Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) President Félix Tshisekedi has sent a strong message to Rwandan President Paul Kagame after skipping President William Ruto’s East African Community (EAC) virtual crisis meeting.
Tshisekedi addressed Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, accusing the country of violating international agreements following intensified attacks in Goma.
In a speech addressing the nation, on Wednesday, January 29, Tshisekedi condemned the aggression and vowed to lead a decisive military response.
“Be assured of one thing: the Democratic Republic of Congo will neither allow itself to be humiliated nor crushed. We will fight, and we will triumph,” Tshisekedi said.
DRC President Tshisekedi Calls Out Kagame After Goma Attack
He alleged that Rwanda has continued to violate the fundamental principle of the United Nations Charter and regional agreements.
“I now directly address the international community and the African Union. Rwanda continues to openly and unscrupulously violate the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter and regional agreements,” he said.
“Worse, these actions occur in total impunity, with blatant disregard for international rules and the values these institutions are supposed to uphold.”
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Tshisekedi stated that the alleged presence of thousands of Rwandan soldiers in DRC, their political, logistical, and military support for their M23 is likely to lead towards an escalation with unpredictable consequences that endanger the entire Great Lakes region.
Félix Tshisekedi alleged that foreign soldiers on Congolese soil are also engaged in the illegal exploitation of the country’s natural resources.
DRC Condemns the “Inaction” of International Community
He criticized the African Union (AU) and the international community for their silence and inaction, stating that their failure to address the Kigali regime’s alleged “barbarism and atrocities committed by its proxies”.
“You silence and inaction in the face of the Kigali regime’s barbarism and the atrocities committed by its proxies on our territory are an affront not only to the Democratic Republic of Congo but also to the universal values of justice and peace,” he said
“The Congolese people take note of this passivity, which borders on complicity.”
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He also condemned the acts of vandalism and looting that have targeted certain diplomatic missions accredited in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as private interests in Kinshasa.
“These irresponsible behaviors distort the legitimate expression of our anger in the face of the barbaric aggression imposed upon us and tarnish the peaceful demonstrations of support for our valiant armed forces, who fight with courage and dedication to defend our sovereignty,” he added.
Kagame Lectures Presidents over DRC Conflict
On his part, Kagame- in a fiery speech at emergency EAC meeting on Goma crisis said MS3 rebels are not from Rwanda and lashed out at his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa over the escalating clashes in the Eastern DRC.
“Cyril Ramaphosa is pretending to be playing a peacemaker role in eastern DRC, and he has a force that has been fighting alongside FDLR, and they have been fighting M23 on the instructions of Tshisekedi. M23 are not Rwandans, please; these are Congolese,” Kagame said.
“And if South Africa prefers confrontation, Rwanda will deal with the matter in that context any day.”
According to Kagame, the efforts of African leaders and the international community to resolve the crisis in the DRC have been overshadowed by personal interests.
”The processes became an end in themselves and the people leading these processes became more important than the result of the processes,” he said.
The Rwandan-backed M23 invaded Goma and its outskirts, making advances to grab territory and expand its control over North Kivu province’s lucrative coltan, gold and tin ore mines in the fighting that has worsened one of the world’s most dire humanitarian crises.
However, Kagame’s government has long denied supporting M23, despite findings to the contrary by numerous United Nations expert reports.
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