The Unites States government has condemned the continued collaboration between DR Congo’s armed forces (FARDC) and the FDLR, a terrorist group created by people who committed the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
The Rwandan government has long expressed concerns over the alliance between FARDC and FDLR which has also been mentioned in several reports by international bodies.
Faced with the M23 rebel offensive in North Kivu province, the Congolese army formed an alliance with armed groups, including FDLR.
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In a statement on the United Nations Group of Experts Report on DR Congo, which confirmed the collaboration, the US State Department said the FARDC-FDLR collision should stop.
In the statement released on Wednesday, January 4, Ned Price, the US State Department spokesperson said, "we denounce the collaboration between elements of the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) and armed groups, including FDLR, as outlined in the [UN experts] report.”
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Price said the US government commends the African-led diplomatic efforts, including the Luanda and Nairobi processes, to promote peace in eastern DR Congo.
The US statement follows that of the European Union (EU) last week, which also denounced the FARDC-FDLR collaboration.
In December, the EU imposed travel bans and asset freezes on eight people, including Protogene Ruvugayimikore, a senior commander of the FDLR, an FARDC officer and a former Congolese government minister accused of inciting violence, for their role in sustaining the insecurity in eastern DR Congo.
Escalation of hate speech
Price added that the US government was concerned about the proliferation of hate speech and xenophobia targeted at Rwandans and Kinyarwanda-speaking communities in DR Congo.
"We underscore our concern about the worrying escalation of xenophobia and hate speech inciting violence against the Rwandophone community in the DRC which was highlighted in the report,” Price said.
"We urge DRC officials to continue speaking out to condemn such discourse and to hold accountable those who employ violence.”
In November, the UN special advisor on genocide prevention, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, said there were indicators of atrocity crimes in eastern DR Congo and warned of genocide.