Masisi: the rebellion next to the guarantor of world peace

The M23 rebels who took control of the city of Kithanga in the territory of Masisi, in the province of North Kivu eastern DRC, have installed new positions to secure this city. It is coveted by the Congolese army and other armed groups who swear to “come back”. One of the rebel bases was placed next to that of Monuco. This Saturday, the FARDC (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo) again accused the Rwandan army of having actually taken Kitchanga without giving any evidence. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

According to corroborating sources, the M23 was able to advance a few kilometers from Kithanga on the Mweso axis and on the other side on the Kibarizo axis, two other large agglomerations in this part of the province of North Kivu.

The Collective of organizations of human rights defenders of the Bashali chieftaincy led by the organization “UMOJA-AFRICA RDC”, affirms that the rebels have installed one of their bases next to that of Monuco (United Nations Mission in the DRC) with the objective of “forcing the inhabitants who have found refuge next to the base of the UN Mission to return to their households in Kitchanga”.

“Elements of M23 have already been installed next to the Monusco base at the Vodacom telecommunications antenna in Kitshanga this morning since 10:30 a.m.,” the organization explained on Sunday.

“According to our information, the M23 is ordering residents who have not found a place inside the Monusco base to return to their households”, adds UMOJA-AFRICA RDC.

The organization specifies that the presence of the M23 rebels a few meters from the UN base is already worrying the entire population who have come to seek protection.

The Collective of Human Rights Defenders Organizations of the Bashali Chiefdom alerts the authorities of North Kivu and the central government in Kinshasa about the situation of the displaced persons of Kitchanga. They are located in the villages of Mweso, Kashuga, Kalembe and Pinga.

The collective recommended urgent actions to assist these displaced persons estimated at 60 thousand.

This Saturday, the Congolese army pounded several M23 positions with its heavy artillery, local sources said.

In a press release, the FARDC, which accuses the Rwandan army of having actually captured Kitchanga, also accuses it of “planning a massacre of Congolese Tutsis in order to find an alibi to invade the Congo”.

The Rwandan authorities have not yet reacted to these recent allegations. But on Thursday, the Rwandan minister for foreign affairs clearly announced that “Rwanda has only one enemy in the DRC sub-region”, telling Congolese leaders to “distribute weapons, uniforms and ammunition to the Rwandan genocidaires FDLR “with whom they collaborate to” destabilize the Rwandan territory”.