30 Jan. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Félix Tshisekedi, has called on the UN Security Council on Monday to impose individual and collective sanctions on the authorities of the Rwandan State and leaders of the M23.
Tshisekedi has thus called for “imposing individual and collective sanctions on the Rwandan authorities, the M23 terrorists, as well as the Rwandan State that violates International Law and commits crimes and serious violations of Human Rights in North Kivu”, Tshisekedi declared. during an act with the diplomatic corps accredited in Kinshasa, according to the Congolese radio station Radio Okapi.
“Continuing to hide the truth that is already known to all and refusing to discuss this report to cover up the perpetrators of these abominable crimes is promoting impunity,” he pointed out, referring to a Congolese text already distributed at the UN.
In any case, Tshisekedi has reiterated that his country “remains committed to the peace process in Nairobi and Luanda and reiterates its confidence in the designated mediator”, although he has warned that he will act without naivety or weakness.
The Congolese leader has warned that “neither yesterday, today nor tomorrow will any compatriot agree to cede the smallest centimeter of national territory to Rwanda”. “We will defend the integrity of our territory, the sovereignty and independence of our country, whatever the cost,” he stressed.
Relations between the DRC and Rwanda have gone through moments of crisis since the massive arrival in the eastern DRC of Rwandan Hutus accused of having massacred the Tutsis during the Rwandan genocide of 1994. After a certain stage of diplomatic relaxation, the conflict gained intensity again in May, when the Congolese government already summoned the Rwandan ambassador to denounce the country’s alleged support for the M23.
On Saturday, the DRC denounced that “Rwandan special forces” have crossed the border with the intention of “perpetrating a new massacre against the Tutsi population of the Democratic Republic of the Congo” and blaming the Congolese Army for it.
In fact, the Congolese Army directly links the alleged deployment of these forces to the recent advance of the M23 through Masisi territory and the capture of the city of Kitshanga.
