President Kagame Condemns Killings Targeting Banyamulenge, Criticizes Those Ignoring the Minembwe Security Crisis
MINEMBWE CAPITAL NEWS (MCN)
President of the Republic of Rwanda and Chairman of the RPF-Inkotanyi, Paul Kagame, has stated that the continued killings targeting the Banyamulenge community living in the highlands of Minembwe and other areas of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) should not continue to be ignored. He emphasized that concerns raised over the security situation of these communities deserve serious attention rather than being dismissed as issues that do not concern others.
President Kagame made these remarks during a political bureau meeting of the RPF-Inkotanyi held at Intare Arena, where he said that Rwanda has for a long time expressed concerns regarding the security of the Banyamulenge people and the alleged violence committed against them. However, he noted that these concerns have often been ignored or treated as matters that do not require international attention.
President Kagame stressed that the Banyamulenge issue should not be considered a matter that can be neglected or influenced by political interests. He emphasized that the lives of all civilians must be protected equally and that the international community has a responsibility to contribute to preventing any form of violence and human rights violations against populations.
He further stated that whenever Rwanda raises concerns about the security of communities in eastern DRC, some immediately accuse it of interfering in the affairs of a neighboring country. However, he explained that the objective is to call for an end to killings, injustice, and actions that violate fundamental human rights.
President Kagame also criticized what he described as a culture of silence surrounding the challenges facing the Banyamulenge community, saying that ignoring violence against civilians does not provide solutions but rather allows problems to grow and create greater insecurity in the region.
He reiterated that lasting peace in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo can only be achieved when the rights and security of all communities are respected, without discrimination based on ethnicity, origin, or any other personal characteristics.
President Kagame’s remarks come at a time when the security situation in the highlands of Minembwe continues to attract attention, with ongoing reports of killings, displacement of civilians, and armed clashes in different parts of eastern DRC.
Analysts say that the Minembwe issue remains one of the major security challenges in the Great Lakes region, where armed conflicts, land disputes, ethnic tensions, and the involvement of regional actors continue to fuel concerns.
Meanwhile, in recent weeks, the MRDP-Twirwaneho movement, in cooperation with M23, has claimed to have pushed back pressure from the Congolese army (FARDC) and its allies in several areas of Minembwe. The developments have led some residents to say that they have experienced relative calm compared to previous periods marked by intense fighting.
Although some observers warn that the security situation in these areas could change at any time depending on developments on the battlefield, others express hope that the reduced presence of FARDC forces and their allied groups competing for control of the area could create an opportunity for restoring lasting stability.
