Protests over UN Congo report gain momentum

KIGALI - Rwandans living in North America held massive protests on Friday against the “fundamentally flawed” UN report that alleges Rwandan troops might have committed Genocide in the DRC during the 1990s.

Sunday, October 03, 2010

KIGALI - Rwandans living in North America held massive protests on Friday against the "fundamentally flawed” UN report that alleges Rwandan troops might have committed Genocide in the DRC during the 1990s.

Bosco Munga, the Spokesperson of the Diaspora’s North America chapter informed The Sunday Times yesterday that the demonstrations in Washington D.C, "went very well and we presented our Protest letter to Primitivi Yani of the United Nations Information Centre.”

Earlier before demonstrating, Munga said they would stress the report’s flawed nature in its intentions, authors and purpose.

"We are also concerned by its omissions and selective methodology and reliance of anonymous sources to corroborate its accusations – it has the huge potential to destabilize the region while dishonouring the victims of the the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi,” Munga said.

"We are also working with our fellow members in other cities such as New York, Boston and others who are also looking to organize similar demonstrations.”

The protest statement presented to the UN Information Centre by the Diaspora in North America strongly denounces the UN Mapping report in its entirety.

"The report is politically motivated, fabricated and malicious because it is not based on any empirical evidence and the methodology is flawed.

"This is a manipulation of the UN process which is intended to re-write the history of Rwanda and refuelling hatred, sectarianism, and divisionism which undermines the achieved peace, security and stability in Rwanda and the Great Lakes Region,” the statement reads.

The protestors stressed that at a time when Rwanda is recovering from the 1994 Genocide, the UN is again reviving revisionism and Genocide denial, yet it stood by and watched when the blood of innocent civilians flowed all over the country.

They denounced the UN’s failure to recognize "Rwanda’s extensive and coordinated efforts to repatriate, resettle and re-integrate 3.2 million refugees from Zaire at that time, an effort the UN itself supported and participated in.”

They also "strongly” condemned "the negative hidden agenda of the UN and some organizations and some individuals” who have continued to undermine Rwanda’s achievements.

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