Africa should take lead in flushing out FDLR - German envoy

The German Ambassador to Rwanda, Peter Fahrenholtz, has said the African Union should take the lead in bringing an end to the issue of FDLR and ensure peace and security in eastern DR Congo. Fahrenholtz said this, yesterday, after a meeting with legislators in Parliament, where had accompanied seven members of German parliamentary group in charge of East African affairs. Anita Schafer, the leader of the visiting German legislators(L) together with German Ambassador to Rwanda Peter Fahrenholtz at parliament listen. The delegation, which arrived at the weekend, is the country on a four-day official visit to assess progress made by Germany-sponsored development projects, budget support and inter-parliamentary relations. Speaker Donatille Mukabalisa urged the delegation to tell the world Rwanda’s concerns on matters of insecurity in eastern DR Congo caused by FDLR, a terror group comprised largely of remnants of masterminds of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. “We asked the German MPs to be our voice in the international community, push for FDLR to be flushed out and also enact laws that criminalise Genocide revisionism and promotion of genocide ideology,” Mukabalisa told reporters. Anita Schafer (C) speaks to Rwandan members of parliament. On his part, Fahrenholtz said the German government believes that FDLR and other armed groups in DR Congo have to be dissolved, but “with cooperation of African governments.” Top FDLR political leaders Ignace Murwanashyaka and his deputy Straton Musoni are currently on trial in a German court. “This [FDLR issue] is taking place in an African country, we can’t come in and violate the sovereignty of the continent. We want to do this together with African leaders and the African Union,” the envoy said. A deadline given for the FDLR to voluntarily disarm or face military offensive elapsed on January 2. However, the parties tasked with the offensive are embroiled in endless rhetoric. The Congolese army and Monusco are responsible for the offensive but the UN has declared it will not work with the former, claiming that two Congolese generals tasked with leading the offensive have questionable human rights records. Amb. Fahrenholtz (L) chats with MP Zeno Mutimura during the German legislators’ visit to Parliament yesterday. Kinshasa had appointed Gen. Bruno Mandevu to head the FARDC operation against FDLR and Gen. Fall Sikabwe as commander of the 34th military region, covering eastern DR Congo’s North Kivu Province where the offensive would concentrate. The brouhaha was described by Foreign Affairs minister Louise Mushikiwabo as “cheap politicking by some international actors who would wish to use the militia group for selfish interests.” The visiting German legislators listen to MP Zeno Mutimura at parliament. However, Amb. Fahrenholtz insisted that regardless of the delays to neutralise FDLR, the international community has a consensus and similar opinion, that there has to be peace in eastern DR Congo. “Monusco has never been in a better shape than they are in now. They have all the resources; FDLR has to be dissolved. It is 20 years after the Genocide, we have to end this conflict and focus on rebuilding the region,” he said. The envoy said the UN spends about $1.5 billion on Monusco every year, all in the name of resolving insecurity problems in eastern DR Congo and creating a lasting peace in the Great Lakes Region. Germany alone contributes about $100 million to the cause, he said. German Ambassador to Rwanda Peter Fahrenholtz (L) briefs the media at parliament yesterday. (All photos by Timothy Kisambira) “Rwanda has done well in rebuilding itself, and is now moving toward becoming a middle income economy. It is important that this conflict ends so that the entire region flourishes like Rwanda,” the envoy said. “We are in the 21st century; African problems have to be solved by Africans, but we can come in and support in goodwill.” Germany’s foreign affairs minister is expected in Kinshasa tomorrow, before his stop-over in Kigali on Friday, where issues regarding FDLR could be on the agenda. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Africa should take lead in flushing out FDLR - German envoy