Outcome of the discussions on the problematic of FDLR in North Kivu -DRCongo

BRIEFING ON THE OPEN DEBATE ON THE PRESENCE OF THE FDLR ON CONGOLESE TERRITORY ORGANIZED THIS WEDNESDAY 24/4/2924 UNDER THE INITIATIVE OF COJESKI NORD-KIVU AT THE MEETING HALL OF THIS ORGANIZATION.

Participants during the discussions being engaged on what was presented.

The Presentation in English: Presentation on FDLR in DRCongo

The Presentation French: Presentation sur les FDLR Francais

Under the moderation of the Provincial President of the NDSCI NK Mr Germain MIRHONYI, the activity began with the National Anthem followed by the individual presentation of the participants.

The following organizations and institutions were represented and contributed to the discussions: ASSODIP, CLPC, MVA,COMICO, ANR, SOCIV, NDSCI, AJUDI-ONG, FARCD Task-Force, COJESKI, BADILIKA, JSK, CCFR/CIRGL, UNHCR, REFUGEES, CLC, FIRIMBI, VERANDA, LUCHA which the total number was 30 participants. We expected at least 25 participants. Among the absent we realized the SADC which received the invitation late, the Congolese National Commission for Refugees, the Migration Department, MONUSCO, and the Governor and all the Diplomatic Missions in Goma. The particularity of those absent is that they have highly involved in the issues about FDLR and are in one way or the other perceived as beneficiaries of the confusion around FDLR.

Kulihoshi M Pecos, presenting few lines on the situation of FDLR in North Kivu

The issue of the FDLR was introduced by the Coordinator of COJESKI NK who gave the genesis of the FDLR, where would these FDLR be in North Kivu and which kind of threats do they present and to who? A full presentation was distributed to the participants who were encouraged to read it when they are free so that they can continue sharing their ideas.

                OPEN DEBATE:

Germain Mirhonyi the Moderator passing through certain things about the situation

According to the testimony of a participant: the FDLR exist on Congolese soil but they are not controlled. Some of them operate side by side with the FARDC, the others are farmers, and the others are used by the government of Rwanda. This same witness asks the question if these FDL are not used by some of our politicians. However questions remained at what extend do they pose a threat and to who exactly?

Another participant confirms the existence of the FDLR in the DRC and condemns the irresponsibility of our government by the fact that it did not know how to supervise these FDLR when they entered Congolese soil and wonders what the role of the international community in this question? Why does neither our government nor Congolese civil society nor the international community advocate a dialogue like this that can allow all stakeholders to discuss this issue? This same participant recommends a permanent dialogue that can update all Congolese people on this issue.

Another witness, being a senior officer in the FARDC, thinks that it would be better to backtrack on the history of Rwanda to fully understand this theme in order to propose a solution. He points out that when they entered Congolese soil, the FDLR came en masse and that it would be difficult to control them and that before 1994 the FDLR did not exist expect it but they appeared just when the ex- President L Désiré Kabila had chased away the Ugandans and Rwandans who had helped him chase MOBUTU. According to this officer, why can the problem since 1994 continue to exist when the perpetrators no longer exist? According to him, all these allegations are based on the land problem and wanting to balkanize our country. According to this same witness, the FDLR no longer exists on Congolese soil but it is their children who do not threaten the Congolese population. He points out that another problem is that refugees are present even less than 10km from their countries of origin and others are not even identified by the UNHCR/CNR.

Another witness points out that the FDLR exists and that they have political coordination despite their pursuit. He points out that it is not only Rwanda that is destabilizing the DRC but there are many other countries that are attacking us and that it would be better to initiate a fight that could make the international community understand to put pressure on the government. Rwandans so that the FDLR can return home.

A LUTCHA activist shows that it would be good to take this issue with great attention in order to redefine the consideration we have for the Rwandans and the international community present in the DRC.

According to other participants, this issue of the FDLR and other concerns linked to insecurity in our country, especially in the East, have their origins in the irresponsibility of our Congolese authorities who prefer to neglect things and politicize all other matters.

Another LUTCHA activist questions the existence of the FDLR in the DRC and recommends that the international community propose an inter-Rwandan dialogue as was the case in the DRC. This reminds us that the FDLR exists above all in philosophy and ideology.

A UNHCR GOMA delegate present in the room first begins with their absences from different meetings. He justifies this by the effect that meetings often do not respect humanitarian principles (neutrality, respect for the material, etc.) he then addresses the question by thanking the organizers of the activity, then he points out the existence of the agreement which deals with asylum rights. He also noted that UNHCR remains open to anyone who wishes to inquire about the related refugee issue.

A member of the JS4 insists on the existence of the FDLR in the DRC and then recalls the genesis of the FDLR by even identifying certain executions carried out by the FDLR and according to this facilitator of the JS4, the existence of many armed groups in the DRC draws their origin of the existence of the FDLR.

Another participant reaffirms the existence of the FDLR in the DRC and points out that they even operate in the territory of NYIRAGONGO especially in Kibati.

Observations

Basing of various reactions participants were not able to clearly tell where are FDLR fighters in North Kivu/DRCongo currently, some think that they may be mixed up with local armed groups, participants were not able to make clear difference between FDLR, Refugees and Congolese from Rwanda origin, it was also observed from participants that FDLR committed over the years crimes against Congolese people, however again it was observed that nothing was said about crimes committed against FDLR because they were not represented. It was also a challenge to understand the source of information from both the International Community especially Diplomatic Missions present in DRC and the Government of Rwanda which claim about the danger posed by FDLR. Participants argued that FDLR is a face pretext in order to justify the war and that those with guns do use these guns only to survive. It was also observed from participants that FDLR is more ideological than a reality on ground currently.

Questions and comments from the participants

Why it is only in DRCongo where refugees pose security problems and are part of the security problems? Why does Rwanda create her own fake FDLR in DRCongo? Why does DRCongo Government ignores this issues of refugees and FDLR? Why should the International Community force Rwanda to have a Dialogue among Rwandans? How can we involved actors of the Civil Society in Rwanda to sit on the same table with and discuss together about this problem? How best can we solve the ethnic problem is Rwanda between Hutus and Tutsis? Who are these people Rwanda claims they are a danger for her security? Where are these FDLR highly claimed by Rwanda and which Diplomatic Missions call upon the Government to stop supporting?

Note: These are the few we managed to collect,

Comments:

True FDLR no longer exist, we only have now their children, the problem of DRC is also connected to imperialist who only uses Rwanda as their dog, the International has a responsibility to solve this problem because they forced Mubutu to open the borders for these people during the Genocide, FDLR have also committed so many crimes here in DRCongo against Congolese people, it is curious to observe that Rwandan refugees are just near the borders of their country here in North Kivu yet they are supposed to be far from the borders, some have already the Congolese Voter’s Cards and it may be a challenge to know if they are Rwandans or Congolese, the lack of interactions between UNHCR and the Civil Society on this issue, FDLR do exist as ideology but not as a threat. The need for an engagement of clear subject between FDLR and Rwandan refugees because these are too different, and the need to remain neutral and impartial, and to interact with UNHCR on issues about refugees.

Note: These are the few we managed to collect.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

• CSOs must denounce every time there is a threat from the FDLR;
• CSOs must form a special commission which will deal with the FDLR issue in the DRC and organize regular conversations with the different institutions representing the international community present in the North Kivu, and in DRCongo,
• The creation of a mechanism to raise awareness about the confusion that exists between Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese and the real FDLR, and clearly establishing facts about the danger posed by FDLR,
• Given that the international community prohibits anyone from collaborating with the FDLR, civil society should advocate at different levels so that there is an inter-Rwandan dialogue and that the scattered Rwandan refugees can return to their home country of origin,
• That Congolese civil society can extend an invitation to all the traditional leaders of the province and discuss the issue of FDLR because these leaders understand this story well and are the ones who know very their places which they control,

Started at 9:25 a.m. the activity ends at 12:5 p.m. with a thank you note from the Provincial coordinator of COJESKI NK.

Done in Goma on 24/4/2024.

     BAHIGANA MIRHONYI Germain.