The Association for Peace and Justice Defence
Lubumbashi, DR of Congo
11.08.00
In its multiple messages regularly sent to different media agencies and to diverse Human Rights defence Organisations, the Association for Peace and Justice Defence discloses the catastrophic situation characterised by gross violations of basic human rights provoked by the Rwandan troops in the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of CONGO.
The recent eyesore event to be widely reported for an appropriate reaction of the International Community is that at the end of October 2000, a huge aircraft left KIGALI and landed in KALEMIE via GOMA. The town of KALEMIE is located on the shores of Lake TANGANYIKA in the Democratic Republic of CONGO ; it is a big port with some essential shipping facilities. The same town is the District headquarters of TANGANYIKA.
According to our correspondent based in KALEMIE, this aircraft hired by the Government of KIGALI was carrying hundreds of secondary school students from RWANDA who were brought for a military training in a bid of replacing their elements who are frequently being swept off on the battle field by the determined People’s self defence forces active in that part of the Democratic Republic of CONGO.
A young boy aged 14 declared to our correspondent that before being embarked for that adventure, those unfortunate sons of RWANDA were hoodwinked that they were going to be brought to LUBUMBASHI in better boarding schools where the Rwandan troops do control ! ! !
Sincerely speaking, it is a fact that the school fees have recently been raised and the only sons and daughters of affluent Tutsi attend schools where as the Hutu families and more particularly the orphans whose parents were killed in the operations lead by Paul KAGAME to equalise the demographic figures of Tutsi and Hutu ; these orphans can not afford to pay those school fees.
These young boys in training were astonished to be told that the town was KALEMIE as opposed to LUBUMBASHI which according to the local population in KALEMIE will never and never be approached by the aggression from RWANDA and BURUNDI.
As time passes, these young boys do discover that they all belong to the Hutu ethnic group to be used as a shield of KAGAME’S troops versus the congolese forces. This is true because even other Hutu falsely accused of genocide have been released not to go back home but to join forcebly the Rwandan Patriotic Army in our country. One would wonder as to why the Government of KIGALI resorts to sending students in congolese schools, the country in which the same Government prevails insecurity. It remains a matter of comment to see Paul KAGAME excluding the Hutu from their Motherland and installing them in burning fire of war in CONGO.
The up-to date and reliable report from our correspondent in KALEMIE reveals and narrates thoroughly the prevailing situation as follows : The population remains insecure and live panic - stricken, extremely frightened. The Commanding staff of the Rwandan troops has strictly forbidden all circulations and assemblies of all nature and even the religious celebrations. The acts of vandalism and looting have become the order of the day since last month. Some people do leave KALEMIE for refuge in TANZANIA and ZAMBIA before reaching LUBUMBASHI. Those who remain in KALEMIE are said to be ready, looking ahead to cheer an eventual arrival of Forces of KABILA.
The Association for Peace and Justice Defence is particularly preoccupied by this conscription of Rwandan children. It is very important to note that this criminal act is opposed to international dispositions related to rights of children. We there fore openly denounce this gross violation of human rights and call upon other human rights defence organisations to disapprove this resort of President Paul KAGAME. The Association for Peace and Justice Defence asks the International Community and particularly the United Nations children’s Fund (UNICEF) to be courageous in fulfilling its duties and responsibilities of defending children. This could be done first and foremost by pursuing a survey and inquiry on this operation of deporting these Rwandan children and to condemn this criminal act. The International Community should also play a major role in asking KIGALI to withdraw without delay these children and send them back to schools in their Motherland.