Congolese rwandaphones “not protected” by Lusaka accord

The Banyamulenge organisation, Forces republicaines federalistes (FRF), has criticised the Lusaka ceasefire accord for not taking into account the protection of Congolese rwandaphones. In a statement, sent to IRIN on Wednesday, the FRF said the Banyamulenge of South Kivu and the Banyarwanda of North Kivu were still targeted as “foreigners”. The “virulent anti-Tutsi hatred” sweeping the country was perpetrated in the Kivus by civil society leaders who were also targeting Congolese Hutus. “Today, no Tutsi is secure in the DRC and the current government and civil society cannot ignore this,” the statement said.

Reiterating that the rebel Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD) did not represent the Banyamulenge, the FRF said it condemned Rwanda’s “aggression and occupation”. It believed only a federal system could resolve the problems of DRC and called on the UN to ensure the security of rwandaphone minorities in the country and to facilitate talks between the Banyamulenge and the Mayi-Mayi militias.