MPs to debate UN-DRC report

KIGALI - Members of Parliament have urged the government to engage the UN, following the release of the United Nations mapping report that accuses the Rwandan Army of committing atrocities in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Speaking to The New Times, the lawmakers referred to the UN as a failed organisation which is trying to cover-up for its errors. Abbas Mukama revealed that the Parliament will soon converge to review the report and recommend an appropriate course of action “Personally I think these people are jealous of the progress Rwanda has made in such a short while and are also trying to come up with a way of covering up their failures,” said Mukama. He added, “We will not sit back and just watch them taking such an ill move. We have come a long way; nobody will intimidate us or bring us down.” Senator Joseph Karemera said that the organisation seemed to be having awful intentions for the government and pointed out a number of inconsistencies and abnormalities in the report. “I don’t believe in coincidences, the mere fact that this report was release of October 1, the day the Rwanda Patriotic Front started its struggle to liberate Rwanda clearly indicated there are some malicious intentions to tarnish the image of Rwanda,” he said. “We stopped the Genocide when the UN had failed; since they claim that the Rwandan Army committed genocide or atrocities in the DR Congo, who stopped them?” He added that; “I propose that Rwandan experts study this report and come up with a scientific response; it should not go unanswered.” He, however, exposed the untold misdeeds of the UN saying that in 1959 when Tutsis were forced into exile, the UN identified the most horrible sites to serve as refugee camps. “They set up camps in areas that had terrible diseases or harsh conditions; this is a story that has never come to light,” said Karemera. MP Connie Bwiza said; “The government should continue engaging the UN until all the false elements are withdrawn from this document. As a member state of the UN, we are truly mistreated,” she said. She however pointed out, “the report creates mistrust between Rwanda and the UN. The damage is already done even if they adjust the report.” MP Bwiza also stated that, “the UN should always consider our views when it comes to issues concerning our country and our people.” Long serving and vocal MP, Juvenal Nkusi labelled the report as an insult to Rwanda. “The UN has no moral authority to publish such a report considering that they have failed in all aspects,” said Nkusi. MP Gideon Kayinamura who read and analysed the report said that it contains questionable content worth responding to. Ends

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MPs to debate UN-DRC report