DRC War: US Sanctions Rwanda's Former Army Chief And M23 Spokesperson
The Rwandan government has condemned the US decision to sanction a government minister over his alleged involvement in the ongoing conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), reported BBC.
On Thursday, the US Treasury Department imposed financial sanctions on Rwanda’s Minister of State for Regional Integration, James Kabarebe, accusing him of playing a key role in Rwanda’s support for the M23 rebel group.
Kabarebe, a former army chief, was blamed for aiding the rebels, alongside M23 spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka, who was also sanctioned. Kanyuka controls two companies in the UK and France.
The UK followed with a warning, saying that Rwanda could face “consequences” for its role in the conflict.
In response, Rwanda’s foreign ministry called the sanctions “unjustified and unfounded,” insisting they would not solve the conflict in the DRC.
The M23 group, mostly ethnic Tutsis, has recently captured key cities, including Goma and Bukavu, in the mineral-rich eastern DRC. This has sparked a major humanitarian crisis, displacing many families.
Western nations have accused Rwanda of supplying arms and military support to the M23, claims which Rwanda denies.
The US Treasury said that both Kabarebe and Kanyuka are linked to violence and human rights abuses in the DRC.
Bradley Smith, acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said:
Today’s action underscores our intent to hold accountable key officials and leaders like Kabarebe and Kanyuka, who are enabling the RDF and M23’s destabilizing activities in the eastern DRC.
The United States remains committed to ensuring a peaceful resolution to this conflict.
Rwanda dismissed the US sanctions, saying Kigali’s goal was simply to secure its border and bring about an “irreversible end to the politics of armed ethnic extremism” in the region. The Foreign Ministry said:
Rwandans have the right to live in peace and without the perpetual threat of insecurity originating from the DRC.
Punitive measures, including sanctions, make no contribution toward long-term security, peace and stability for all the countries of the Great Lakes region.
DR Congo welcomed the US sanctions, saying it wanted to see more such measures.
In a statement posted on social media, DR Congo government spokesman Patrick Muyaya said:
This marks the beginning of a long series of sanctions that we want to be more robust from the UN Security Council, the European Union and other partners in order to force Rwanda to withdraw its troops and cease its criminal activities on our soil.
At the G20 foreign ministers meeting in South Africa on Friday, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy condemned the reported involvement of Rwandan troops, calling it a “blatant breach of the UN Charter” that could escalate into a regional conflict.
Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, speaking at the event, also condemned recent attacks on UN forces and regional peacekeepers in the DRC.
Meanwhile, China said that it “firmly supports the African people in independently resolving African problems and opposes external interference in the internal affairs of African countries”.
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