from PHYLLIS BIRORI in Kigali, Rwanda
Rwanda Bureau
KIGALI, (CAJ News) – THE deepening crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has escalated into a diplomatic tiff between Rwanda and South Africa.
Rwanda is being accused of backing the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels, which are on the verge of capturing the Congolese town of Goma, and in the process killed 13 South African soldiers that are part of a peacekeeping mission in the region.
President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa on Wednesday released a statement denouncing the killings.
His Rwanda counterpart, Paul Kagame, has reacted angrily.
“What has been said about these conversations in the media by South African officials and President Ramaphosa himself contains a lot of distortion, deliberate attacks, and even lies,” Kagame stated.
This represents unprecedented fallout between the two countries.
Kagame denounced Ramaphosa’s blip in a statement that the Rwanda Defence Force was a militia, in its alleged backing of the M23 rebel group seizing Goma, the eastern part of the DRC.
He also seemingly expressed displeasure at the deployment of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) troops in the DRC.
Kagame also singled out South Africa from the 16-member SADC regional member grouping, and was in a very combative mood.
“If South Africa wants to contribute to peaceful solutions, that is well and good, but South Africa is in no position to take on the role of a peacemaker or mediator.”
He added, “And if South Africa prefers confrontation, Rwanda will deal with the matter in that context any day.”
– CAJ News