Hundreds of Congolese nationals have taken to the streets of Goma city in North Kivu to protest Rwanda’s alleged aggression.
LUCHA, an organization that mobilizes the Congolese to defend their rights and dignity, in non-violence, was behind the Wednesday protests.
“We actively took part in the demonstration of the living forces of Goma this Wednesday to condemn the Rwandan aggression, to reiterate our support for the Congolese armed forces committed to defeating the M23 on the ground and to discourage hate speech,” the NGO said.
“We call on the Congolese government to sever diplomatic relations with Rwanda, clean up and equip the army so that it can carry out hostilities promptly on the ground. We won’t let go.”
Freelance Congolese journalist Baraka Munyampfura Héritier said the situation has been tense since this morning in the city of Goma “where hundreds of demonstrators want to cross the border to go to Rwanda in the neighboring city of Gusenyi to say no to aggression against Rwanda”.
Protests in Goma, #DRCongo since morning against what the population terms as Rwanda Aggression.
Congolese Protestors attempt to breakthrough the border barricade into Gisenyi, #Rwanda to "directly say No to reported Kigali backing of M23 Rebels."#SoftPowerNews #RDC #RDCongo pic.twitter.com/Lw30FBxL8G
— SoftPower News (@SoftPowerNews) June 15, 2022
He said the economic activities have been paralyzed.
“Protesters want to go to Rwanda via Gisenyi town,” he reported, adding that the angry protests were chanting anti-Rwandan songs.
Christina Malkia K, a journalist, web and radio content producer, said several inhabitants who demonstrated against the Rwandan invasion in Bunagana also expressed their support for FARDC (DR Congo army).
“The police, until then, still control the situation,” Malkia, the Founder of congorassurecd news website, quoted an eyewitness.
She also quoted former Congolese Prime Minister Adolphe Muzito saying there is an urgent need to build a wall between DRC and Rwanda.
“For him, insecurity in the East is maintained by Kigali, which is eyeing Congolese lands,” Muzito is quoted as saying.
DR Congo accuses Rwanda, M23 of crimes against humanity
Over the weekend, the Congolese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had learned with indignation of the content of the (Note Verbale) of June 10, 2022 from the Government of the Republic of Rwanda by which accuses the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) of having launched the on the rockets on Rwandan territory.
The note also accused senior government officials and members of the Congolese security organs of allegedly encouraging the population to commit acts of violence against Rwanda and Kinyarwanda speakers, in (general).T
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejects all these accusations (fallacies ) which badly conceal Rwanda’s determination to continue the aggression against the Democratic Republic of Congo and their support for M23,” said Christophe Lutundula, the DR Congo minister of Foreign Affairs.
He recalled the content of the Official communication from the FARDC dated 10 June 2022 by which the FARDC informed national and international opinion, that since 4:15 p.m. on Friday, June 10, 2022, the Rwandan Army fired a dozen shells on the territory of the Democratic Republic of Congo, more precisely in BIRUMA and KABAYA in the territory of RUTSHURU destroying the (Saint Gilbert institute,) killing two children aged 6 and 7 respectively and injuring a (third one).
“The bombing of an entire school constitutes both a war crime and a crime against humanity. The despicable attack continued with support of the Rwandan army to the terrorist group M23 is confirmed by the images of the drones which attest to the occupation until day of TCHANZU and RUNYONYI by the Rwanda Defense Forces (RDF).”
The Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo appealed to the Government of the Republic of Rwanda on one hand, to put an end to its support for the terrorist group M23 and to refrain from any action likely to undermine peace and stability in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Region, and on the other hand, to avoid any act to complicate the task of the mediation of the International Conference for the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) by President João Lourenço whom all parties concerned must trust.
