17 Feb 2011

DRC / FDLR SURRENDER

Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Bisengimana, a senior commander with the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR) turned himself into the UN Mission (MONUSCO) on Wednesday and is being transferred to a camp for demobilized soldiers in Rwanda. In an interview, he condemns FDLR soldiers who commit rape. MONUSCO

Posted at: February 17, 2011 4:07 pm

Duration: 01:44

Available in: SD

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Full script

STORY: DRC / FDLR SURRENDER 
TRT: 1:44
SOURCE: MONUSCO
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: FRENCH / NATS

DATELINE: 16 FEBRUARY 2011, GOMA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

SHOTLIST:

1. Various shots, FDLR rebel Samuel Bisengimana
2. SOUNDBITE (French) Samuel Bisengimana, Lieutenant-colonel, Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR):
"I'm personally convinced by the United Nations DDRRR Program, by friends who are already in Rwanda and by friends from everywhere including my family members. I had enough time to all these people to ask them what is going on and would happen to me if I continued staying in the bush." 
3. Pan right, FDLR rebel Samuel Bisengimana
4. SOUNDBITE (French) Samuel Bisengimana, Lieutenant-colonel, Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR):
 "If there are some FDLR people who committed such crimes (like rapes), I condemn them." 
5. SOUNDBITE (French) Walimba Mass, National Expert, Demobilization, Disarmament, Repatriation, Resettlement and Reintegration Programme (DDRRR), UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO): 
"Since 2009, we have already repatriated 4054 ex-combatants, among them 117 officers. So you can see the level at which the FDLR has been affected." 6. Med shot, DDRRR officer gets out of car
7. SOUNDBITE (French) Herve Hesse, Officer, Demobilization, Disarmament, Repatriation, Resettlement and Reintegration Programme (DDRRR), UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO): 
"The FDLR (The Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda) seriously affected on the ground by the pressure against them. We know that many of them would like to go back to their country."
8. Med shot, Congolese soldiers walking around UN car
9. SOUNDUP (French) Samuel Bisengimana, Lieutenant-colonel, Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR):
"(Question: What message do you have for the Congolese people?) I wish that they restore peace."
10. Med shot, Congolese soldiers walking around UN car

STORYLINE:

Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Bisengimana, a senior commander with the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR), turned himself in to the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) (MONUSCO) on Wednesday (16 Feb) and will be transferred to a camp for demobilized soldiers in Rwanda today (17 Feb).

In an interview during his repatriation to Rwanda, he said he condemned any FDLR soldiers who commit rape. He added that he is "personally convinced" by the UN demobilisation and disarmament programme.

After more than a year of negotiations, MONUSCO's Disarmament, Demobilization, Reintegration, Repatriation and Repatriation (DDRRR) programme extracted the FDLR leader, also known Sam-Kunda Mutima, from Ntoto territory in Walikale, eastern DRC.

According to MONUSCO, Bisengimana was responsible for mobilizing civilian support for the FDLR and also facilitated recruitment.

Before joining the FDLR, Bisengimana was a member of the former Rwandan Armed Forces responsible of the genocide against Tutsis in 1994.

His defection follows the extraction from three other members of the FDLR last month. Last year, 1,881 FDLR members, including 64 officers, opted for voluntary surrender and disarmament under the MONUSCO demobilization programme.

MONUSCO's DDRRR expert Walimba Mass added that since 2009, the programme had "already repatriated 4,054 ex-combatants, among them 117 officers."

Another DDRRR officer Herve Hesse said "many of them would like to go back to their country."

Bisengimana is now being repatriated to a camp for demobilized soldiers in Mutobo, north-western Rwanda.

According to the Rwanda Demobilization and Reintegration Commission, ex-armed groups have been the biggest challenge for the country where around 6,000 men belonging to the FDLR are still expected to join this program.