Rwanda “outraged by torture” of nationals in DRC

Rwanda has expressed “outrage at the continued targeting of Rwandans in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), saying that four Rwandan citizens had recently been tortured inside a Congolese army facility, resulting into one death.“This is an extremely serious incident – we have confirmation that one of the tortured Rwandans has died. We have asked the Government of the DRC to ensure that the mistreatment of Rwandan citizens stops immediately,” Rwanda’s Foreign Minister and Government Spokesperson, Louise Mushikiwabo, said in a statement released on Tuesday.The four Rwandans were reportedly held and tortured at Camp Katindo, a Congolese army facility in Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province.Mushikiwabo said Kigali had “brought this case to the urgent attention of the Joint Verification Taskforce and warned against the resurgence of hate speech”. The taskforce is composed of officials from the two countries.“We have learned before that hate speech has consequences; that reckless political rhetoric costs lives. It is something our region must not be forced to endure ever again,” the minister added.Last month, 11 Rwandan nationals were handed over to local Immigration authorities in Rubavu District after allegedly being tortured by Congolese armed forces.They bore grave bruises as a result of severe physical torture and said they were arrested and denied food for several days, the government says.Recently, Rwandan authorities rejected an attempt by United nations Stablisation Mision in DRC (MONUSCO) representatives to “repatriate” alleged defectors on the grounds that suspected combatants must undergo the agreed joint verification process established with the Democratic Republic of Congo.Twenty-nine alleged M23 defectors, along with seven FDLR combatants who had surrendered to MONUSCO troops, were escorted to the Rwanda/DRC border early this month.Among these were eleven who are currently being investigated by the Rwanda/DRC Joint Verification Taskforce (JVT) along with 18 unknown individuals. The seven ex-FDLR combatants were accepted as part of the established disarmament, demobilization and repatriation process.In a similar development, local traders conducting business with their DRC counterparts are more conscious of the ongoing conflict between the Congolese mutinous soldiers.As the New Times reported recently, tension is particularly high among traders in Rubavu District who frequently cross the border to do business in the border city of Goma.“There are widespread fears and we are trying as much as possible to avoid some parts in the interior because it is not safe there,” Pascalline Umuhire, a trader who deals in second hand clothes at Gisenyi market said.It was not possible to get a comment from Kinshasa as we could not access Communications Minister, Lambert Mende, on telephone.

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Rwanda “outraged by torture” of nationals in DRC