Tensions between the DRC and Rwanda: calls for de-escalation are increasing

Tension has further increased between the DRC and Rwanda, after the death of a Congolese soldier on the border with the neighboring country.

Here, residents of Goma react to the passage of his body on June 17, 2022. © Guerchom Ndebo / AFP

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3 mins

Since the violence between the M23 rebel movement and the Congolese army intensified in the east of the country, hate speech has flared up and tension has not abated between Kinshasa and Kigali.

But many voices are rising to call for appeasement and de-escalation.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said he was "worried", and is preparing to host a meeting of the commanders of the defense forces of the East African community, which the DRC recently joined, on Sunday June 19.

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The

between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the M23.

Calls for appeasement and speeches are increasing so that civilians do not pay the cost of hate speech.

Father Donatien Nsholé, secretary general and spokesperson for the National Episcopal Commission of Congo (Cenco), deplored the escalation of violence and hoped that

would not damage relations between

, accused of pulling the strings of the rebel movement.

He spoke on Saturday June 18 on the sidelines of the colloquium on " 

 ", organized by the Archbishop of Lubumbashi, at the microphone of

.

Not long ago, the president of CENCO issued a message in which he invited all those who sow desolation in the East, particularly in Goma, to stop with arms.

Violence will never be a solution to our disputes.

First there is the duty to convert, because he who kills sins and therefore he must convert.

There is also the duty to dialogue when necessary.

But what makes me fear personally is this tendency to enmity which is beginning to grow between the Congolese and our neighboring brothers.

Therefore, our claims must not take precedence over the Word of God, which invites us to “live together”.

Donatien Nsholé, secretary general and spokesperson for the National Episcopal Commission of Congo (Cenco), deplores the escalation of violence in eastern DRC

Denise Mahého

Bintou Keita, the head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC, took the floor to recall her concern at the violence of the comments made about the crisis in the east of the country. :

Hate speech is violent and divides us.

Let's turn our backs on racism and xenophobia, let's not give in to incendiary speeches which have only too much fueled violence, where, on the contrary, we must strengthen cohesion and live together.

►

The Pole Institute, in Goma, is sounding the alarm on the stigmatization of a community: it denounces “ 

 ” and speaks of an “ 

 ” which must be “ 

 ”.

For the Secretary General of the United Nations, " 

 ".

The fight against hate speech is everyone's business, the government, civil society and, above all, each and every one of us.

⤵️ pic.twitter.com/JzQqQ2d9Hn

— MONUSCO (@MONUSCO) June 15, 2022

Kenya and Uganda also call for calm

In Nairobi, a meeting of commanders of

Defense Forces , which

, is due to take place in Nairobi on Sunday June 19.

The objective is to finalize preparations for the deployment of a regional force in eastern DRC, the creation of which was announced in April.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta requested its activation this week.

In a statement, he said he was " 

 " about the latest tensions between Kigali and Kinshasa, which he said could threaten the consultations between the government and the Congolese armed groups, opened in Nairobi in April, to restore peace in east of the country.

The East African community, and in particular Kenya and Uganda, also want to preserve this process, as explained by Jason Stearns, director of the Congo Study Group at New York University, joined by our correspondent at Nairobi Albane Thirouard:

There are growing tensions between three countries of this East African community - Rwanda, Uganda and Congo - and I think these tensions are of concern to the community in general.

This is one of the reasons why she, and Kenyatta in particular, wants to get involved.

Apart from that, there are certainly political interests too.

Uhuru has an election coming up, it's part of his interest to promote himself and leave that behind when he leaves office.

Beyond that, Kenya is increasingly projecting itself into the DRC, politically and above all economically: there are Kenyan investors who are ready to go to the DRC, it is a very interesting place economically for them. .

Uganda, of course, also wants to avoid an escalation of tensions with its neighbour, Rwanda.

So on both sides

For Jason Stearns, director of the Congo Study Group at New York University, "there are also political interests" in Nairobi's intervention in the Congo-Rwanda crisis

Albane Thirouard

Beyond this meeting of military leaders, a summit of regional heads of state should be held in the capital soon.

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