Opposition politician Martin Fayulu has called on the international community to help resolve the issue of the FDLR rebel group in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Fayulu made this appeal in a speech marking Congo’s Independence Day, addressed to the Congolese people on Monday, June 30.
The following day, Tuesday, July 1, the DRC commemorated 65 years of independence from Belgian colonial rule.
However, the country remains plagued by security issues, particularly in the eastern region, where violence has continued for nearly three decades.
The Rwandan government has repeatedly told the international community that the FDLR is largely composed of individuals responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, and that this group is a major cause of insecurity in both Congo and the Great Lakes region.
The United Nations has also identified the FDLR as a threat to regional peace, and the UN Security Council Resolution 2773 called for the disbanding of the FDLR, which is known to cooperate with Congo’s national army.
Last year, Rwanda and the DRC began peace talks in Luanda aiming to jointly dismantle the FDLR, but the initiative collapsed at the last minute.
However, the requirement to dismantle the FDLR is also included in a recent peace agreement signed between Rwanda and the DRC, facilitated by the United States.
Fayulu referred to this agreement and stated that Congo should not be blamed for the existence of the FDLR. He urged the international community to help resolve the issue.
“We call on our international partners to enforce UN Resolution 2773 and resolve the FDLR issue, which should not be held against Congo. Things must be said as they are,” Fayulu declared.
He further criticized recent attacks allegedly launched against the DRC, saying they should not be described as ‘defensive actions’ as referenced in the Rwanda-DRC peace agreement.
This agreement tasks the DRC with dismantling the FDLR, after which Rwanda is expected to lift its security measures taken to prevent cross-border attacks.
