On Feb, 13, 2025, the European Parliament called for sanctions against Rwanda and condemned the 'occupation of Goma’ as a breach of DRC’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Rwanda has repeatedly denied the accusations of supporting M23 rebels, and clarified presence of security measure along its borders to prevent attacks on its soil especially from the genocidal FDLR supported by Congolese forces (FARDC) and its coalition. The same parliament has never held Kinshasa accountable for inscription of a genocidal militia in its national army, with the aim of attacking Rwanda.
It is cynical for the European parliament which is aware that M23 rebels are Kinyarwanda speaking Congolese fighting against historical injustice and an existential threat, to call the capture of Goma an occupation, and breach of DRC’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
This assertion feeds into Kinshasa’s narrative of calling M23 rebels foreigners (Rwandans) and terrorists. This is one reason why the war in eastern DRC is not likely to stop unless the west and Kinshasa government recognize that M23 rebels are legitimate Congolese with legitimate concerns that require to be addressed through political means.
The crisis in eastern DRC was created by the same countries blaming Rwanda and M23. In 1884, during the Berlin Conference when Africa was divided among European countries, fictitious borders separated communities which share the same language and culture, and this is how Kinyarwanda speaking Congolese found themselves belonging to Congo.
Since the 1960s, successive regimes discriminated against Kinyarwanda speaking Congolese. The European countries apportion blame for the eastern DRC crisis, yet they bear the greatest responsibility of sowing seeds of genocide against the Tutsi in 1994, and the hate speech and persecution of the Congolese Tutsi going on today in DRC.
The colonial Belgium entrenched divide and rule policy and introduced an instrument called a Vernier Caliper to measure the size of Rwandan noses hence the beginning of ethnic profiling and creating the so called ethnicities of Hutu Tutsi and Twa, that were originally social economic classes.
Mass killing of the Tutsi started in 1959 under the supervision of the Belgians, and the culmination of the ethnic discrimination is what resulted into the genocide against the Tutsi in 1994.
The French played a significant role as accomplices in the genocide against the Tutsi. French soldiers manned roadblocks checking identity cards to identify the Tutsi, who were killed under their watch. The French led Operation Opération Turquoise in 1994, disguised as a humanitarian operation, was meant to protect those who had committed genocide in Rwanda.
They were given a safe passage into Zaire (present day DRC), whose remnants are the current FDLR. The presence of these genocidaires, in DRC, resulted into the current crisis we see today of persecution, and killing of Congolese Tutsi. This is one of the reasons why M23 rebels took up arms to defend their own people.
When M23 rebels seized Goma, nearly 300 European mercenaries were in the city fighting alongside FADRC and their coalition that included MONUSCO, FDLR, SADC, Burundi troops and Wazalendo local militia.
Although the European parliament is aware that in 1989, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution condemning the use of mercenaries, there was no call for sanctions against DRC for violation of international law. M23 and Rwanda are the bad boys for defending themselves.
Much as FARDC are known for human rights violations and war crimes including rape, the European parliament heaps blame on M23, yet those who stand by the truth testify how in all M23 rebels controlled areas, there is peace and internally displaced persons are being resettled back into their homes.
If it was a blame game about human rights violations in DRC, who will hold Belgium accountable for millions of Congolese maimed and killed under the orders of Belgian King Leopold II from 1885 to 1908?
The most absurd narrative fronted by almost all western countries is that the crisis in eastern DRC is about mineral resources. The European Parliament’s call for suspension of EU-Rwanda deal on sustainable value chains for critical raw materials, insinuates that Rwanda is stealing DRC minerals.
This narrative feeds into Kinshasa propaganda. Ironically, the Belgians know well that by 1950s, SOMUKI, a Belgian mining company, and later Geomines were already operating in Rwanda, not buying but freely taking Rwanda’s minerals. If it was about accountability and paying reparations for stealing Rwandan and Congo minerals, Belgium would be declared bankrupt and most western countries would be in the dock.
It is cynical and inhuman when western countries idolize DRC minerals over the blood of Rwandan Tutsi killed in 1994, the threat to return and kill other and the lives of Congolese Tutsi being killed now.
Imagine the trauma faced by Pierre, a 10 year old boy who witnessed his father being burnt alive and his flesh eaten in public by the killers! Pierre’s father was a Congolese Tutsi.
Imagine a mother who was stripped naked, raped and hacked to death and her children saw all this. These acts were committed in broad day light and videos were recorded, not AI created images.
The European Parliament pretends as if this is normal and M23 rebels have valid cause. To ignore the cause of M23 rebels is the worst form of human rights violation. There was no European Parliamentary session when these barbaric killings and cannibalism of the Tutsi, happened, there was no condemnation.
A village inhabited by Congolese Tutsi was burned down in South Kivu, under the watch of MONUSCO and Burundian soldiers. There was no condemnation. The condemnation comes Only when M23 captured Goma and Bukavu.
The Berlin Conference in 1884 was not about the wellbeing of the African people. It was about the European greed for Africa’s natural resources. The same mindset prevails today when the European parliament avoids anything that will anger the DRC government.
That’s why they speak the same language and will blame M23 and Rwanda just as Tshsekedi does. The European Parliament did not call for direct talks between Kinshasa and M23 rebels. They do not care about the lives of Congolese Tutsi being killed, neither the security threat against Rwanda paused Congolese authorities and arming FDLR, to return and 'complete the genocide.’
In 1961, Belgium and its allies assassinated Patrice Lumumba a few months after he was elected as the first Prime Minister of independent Congo. Lumumba was seen as a threat to western interests of stealing Congo resources. His body was dissolved in acid and his remains of only a golden tooth were returned to DRC in 2022, after 61 years!
These are the same powers that led to DRC government failure because they need the country to have incompetent leaders like Tshisekedi. Those who committed horrendous human rights violations are the ones now blaming M23 rebels saving a persecuted people for human rights violations.
The European Parliament cover up of DRC government atrocities, the blame against Rwanda with legitimate concerns of what is taking place in DRC, and ignoring the root causes of the M23 rebellion, will not help to end the eastern DRC crisis, but rather will prolong it.
The mix of western countries, UN and European mercenaries and siding with Kinshasa, show a well-coordinated conspiracy against Rwanda and M23 cause. The west has their economic interest to defend, Rwanda and M23, stand to defend their people against an existential threat and they will not relent however much the west threatens. No wonder that the countries with a historical responsibility in creating the mess in DRC are the most vocal blaming Rwanda and M23.
The writer is a media consultant and former Head of Media Development Department at Rwanda Governance Board.
M23 fighters patrolling Goma city in their vehicles.
