Skip to main content

U.S. tells Rwanda to immediately end support for M23 rebels

U.S. tells Rwanda to immediately end support for M23 rebels

A M23 rebel trainer walks behind recruits during a training session at the Rumangabo military camp in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, May 16, 2013. REUTERS/James Akena

WASHINGTON | Tue Jul 23, 2013 3:06pm EDT

(Reuters) - The United States on Tuesday called on Rwanda to end support for M23 rebels in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, saying there was evidence Rwandan military officials were involved.

"We call upon Rwanda to immediately end any support for the M23 (and) withdraw military personnel from eastern DRC," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

She declined to say whether Rwandan President Paul Kagame was implicated. "I wasn't speaking to Kagame himself," she added.

The call comes two days before U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry leads a special session of the United Nations Security Council on Africa's Great Lakes region.

Psaki said the concerns followed a "credible body of evidence" in a recent report by Human Rights Watch that said M23 rebels in Congo were to blame for executions, rapes and forcible recruitment of men and boys while receiving support from Rwanda.

M23 began taking parts of eastern Congo early last year, accusing the government of failing to honor a 2009 peace deal.

(Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; Editing by Doina Chiacu)

__._,_.___
Reply via web post Reply to sender Reply to group

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Le Troisième Mandat de Louise Mushikiwabo à l'OIF : Entre Précédent et Principe Démocratique.

Le Troisième Mandat de Louise Mushikiwabo à l'OIF : Entre Précédent et Principe Démocratique. L'Alternance à l'OIF : Pourquoi un Troisième Mandat Fragilise la Crédibilité de la Francophonie. Introduction Louise Mushikiwabo veut un troisième mandat à la tête de l'Organisation internationale de la Francophonie. Son annonce, faite bien avant l'émergence d'autres candidats, rappelle une tactique familière en Afrique : affirmer qu'on a le soutien populaire sans jamais le prouver publiquement. La méthode est rodée. Des dirigeants africains l'utilisent depuis des décennies pour prolonger leur règne. Ils clament que "le peuple le demande" ou que "les partenaires soutiennent" cette reconduction. Aucune preuve formelle n'est nécessaire. L'affirmation devient réalité politique. Mais voilà le problème : la Francophonie prêche la démocratie, l'État de droit et l'alternance au pouvoir. Peut-elle tolérer en son sein ce qu...

-“The enemies of Freedom do not argue ; they shout and they shoot.”

-“The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish.”

-“The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.”

-“I have loved justice and hated iniquity: therefore I die in exile.”

IRIN - Great Lakes

UN News Centre - Africa