As some of the Rwandan Special Forces that have been operating in Eastern DRC have been returned to Rwanda (see here), a debate between the DRC and the Rwandan governments has been raging around the following question: were the Rwandan Special Forces invited into the DRC by Congolese President Joseph Kabila?
Congolese Communications Minister Lambert Mende Omalanga categorically denies the assertion. Rwandan officials, especially the Defense Minister General James Kabarebe, affirm the contrary and state that the Rwandan Special Forces were invited by DRC government in January -February 2009 and that there is a secret accord signed between Rwandan and Congolese top officials. Who is right?
AfroAmerica Network has been in possession since February 7, 2009 of a copy of the Secret Accord signed at the Serena Hotel, Rubavu, Western Province, Rwanda on February 6, 2009 between the DRC and Rwanda governments.
AfroAmerica Network obtained the copy through three independent sources: one within the Rwandan Government, another within the Congolese Government, and a third that we choose to not disclose.
The Secret Accord, specifically in paragraph 8, indicates that the Rwandan Special Forces working with FARDC were allowed to enter the DRC territory to target Rwandan refugees, labelled “ex-FAR/Interahamwe” in the accord, and repatriate them “peacefully or forcefully, instead of allowing them to resettle on the DRC territory.”
The Accord was signed when a group of Rwandan refugees had been disarmed and regrouped in Kasiki, Lubero territory, North-Kivu, by the National Democratic Congress (NDC), an umbrella of Rwandan rebel groups, within the framework of what is called Kisangani/Rome process. The Kisangani/Rome process had resulted from negotiations between DRC Government and NDC, under the mediation of Sant’Egidio Community, Eglise du Christ au Congo (ECC) and SIK-Norway. Three days after the Secret Accord was signed, the Rwandan Special Forces attacked the disarmed Rwandan refugees in Kasiki, hence putting an end to the process.
Therefore, in this case, Joseph Kabila’s government is lying and the Rwandan government is right.
What is appalling is that Joseph Kabila’s goverment signed the Secret Agreement to bring in Rwandan Special Forces, while negotiating with NDC to disarm and regroup refugees, who included women, children and elderly. Did President Joseph Kabila seek to have the refugees regrouped and at the same sign a Secret Accord to have Rwandan Special Forces to attack these refugees? Only he and his confidents, especially the head of Military Intelligence Colonel Yav, Joseph Kabila’s right and left arms, the now disgraced General John Numbi and the late Katumba Mwanke, the Security Advisor at the time Professor Kaumba and his representatives in the Kisangani/Rome process, Ambassador Seraphin Ngwej and Bishop Dr. Kuye Ndondo.
What Joseph Kabila and his government cannot hide is the Secret Accord of which AfroAmerica Network has a copy. It would not be surprising that Minister Mr. Lambert Mende himself or Raymond Tshibanda may not be aware of the Secret Agreement: they were not involved in the process.
In fact this is how paragraph one of the Secret Accord starts (original in French, use a translator for English):
“1. Les Délégations de la République du Rwanda et de la République Démocratique du Congo, conduites respectivement par S.E. Rose Marie MUSEMINALI et S.E. Alexis THAMBWE MWAMBA, respectivement Ministre des Affaires Etrangeres du Rwanda et de la République Démocratique du Congo, se sont rencontrés du 5 au 6 février 2009 à l’hotel Lake Kivu Serena à Rubavu dans la Province de l’Ouest en République du Rwanda.”
Now the questions remains:
1) Why did Kabila sign the Secret Accord while Rwandan refugees were seeking to repatriate and in negotiations with his government?
2) Why was the DRC government not informed of the content of the Secret Accord?
3) Why is the DRC government denying the existence of the Secret Accord?
4) Why is not the Rwandan government publishing the Secret Accord to counter the denials by the DRC government?
The secret may lie on the potential war crimes committed by the Rwandan Special Forces under the terms of the accord: the attack of unarmed refugees regrouped in Kasiki on February 9, 2009, three days after the signature of the Secret Accord.
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Yes my dear brother Mwenze,I know that you ‘re the one who can understand my query very well. In our country as you know ,there are many strange things that politicians are hiding to the people ; and the most of informations we can have , are only from out side .
If opposition and presidencial parties have got theire oun radio stations ,the ones are braodcasting the wrongdoings of the others ; from who can people get right infomations . So if we ask this kind of question it is only to get the right informations.Even though it is tru , at the best of knoledge nothing can happen as in muslim countries because the worst thing kabila is doing is to keep people not informed about the situation of DRC and kidnapping those who are supposed tell the truth.
DEJA VU:
During 1998, Kabila’s relations with Rwanda and Uganda, which it owes its allies came to power fester. Kigali and Kampala accuse him of not having brought order to the country, where several rebel movements (including the ex-Rwandan Armed Forces, Interahamwe militias and the LRA) hostile to their diet have their bases.
For its part, Kabila, against an opinion accusing him of being Human Rwanda and fears of a possible coup began a purge within his government. He dismisses one by one all the Tutsi ministers of his cabinet and away from the military, before returning home Rwandan soldiers still present on the territory. A few days later, on August 2, a Congolese officer based in Goma, in the east of the country, announcement on a local radio station a rebellion against Kabila broke. It is led by the 10th battalion of the Congolese Armed Forces. Regarded as an elite unit, it is mostly composed of Congolese Tutsis, who a year and a half earlier composed the main body of the ADFL. The uprising soon turns into a regional conflict since, besides the involvement of Uganda and Rwanda with the rebels, Angola and Zimbabwe, and to a lesser extent Namibia (briefly and Chad) send troops to support Kabila.
In April-May 2000, serious tensions between Rwanda and Uganda were deplorable in the territory of the DRC (diamond fields).
If really AfroAmerica has got the secret accords signed by congolaise and Rwandese presidents ,please show it to readers on behalf of the freedom of media. So that we can be sure and trust you guys.
Thanks
@Victor Tembwe,
do not be that naive. Do you know how much this kind of information can cost? How can’t you have trust if you already have the kind of information provided in the afroamerica network articles. Do you also doubt the telegram even when afriooamerica has provided the number? We, Congolese, need to ask Kabila to publish the secret Accord. Rwandan soldiers did not just land on our soil without an agreement! Where is it? Who negotiated it? Who signed it?who saw it? Why afroamerica has a copy and the Congolese members of the national assembly or the government don’t? Those are questions we need to ask. Otherwise, if you want it from afroamerica, you will wait for long. Journalists do not disclose that kind of documents. Sometimes they have paid money to get them. Mwenze.
Hi AfroAmerica,
Can you send me the link to download the Secret Accord sign by Kabila with the Rwandan governement ?
thx
Hello,
we usually do not post such documents. They are kept in internal records of AfroAmerica Network.
Best Regards.
AfroAmerica Network.
It is now the time for all Rwandophones and their pro-biased ones to dance on the rhymes of a drum. They are are fouling themselves, Rwandan government and who ever will not divide Congolese people or turn them against their government. This did not happen in 1853, nor now or ever. DR Congo will remain one and indivisible. Here is where lye the strength of Congolese people to oppose this balkanisation war since then. Congolese are a people of pride from ages ago, they have a strong patriotism. We know who diminish them and why. No one has ever fought for the wrong cause and win; the bible scriptures has told and preaches us a lot. I would recommend you to read the new released book:
“Congo: a history” of David Van Reybrouck; edition Actes Sud.
it’s surpprizing that there are secrets to hide from the world and secrets by individuals sharing the government!
The proof of the “Kabila” and his government’s incapacity lies in the fact that they have forgotten the reason why there has been rivalry between “Kabila” and Vital Kamerhe: after “Kabila” , the president of the executive power had signed this secret agreement without consulting the Congolese Parliament, this being the legislative power, Kamerhe became furious, questioning this type of decision, which cost him his job as parliament president. These people think we are just stupid!!!
Geographically, Kasiki is very far from where the Rwandan and DRC special forces had their bases in Kiwanja (est of 1000 plus Kilometers plus). I wonder how these troops could have made operations in Kasiki they were not mandated to use helicopters, sources indicates that these troops had only one Land Cruiser pick Toyota pick up vehicle. Lastly, I don’t think whether such a force can be able to conduct operation in Kasiki regardless of the distance mentioned in only three days after deployment in the threater of operation without prior reconnaissance. Afroamerica network should review the article for readers to understand real situation in Eastern DRC.
Knox,
You may not have enough information on the area. Obviously you can’t have 1,000 km between Kiwandja and Kasiki.
It only takes 8 hours to travel by truck from Goma to Kasiki, a 200 km trip, and hence much less from Kiwandja to Kasiki, only a 100 km distance. Besides, a few days before February 6, 2009, an advanced elite team of Rwandan Special Forces were already in Luofo, South Lubero, close to Kasiki, disguised as gold miners.
AfroAmerica Network has testimonies, submitted to the UN Security Council, by Congolese farmers who surprised the Rwandan Special Forces approaching Kasiki in early February. Watch this site for next.
AfroAmerica Network.
Rwanda has been always right. And it would be better to lend them not only forces, but also ministers! I feel sorry for the Congolese people. In fact, Congolese need to wake up and realize that they have no government and that Rwanda is not the enemy but the savior.
Ah bon!! This is again strange in the media war.
Lambert Mende said on BBC on RFI friday that there was no secret with Rwanda. yesterday on BBC that only 50 elements of rwanda military were in the agreement. Rwanda said it rapatriated 357 elements of special forces. Now you say that you have a copy of the agreement. How many forces are mentioned? Can we trust Mende? I guess it is an attempt to escape this fault of his country.
I thus wonder why is Congo accusing Rwanda, while at the same time they have secret agreement with them. Who knows, there may be other agreement there unhidden.