United Nations Radio

soldiers in DRC

Rwandan soldiers have entered the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to pursue Rwandan Hutu militias of the FDLR, the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda.

Members of the FDLR participated in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and fled to settle in the eastern part of the Congo.

To find out more about the Rwandan operation in the Congo, UN Radio's Patrick Maigua in Geneva spoke with the military spokesman of the UN Mission in the Congo, Jean Paul Dietrich.

MAIGUA: We do understand that Rwandan soldiers have entered DRC. When did this happen and what is their mission?

DIETRICH: That's something which we can confirm. This morning our forces on the ground around Goma have observed about 1,500 to 2,000 Rwandan forces entering the soil of the Democratic Republic of Congo and after entering the zone further moving towards Rutshuru. This operation is, we understand, part of the agreement between the Congolese government and Rwanda to jointly, in fact, confront the FDLR.

MAIGUA: Now this entry, won't it complicate the already fragile situation in eastern DRC?

DIETRICH: It is, that's why we have asked all the parties, because I think you are speaking especially about the civilian population and the IDPs. That's why we have asked all the parties to plan this operation very carefully to take into account the protection of the civilians and to respect fully the international humanitarian law.

MAIGUA: Now when you said that they are going to pursue the FDLR militias does it mean that they are going to be engaged in a new war or in new conflict in the region?

DIETRICH: Of course, technically when you want to disarm FDLR forcefully there will be clashes. There will be, again, civilian population affected. But, hopefully, FDLR is willing to follow this process of disarmament and repatriation to Rwanda. I think you need some sensitization? and you also need some military pressure.

MAIGUA: Have the two governments agreed on how long this operation is going to last?

DIETRICH: MONUC was not at all associated in the planification and will not participate. I think it's the Congolese government who will, hopefully, inform us how long this operation should last and what is its exact approach now.

MAIGUA: Have you been able to speak to the CNDP rebels and got to know what their reaction is to this kind of operation between the two governments?

DIETRICH: As you are aware, there has been a split within the CNDP and most of the military commanders have agreed to lay down their arms, to be integrated into the regular army and to confront the FDLR problem together. Of course, it will take some time. So CNDP is not really an important factor in this... at the moment.

MAIGUA: How far are they going to go into DRC?

DIETRICH: Well as you know, the FDLR is present in North Kivu and South Kivu with about 7,000 military members and their families. There are about 3,500 in North Kivu and about 2,500 in South Kivu. They have quite a strict military organization. And so operations will take place in North and South Kivu in the future. What we are seeing today is a move toward Rutshuru which was or is a stronghold of Laurent Nkunda in the past and big parts of Rutshuru territory have been under CNDP control over the last weeks and there is a small FDLR presence in Rutshuru territory as well. So we do not know exactly why they were planning to start the operation in the Rutshuru area. So I think, hopefully the government will give us some clarification during coming days.

MAIGUA: Probably MONUC may have to come in and protect civilian lives.

DIETRICH: Definitely. That's why we have addressed all the parties to be careful and to care about the civilian population which has already suffered enough from all those conflicts in the area. And definitely you cannot plan any military operation without affecting the civilian population but it has to be done in a very smooth way and MONUC will do everything, especially around IDP camps to protect those installations.

That was Jean Paul Dietrich, the military spokesman of the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, speaking with UN Radio's Patrick Maigua in Geneva.

Duration: 4'43"