In a rare and candid acknowledgment, Rwandan President Paul Kagame has confirmed Rwanda’s support for the M23 rebels operating in Eastern Congo and the active involvement of Rwandan military forces in the region. Speaking to reporters in Kigali ahead of the presidential polls, Kagame addressed Rwanda’s controversial role in the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
“Sometime back, another journalist was asking me, why are you helping M23? If it were you, why would you not help M23?” Kagame stated. He emphasized that the issue lies not with M23 or Rwanda but with historical injustices dating back to the colonial period. He questioned why individuals displaced to Congo during colonial times are now being expelled and sent to Rwanda, urging a deeper understanding of the root causes.
Kagame drew parallels with Uganda, where he noted that people with Rwandan associations live peacefully without persecution. He argued that the expulsion and mistreatment of Congolese Tutsis in Eastern Congo necessitate Rwanda’s involvement, highlighting the failure of the DRC government to protect its citizens.
Human rights organizations and Western governments, including the United States and the European Union, have long accused Rwanda of backing the M23 rebels. These allegations include claims that Rwandan forces are supporting M23’s activities in Eastern Congo. Despite these accusations, Rwanda has consistently denied any involvement—until now.
In a significant departure from Rwanda’s previous stance, Kagame implied that Rwanda’s actions are a response to the persecution of Congolese Tutsis. He justified Rwanda’s support for M23 and the presence of Rwandan troops in Eastern Congo, stating that these actions are necessary given the historical and ongoing injustices faced by Tutsis in the region.
Kagame also addressed the longstanding conflict involving the M23 rebels, noting that the issue has persisted for over a decade due to unresolved underlying problems. He pointed out that the conflict, which first erupted in 2012 and resurfaced recently, indicates that the root causes were never addressed.
The Rwandan President further accused the Congolese government of collaborating with the FDLR, a group composed of remnants of those responsible for the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Kagame claimed that the DRC has armed and integrated FDLR fighters into its military forces, using them to persecute Congolese Tutsis.
Kagame criticized human rights organizations and Western governments for their perceived double standards, accusing them of ignoring the DRC’s collaboration with the FDLR while focusing on Rwanda’s actions in Eastern Congo. He argued that the narrative framing Rwanda as the instigator of the conflict is designed to cast the country in a negative light.
“The narrative has been to turn the perpetrator into a victim, all to put Rwanda in a certain light; Rwanda is always the bad guy, everywhere for itself, for the region, for the continent. It doesn’t happen by accident, it happens by design,” Kagame concluded.
