Rwanda Backing Congo Rebels
source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/04/world/africa/04congo.html?_r=1&hp
-
-
- insanejain
- added this
Last Tuesday UN reported that Rwandan tanks fired artillery towards the Congolese troops who were fighting the Congolese rebel leader Laurent Nkunda. But now it seems to be transparent than ever that Rwanda is playing a much bigger hand than previously thought.
Rwandan government has been secretly deploying demobilized soldiers towards the rebel front in Congo to back rebel leader Nkunda. The government acknowledges that demobilized soldiers are fighting in Congo, but they are saying that the soldiers were fighting on their own and were not sent by government.
But Rwandan soldiers contradicted the statement by government officials. Some soldiers secretly revealed that that these officials were infact fully involved in deployment of Rwandan armed forces, even providing bus fares for traveling into Congo.
Rwanda which is ruled by a Tutsi majority in the government is said to be sympathizing Nkunda's effort--he himself is a former officer of the Rwandan army, and his rebel group is mostly composed of Tutsis.
But the war is not just of "brotherhood" between the Tutsis of both countries its also about influential Tutsi businessmen who are looking for a way to plunder Congo of its riches. Some Rwandan Tutsi businessmen like Modeste Makabuza Ngoga, who has a small trade empire is seeking to influence the Congo regions known for its riches.
At the end it all comes down to money.
Rwandan government has been secretly deploying demobilized soldiers towards the rebel front in Congo to back rebel leader Nkunda. The government acknowledges that demobilized soldiers are fighting in Congo, but they are saying that the soldiers were fighting on their own and were not sent by government.
But Rwandan soldiers contradicted the statement by government officials. Some soldiers secretly revealed that that these officials were infact fully involved in deployment of Rwandan armed forces, even providing bus fares for traveling into Congo.
Rwanda which is ruled by a Tutsi majority in the government is said to be sympathizing Nkunda's effort--he himself is a former officer of the Rwandan army, and his rebel group is mostly composed of Tutsis.
But the war is not just of "brotherhood" between the Tutsis of both countries its also about influential Tutsi businessmen who are looking for a way to plunder Congo of its riches. Some Rwandan Tutsi businessmen like Modeste Makabuza Ngoga, who has a small trade empire is seeking to influence the Congo regions known for its riches.
At the end it all comes down to money.
-
- groups:
- Rebels
-
- tags:
- Congo, Rebels, Rwanda, Laurent Nkunda
