AfroAmerica Network
Pueto, Katanga, D.R.C.
03.03.01
Rwanda Patriotic Army soldiers have put on the hats usually worn by Banyamulenge fighters instead of withdrawing from the city of Pueto.
AfroAmerica Network has learned that many Rwandan soldiers have stayed in the city of Pueto and disguised themselves as Banyamulenge. Political sources in Kigali say Rwandan President General Paul Kagame has apparently decided to withdraw some soldiers and to leave others behind in order to enable Banyamulenge to play a major role during negotiations with Congolese authorities.
Banyamulenge are Congolese of Rwandan descent who live in Southwestern Kivu. Even though they speak Kinyarwanda, they left Rwanda more than a century ago and some Congolese authorities have refused to recognize them as Congolese citizens. After the RPF took over power in Kigali in 1994, Kagame used the Banyamulenge citizenship issue as one of the reasons to invade the Democratic Republic of the Congo and to claim Kivu was part of Rwanda before the partition of Africa by colonial powers.
"We will not accept the maneuvers by the RPF to dig in Pueto after the deadline. If Rwanda does not leave, we also have the right to enter the city", said a Congolese army commander south-west of Pueto.
Meanwhile the Rwandan Ministry of Interior has asked the executive committee of the Democratic Republican Movement (MDR) led by Acting President Celestin Kabanda to remain in place until the party holds elections. Last week a group led by former Foreign Minister Anastase Gasana met, ousted the acting president Kabanda, and elected Gasana as interim president.
The Ministry of Interior's decision came as the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) was busy calling MDR members to attend the meeting Kabanda has called for March the 04 and urging them to ratify the decision taken by Gasana's group. A source that talked to AfroAmerica Network said that the popular outrage raised by Gasana's behavior embarrassing has pushed the RPF to want an appearance of democracy and legitimacy.
Gasana served as advisor to the president of the National Revolutionary Movement for Development (MRND) before joining MDR. He and PETRORWANDA Director General Desire Murenzi, a member of the central committee of MRND created interahamwe, a militia accused of carrying out the genocide of Tutsi in 1994.
Gasana will head soon the Rwandan mission at the United Nations. According to a diplomatic source, it is a matter of paperwork. The Rwandan cabinet has already approved Gasana's appointment.
(c)AfroAmerica Network, March, 2001.
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Soon to come: Coverage on Rwandan Refugees in the Republic of Congo.