KINSHASA — Captain Demobe Médard Rusanganwa, a former member of the FDLR, has called on the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the United Nations to reconsider their engagement with FDLR fighters still operating on Congolese territory.
Rusanganwa, who was previously part of the armed group before leaving its ranks, said his experience within the FDLR gives him insight into the activities and thinking of some of its members who remain in eastern DRC.
He said some of the FDLR fighters still in Congo were once his colleagues and alleged that some continue to hold ambitions of returning to Rwanda, overthrowing the government and pursuing an ethnic-based ideology. He linked some of these ideas to the ideology that contributed to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
According to Rusanganwa, one of the major concerns is the alleged cooperation between FDLR elements and sections of the Congolese army, known as the FARDC, in areas affected by fighting.
He argued that such cooperation, if taking place, could make it difficult to distinguish the armed group from government forces on the battlefield and could complicate efforts to address armed groups operating in eastern DRC.
Drawing on his experience as a former FDLR member, Rusanganwa urged the United Nations and authorities in Kinshasa to strengthen monitoring of relationships between state forces and armed groups.
He said any cooperation involving armed groups with a history of violence or extremist ideology should be carefully examined if regional peace efforts are to succeed.
“If the objective is lasting peace in the Great Lakes region, there must be stronger scrutiny of all forms of cooperation with armed groups, particularly those whose activities could continue to threaten regional security,” Rusanganwa said.
His remarks come as eastern DRC continues to face a complex security crisis involving multiple armed groups and government forces, with allegations of alliances and battlefield cooperation remaining a major issue in regional peace and security discussions.
Rusanganwa’s account reflects his experience and allegations concerning the FDLR and its relationships in eastern DRC. The claims regarding specific cooperation between FDLR elements and FARDC would require independent verification and responses from the parties named.
