United States protecting criminals
It is no secret that the Kagame administration in Rwanda has a vested interest in the Congolese rebellion across its border. There is no concern that the fighting will spill over into Rwandan territory, but rather, the success of Bosco “the Terminator” Ntaganda’s renegade forces against DR Congo’s government troops guarantees Tutsi hegemony in the region, punishing the Hutu power militias leftover from the days of genocide.
What is surprising, however, is just how far the United States is willing to go to protect one of its staunchest African allies from international scrutiny. The UN Group of Experts, a panel comprising of security experts for the Congo, have released findings which implicate the Rwandan defense minister and two of his top military officials of aiding the M23 rebellion. This faction has been deemed the gravest human rights violator in the Congo, and perhaps the world. Wishing no repercussions upon such a pro-Western government, the United States is alleged to have pressured the panel into delaying its findings long enough for Rwanda to formulate a response.
The observers’ report, now released, lists several Congolese whom it implicates as complicit in the M23’s atrocities. Notably absent from this document are the Rwandan military commanders who have helped orchestrate this calamity. They are just the most recent culprits in a long line of Rwandan foul play in the Congo. President Paul Kagame may have brought peace within his borders, but outside, his regime’s deeds tell an entirely different story, consistently passing on blame to “rogue” or “renegade” officers like Nkunda and Ntaganda.
The developments of the M23 have not been investigated thoroughly enough, and for a valuable truth to surface, the U.S. must stop asserting diplomatic pressure against UN fact finders.
