 23 Dec 1959; POB Rwanda; alt. POB Uganda; nationality Rwanda; Gender Male; Passport PD101127 (Rwanda) expires 01 Jul 2027; alt. Passport PD101374 (Rwanda) expires 14 Nov 2028; alt. Passport RW01119 (Rwanda) (individual) [DRCONGO].
https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20250220KABAREBE, James, Rwanda; DOB 23 Dec 1959; POB Rwanda; alt. POB Uganda; nationality Rwanda; Gender Male; Passport PD101127 (Rwanda) expires 01 Jul 2027; alt. Passport PD101374 (Rwanda) expires 14 Nov 2028; alt. Passport RW01119 (Rwanda) (individual) [DRCONGO].
KINGSTON, Lawrence Kanyuka (a.k.a. KANYUKA, Lawrence Kingston), North Kivu, Congo, Democratic Republic of the; 12 Rue Chevalier, Saint-Maur-des-Fosses 94210, France; 66 Cranberry Lane, London E16 4PE, United Kingdom; 27 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3AX, United Kingdom; DOB 19 Jul 1970; POB Kinshasa, Congo, Democratic Republic of the; nationality Congo, Democratic Republic of the; alt. nationality United Kingdom; Gender Male; Passport 518058784 (United Kingdom) expires 10 Jul 2024 (individual) [DRCONGO] (Linked To: M23).
CARTELES UNIDOS (a.k.a. CARTEL DE TEPALCATEPEC; a.k.a. CARTEL DEL ABUELO; a.k.a. TEPALCATEPEC CARTEL; a.k.a. "CARTEL DE LOS REYES"; a.k.a. "THE GRANDFATHER CARTEL"; a.k.a. "UNITED CARTELS"), Mexico; Secondary sanctions risk: section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886; Organization Type: Transnational Terrorist Group; Target Type Criminal Organization [FTO] [SDGT].
KINGSTON FRESH LTD, 27 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3AX, United Kingdom; Organization Established Date 05 Oct 2016; Organization Type: Other food service activities; Company Number 10410781 (United Kingdom) [DRCONGO] (Linked To: KINGSTON, Lawrence Kanyuka).
KINGSTON HOLDING, 229 Rue Saint Honore, Paris, Ile-de-France 75001, France; Website https://kingstonholding.com; Organization Established Date 25 Aug 2017; Organization Type: Other business support service activities n.e.c.; Business Registration Number 831709902 (France) [DRCONGO] (Linked To: KINGSTON, Lawrence Kanyuka).
CARTEL DE JALISCO NUEVA GENERACION (a.k.a. CJNG; a.k.a. JALISCO NEW GENERATION CARTEL; a.k.a. NEW GENERATION CARTEL OF JALISCO), Mexico [SDNTK] [ILLICIT-DRUGS-EO14059]. -to- CARTEL DE JALISCO NUEVA GENERACION (a.k.a. CJNG; a.k.a. JALISCO NEW GENERATION CARTEL; a.k.a. NEW GENERATION CARTEL OF JALISCO), Mexico; Secondary sanctions risk: section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886; Organization Type: Transnational Terrorist Group; Target Type Criminal Organization [SDNTK] [FTO] [SDGT] [ILLICIT-DRUGS-EO14059].
GULF CARTEL (a.k.a. CARTEL DEL GOLFO; a.k.a. OSIEL CARDENAS-GUILLEN ORGANIZATION; a.k.a. "CDG"), Mexico [SDNTK] [ILLICIT-DRUGS-EO14059]. -to- GULF CARTEL (a.k.a. CARTEL DEL GOLFO; a.k.a. OSIEL CARDENAS-GUILLEN ORGANIZATION; a.k.a. "CDG"), Mexico; Secondary sanctions risk: section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886; Organization Type: Transnational Terrorist Group; Target Type Criminal Organization [SDNTK] [FTO] [SDGT] [ILLICIT-DRUGS-EO14059].
LA NUEVA FAMILIA MICHOACANA (a.k.a. "LNFM"), Guerrero, Mexico; Michoacan, Mexico; Target Type Criminal Organization [ILLICIT-DRUGS-EO14059]. -to- LA NUEVA FAMILIA MICHOACANA (a.k.a. "LNFM"), Guerrero, Mexico; Michoacan, Mexico; Secondary sanctions risk: section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886; Organization Type: Transnational Terrorist Group; Target Type Criminal Organization [FTO] [SDGT] [ILLICIT-DRUGS-EO14059].
LOS ZETAS (a.k.a. CARTEL DEL NORESTE; a.k.a. "CDN"; a.k.a. "NORTHEAST CARTEL"), Mexico [SDNTK] [TCO] [ILLICIT-DRUGS-EO14059]. -to- LOS ZETAS (a.k.a. CARTEL DEL NORESTE; a.k.a. "CDN"; a.k.a. "NORTHEAST CARTEL"), Mexico; Secondary sanctions risk: section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886; Organization Type: Transnational Terrorist Group; Target Type Criminal Organization [SDNTK] [FTO] [SDGT] [TCO] [ILLICIT-DRUGS-EO14059].
MS-13 (a.k.a. MARA SALVATRUCHA), El Salvador; Mexico; Honduras; Guatemala; United States [TCO]. -to- MS-13 (a.k.a. MARA SALVATRUCHA), El Salvador; Mexico; Honduras; Guatemala; United States; Secondary sanctions risk: section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886; Organization Type: Transnational Terrorist Group; Target Type Criminal Organization [FTO] [SDGT] [TCO].
SINALOA CARTEL (a.k.a. CARTEL DE SINALOA; f.k.a. "GUADALAJARA CARTEL"; f.k.a. "MEXICAN FEDERATION"), Mexico [SDNTK] [ILLICIT-DRUGS-EO14059]. -to- SINALOA CARTEL (a.k.a. CARTEL DE SINALOA; a.k.a. "GUADALAJARA CARTEL"; a.k.a. "MEXICAN FEDERATION"), Mexico; Secondary sanctions risk: section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886; Organization Type: Transnational Terrorist Group; Target Type Criminal Organization [SDNTK] [FTO] [SDGT] [ILLICIT-DRUGS-EO14059].
TREN DE ARAGUA (Latin: EL TREN DE ARAGUA) (a.k.a. "ARAGUA TRAIN"), Venezuela; Colombia; Chile; Peru; Ecuador; Brazil; Bolivia; Panama; United States; Target Type Criminal Organization [TCO]. -to- TREN DE ARAGUA (a.k.a. EL TREN DE ARAGUA; a.k.a. "ARAGUA TRAIN"), Venezuela; Colombia; Chile; Peru; Ecuador; Brazil; Bolivia; Panama; United States; Secondary sanctions risk: section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224, as amended by Executive Order 13886; Organization Type: Transnational Terrorist Group; Target Type Criminal Organization [FTO] [SDGT] [TCO].
None
| ### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ### |
Abarwanyi b'umutwe wa Twirwaneho bavuga ko drone yarashe mu birindiro byabo biri ahitwa Gakangara, muri segiteri ya Ngandja, muri Teritware ya Fizi, intara ya Kivu y'epfo yica abantu 6 barimo Koloneli Michel Rukunda Makanika.
Bamwe mu baturage batuye mu Minembwe babonye iyo drone bavuga ko yanyuze mu kirere cya Gahwera ija kurasa ibirindiro bya Twirwaneho.
Haba igisirikare cya leta ya Kongo cangwa indi mitwe yitwaje ibirwanisho ntawe uravuga ko ari bo bishe Koloneli Makanika, warwaniraga Twirwaneho mu kwita ku mutekano n'ubusugire bw' abaturage b'Abanyamulenge bakunda kwibasirwa n'abarwanyi ba Mai Mai na Red Tabara.
Koloneli Michel Rukunda Makanika yahoze ari umusirikare wa FARDC kugeza mu mwaka wa 2020 ubwo yatandukanije na leta. Uyu muyobozi wa Twirwaneho yishwe mu gihe inyeshyamba z'umutwe wa M23 zikomeje gufata ibice bitandukanye byo mu ntara ya Kivu y'epfo. Nyuma yo gufata Bukavu mu mpera z'indwi irangiye, M23 yigaruriye kandi santere y'ubucuruzi ya Kamanyola ku musi wa kabiri.
| ### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ### |
| ### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ### |
Les erreurs de Therese Kayikwamba Wagner
Nous saluons le travail impeccable de S.E Mme la Ministre d'Etat et ministre des Affaires Étrangères de la RDC. Cependant il ya quelques erreurs qu'il faut noter :
1.Avoir négligé la mauvaise foi de Kagame dans les négociations de Luanda et continuer à négocier alors que tout le monde (sauf elle) savait que ces négociations n'aboutissent à rien. Aussi S.E Mme la Ministre tentait de négocier en secret sur des problèmes importants concernant les Congolais.
2. Avoir ressuscité la question des FDLR utilisée par Kagame pour justifier l'agression du Rwanda contre la RDC. Son prédécesseur Christophe Lutundula avait pratiquement et avec succès exclut des négociations le problème des FDLR car il avait compris que c'était un outil utilisé par le Rwanda pour justifier son appui au M23.
3. Avoir insisté sur les sanctions ciblées contre les individus Rwandais impliqués dans la guerre alors que nous savons que de telles sanctions ne touchent pas la très haute hiérarchie de l'armée ou du gouvernement rwandais. Ces sanctions normalement touchent aussi les Congolais (agressés) et le M23.
4. Avoir tardé à demander la suspension des aides pour le Rwanda provenant des pays occidentaux qui ont servi pendant les 30 à acheter les armes pour agresser la RDC.
5. Avoir tardé à contacter les sociétés privées et de sports pour leur demander d'arrêter leur coopération avec le Rwanda. En effet, le Rwanda a longtemps utilisé l'argent issu des minerais volés en RDC pour construire des hôtels, des stades, organiser des réunions, sponsoriser les clubs internationaux riches et des sports internationaux. Il faut continuer à démontrer cela. La RDC devrait renforcer son système de renseignement économique à l'intérieur et à l'extérieur.
6. Ne pas avoir fermé les frontières avec le Rwanda et se plaindre que les militaires rwandais entrent sur le sol congolais pour soutenir le M23.
7. Trop Insister au Conseil de Sécurité de prendre des sanctions ciblées contre les individus rwandais impliqués dans la guerre d'agression contre la RDC, alors qu'il est pratiquement impossible d'avoir une résolution sur cette question sans aucun veto. Les sanctions au niveau bilatéral décidées par des pays qui coopèrent avec le Rwanda viendraient rapidement et c'est là ou il faut continuer à insister.
8. Avec Patrick Muyaya, avoir continué à dire que la RDC n'a rien contre les Rwandais.Oui c'est comme ça que les choses devraient être au niveau des deux côtés.Cependant ces Rwandais qui soutiennent Kagame se moque de cette attitude et n'ont jamais montré le même comportement à l'égard des Congolais. Cela n'est-il pas la raison pour laquelle Kagame a insulté le Chef d'Etat Congolais ?
9. Ne pas avoir remarqué que Kagame a pratiquement créé des accords avec la majorité des pays africains dans beaucoup de secteurs y compris la sécurité, les visa et la coopération dans d'autres secteurs. Même si ces accords ne sont pas mis en application ou n'apportent rien de nouveau aux pays qui les ont signés car le Rwanda n'a rien à apporter dans le cadre de ces accords, ces accords existent quand même, même s'ils sont restés dans les tiroirs. Ces accords justifient la raison pour laquelle, beaucoup de pays Africains restent silencieux sur la guerre d'agression de la RDC.
10.Suggestion : Après la guerre, la RDC devrait penser à mettre en place un chemin de fer entre Kinshasa et Goma/Bukavu. La capitale politique de la RDC devrait être construite au centre de la RDC. Kinshasa resterait la capitale économique.
| ### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ### |
| ### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ### |
| ### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ### |
Trump wants an early end to this war, even if it means forcing Ukraine to swallow some very bitter pills indeed.
He sees the war as Europe's problem and for Europe to sort out.
He has other priorities, like securing America's southern border or focussing on trade, tariffs, China and the Pacific.
More details of US peace proposals will likely emerge at this weekend's high-level Munich Security Conference, due to be attended by US Vice President J D Vance and Zelensky.
EPA
Things are moving very fast when it comes to efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
Unfortunately for Kyiv, it is not in the driving seat.
The news that the leaders of the two most heavily armed nuclear nations - Russia and the US - have held a seemingly constructive and cordial 90 minute phone call is, at face value, a welcome step towards a more peaceful world.
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin clearly have a good working relationship, in marked contrast to the previous occupant of the White House, Joe Biden.
So for now, the temperature has been lowered - but this positive move may well come at Ukraine's expense.
The words of Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, earlier today will have come as an ice cold shower to many in Ukraine, dashing a lot of their hopes for a secure future, free from the menace of further Russian invasions.
They are also a blow to some of Kyiv's closest backers in Nato who wanted to keep the pressure on Moscow in the hopes of exhausting its faltering economy.
Pete Hegseth laid out in crystal clear terms where the US stands on peace for Ukraine, in words that will no doubt be welcomed by Moscow.
No US troops for Ukraine in any future security arrangement.
No likelihood of Ukraine joining NATO.
No realistic possibility of returning to its pre-2014 borders, when Russia occupied and annexed Crimea and backed insurgents in the Donbas.
These were all clearly stated goals made by President Volodymyr Zelensky and his government and they come on top of a dire situation on the battlefield, where Russia's superior numbers are enabling it to slowly push deeper into Ukrainian territory.
This is all in stark contrast to the oft-repeated and now rather hollow sounding Western mantra of sustaining Nato support for Ukraine "for as long as it takes".
Trump wants an early end to this war, even if it means forcing Ukraine to swallow some very bitter pills indeed.
He sees the war as Europe's problem and for Europe to sort out.
He has other priorities, like securing America's southern border or focussing on trade, tariffs, China and the Pacific.
More details of US peace proposals will likely emerge at this weekend's high-level Munich Security Conference, due to be attended by US Vice President J D Vance and Zelensky.
It is more than possible that a deal can eventually be reached involving thousands of European and non-European peacekeeping troops, or some kind of aid-for-minerals deal with Washington that gives the US access to Ukraine's substantial deposits of rare earth minerals like lithium.
But for now, 12 February will go down in Ukraine's calendar as a tough day when a new and unwelcome reality took hold.
| ### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ### |
| ### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ### |
| ### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ### |
| ### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ### |
Le quotidien belge Le Soir devrait être interdit en RDC et ses probables envoyés ou correspondants dans ce pays expulsés ou inculpés.
En plus le journaliste qui a réalisé cette interview et celles ou ceux qui ont font la diffusion comme ici Colette Braeckmane, inculpés pour:
Apologie du terrorisme et diffusion d'appels aux meurtres et génocide,
Entrée illégale et frauduleuse en RDC
Etc...
Car il faut en effet être un media belge extrémiste de Droite et raciste pro Tutsi comme "Le Soir" pour oser donner la parole a un criminel déjà condamné à mort et en fuite mais recherché, pour qu'il diffuse sa haine contre les Bantou et les appels pour la balkanisation d'un état unitaire et souverain qu'est la RDC au profit du Rwanda de Paul Kagame car uniquement Tutsi.
Le communiqué EAC-SADC est ambigu sur beaucoup de choses.
Mais ce qui est important c'est de continuer à aider les Congolais à comprendre les stratégies de Kagame.
Kagame a obtenu ce qu'il voulait : le cessez-le-feu pour préparer une autre phase de la guerre, probablement la dernière. C'est aussi l'occasion de M23 d'installer l'administration parallèle.
A chaque fois qu'il a des gains de localités, il demande le cessez-le-feu. Il a pris Goma, il a des zones et des sites miniers, c ;est pourquoi il a voulu le cessez-le-feu. Il prendra Bukavu, l'aéroport de Kavumu et les autres localités pendant le cessez-le-feu.
Comme les Congolais sont faibles militairement et n'ont pas de capacité de négociation, le cessez- le-feu leur donne l'occasion de dormir, de jeter les armes. Les Congolais ne savent pas expliquer leurs problèmes et les enjeux sécuritaires auxquels ils font face. Le Président du Burundi connaît mieux les problèmes de la RDC que les Congolais eux-mêmes.
Un pays attaqué ne devrait pas accepter le cessez-le-feu. Tshisekedi demande la réouverture de l'aéroport qu'il ne contrôle pas. Qui va gérer l'aéroport ? Si l'aéroport est ouvert cela va donner a Kagame la voie pour apporter d'autres armes pour stocker à Goma. Il va contrôler le trafic aérien dans le nord du Kivu. La RDC n'a aucun intérêt à rouvrir l'aéroport pour le moment.
1.Que le Gouvernement de la RDC donne les instructions à tous les médias et les autres institutions en RDC de ne plus mentionner AFC/M23. Il faut mentionner RDF.
2.En plus d'avoir écrit aux clubs sportifs européens impliqués dans la propagande Visit Rwanda, le Gouvernement de la RDC doit interdire les compagnies de télévisions comme Canal+ de montrer les matchs comprenant la campagne Visit Rwanda.
3. Négocier avec M23 signifie promouvoir l'impunité à l'égard de Mr. I don't Know (Paul Kagame) et du M23. Cela signifie que le Président Tshisekedi a accepté d'être imposé par les armes de Mr. I don't Know (Paul Kagame) de négocier avec le M23. Cela aussi signifie une interférence dans les investigations entamées par la CPI.
4. D'autres localités seront prises par les RDF pendant la réunion EAC/SADC. C'est comme ça que Kagame fait. Il prend les localités pendant le cessez-le-feu ou pendant les réunions impliquant les parties en conflit.
| ### "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence", George Washington. ### |
On Feb 5, 2025, at 5:10 PM, Sixbert Musangamfura <sixbert.musangamfura@gmail.com> wrote:
Open Letter
To the Esteemed Heads of State of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC),
Joint Meeting in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on February 7, 2025February 5, 2025
Subject: A Moral Imperative and Strategic Necessity to Stop Rwanda's War in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
Your Excellencies,
How did the already beleaguered city of Goma fall once again to the forces of Rwanda and its proxy, the M23 militia? How did a well-endowed international community, formidable regional bodies, and a nation as vast as the DRC allow its sovereignty to be trampled? The answers are clear: General Kagame's impunity, long sustained by Western powers, calculated military maneuvers, and deceptive tactics have exploited your collective failure to marshal your combined economic and military power, forceful diplomacy, strategic vision, and united action. Practical statesmen do not cower in moments of crisis—they rise to learn, lead, and secure a better future. Now, it is that moment.
Victory in war demands a fusion of political will, agile strategy, and decisive timing. Just as warfare is an extension of political objectives, forceful diplomacy is the art of resolving conflict through deliberate, resolute action. Rwanda has mastered the exploitation of your vulnerabilities—using deception, timing, and resource plundering to its advantage. As you prepare to meet, General Kagame unashamedly says he does not know if his military is in DRC. This follows another deceptive so-called unilateral ceasefire by his militia, M23, and the lie that they have no intention of capturing Bukavu in South Kivu. Since 1990, General Kagame has repeatedly demonstrated that he does not believe in negotiations, peace agreements, and ceasefires, except as temporary tactics to regroup and strike his adversaries. Yet, history shows that when a nation is mobilized and organized, and regional unity is harnessed, it can stop and reverse aggression and restore peace. With the considerable military, political, and economic clout of the EAC and SADC command, decisive action can and must be taken.
For decades, the EAC and SADC have symbolized African peoples' yearning for regional solidarity, economic integration, and collective security. Our founding treaties and the African Union's Constitutive Act bind nations to stand against aggression, destabilization, and violations of human dignity. Rwanda's invasion of the DRC—conducted through the M23 rebel group—is a flagrant violation of these sacred principles. The human cost is staggering: millions dead, communities decimated, millions displaced, and precious resources looted. Every day without action further erodes our values and emboldens General Kagame's belligerence.
The EAC and SADC have populations exceeding 600 million and a combined GDP of over $1 trillion. If channeled wisely and effectively, this power is a formidable force for peace and justice. We have witnessed how coordinated regional pressure compelled Rwanda to withdraw from Goma in 2012. History is calling you to act again—this time, to secure lasting peace and justice.
Rwanda's aggression is not merely a territorial dispute but an insidious campaign of economic plunder and political manipulation. Under General Kagame's authoritarian regime, which thrives on political repression and the exploitation of the DRC's mineral wealth, external conflict has become a tool to suppress internal dissent. This national oppression, coupled with transnational repression—marked by the targeting of exiles and opposition figures—underscores the dangerous extent of Kagame's ambitions.
Documented by the United Nations Group of Experts and numerous human rights organizations, Rwanda's systematic looting of resources like coltan, gold, and diamonds fuels not only the conflict in the DRC but also fortifies a dictatorship at home. Without intervention, this cycle of violence and exploitation will continue, with consequences that include escalation to inter-state and regional war, a massive loss of lives, unparalleled human displacement and refugees, regional instability, erosion of Africa's credibility, and economic stagnation.
Recommendations for Immediate and Sustained Action
- Issue an Unambiguous Ultimatum: Demand that Rwanda immediately cease all support to M23 and withdraw its forces from the DRC. Non-compliance must trigger escalated regional action.
- Enforce Economic and Diplomatic Sanctions: Suspend Rwanda's access to regional trade agreements and impose targeted sanctions on those profiting from the conflict. Let your united disapproval be felt.
- Suspend Rwanda from Key International Bodies: Collaborate with continental and international partners to suspend Rwanda's membership in the African Union and the Commonwealth of Nations membership until it honors international norms.
- Deploy a Joint EAC-SADC Military Force: Create a robust rapid-response unit tasked with protecting civilians, monitoring borders, and ensuring Rwanda's withdrawal. This force must be empowered and adequately resourced.
- Support an International Arms Embargo: Work with the African Union and the United Nations to enforce a comprehensive arms embargo on Rwanda, curbing its military capabilities.
- Promote Regional Dialogue: Initiate inclusive dialogue with the DRC, Rwanda, and neighboring states to address security, governance, and resource-sharing challenges.
- Ensure Accountability: Advocate for implementing the 2010 UN Mapping Report before the UN Security Council to hold Kagame and his associates accountable for human rights violations in Rwanda and DRC.
- Address Rwanda's Internal Repression: Pursue diplomatic initiatives that confront Rwanda's external aggression and internal suppression, recognizing that lasting peace cannot be achieved while dictatorship persists.
General Kagame's ambitions of territorial conquest of DRC's Kivu region to build a Greater Rwanda and economic exploitation threaten the region and the entire African continent. His persistent denials and deceptions have emboldened him—until now.
The collective resolve of the EAC and SADC must end this impunity. The credibility of African leadership rests on our willingness to protect our people and uphold our shared values.
Half-measures are no longer an option. A united, determined effort is essential to force Rwanda to retreat and restore lasting peace. By mobilizing our people, harnessing combined EAC-SADC diplomatic clout, and leveraging economic power, military strength, and moral authority, you can send a resounding message: aggression will not be tolerated, and those who seek to destabilize the region and Africa, in general, will face decisive consequences.
History will judge your decisiveness and resolve. Those among you who consider themselves Pan-Africanists are the custodians of a vision for a united, peaceful, and prosperous Africa. As the late President of Tanzania, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, once declared, "Unity will not make us rich, but it can make it difficult for Africa and the African peoples to be disregarded and humiliated."
As you meet to deliberate on the plight of the suffering Congolese people and, indeed, the existential threat posed by Rwanda to DRC's sovereignty and territorial integrity, ensure that future generations remember Dar es Salaam as the place where Africa united, drew a line in the sand, and said, "No more."
You have the power. You have the right cause. Now, you must act.
With utmost respect and unwavering resolve,
Dr. Theogene Rudasingwa*
Co-founder, Rwanda Truth Commission and Rwanda Freedom Movement-ISHAKWE
Washington, D.C.,
USA
Contact: Ngombwa@gmail.com
*Former Secretary General, Rwandese Patriotic Front (RPF), Ambassador of Rwanda to the United States, and Chief of Staff to President Kagame
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