Tell President Biden: Do Not Allow Our Tax Dollars to Fund Conflict in The Congo!
Rwanda and Uganda, U.S. allies, have pursued a quarter century war of aggression and plunder against the Congolese people. They have invaded the Democratic Republic of Congo twice (1996 & 1998). The 1998 invasion triggered the deaths of 5.4 million Congolese, half of whom were children under the age of five. The Rwandan and Ugandan armies even fought each other on Congolese soil in the so-called Six-Day War over control of Congo’s natural resource. The battle between the two armies resulted in the injury and death of thousands of Congolese civilians.
Although there was a peace agreement in 2002 and Rwanda and Uganda agreed to withdraw their militaries and cease the occupation of the Congo, both countries have resorted to sponsoring militia groups in the east of Congo to destabilize and continue the plunder of Congo’s resources. Today the Rwandan government continues to back the M23 militia with both resources and troops, allowing it to occupy Congolese territory, bomb the local population, kill civilians and cause the displacement of up to one million inhabitants.
The two governments, but particularly Rwanda, have been able to escape accountability and justice in large part because they have benefited from diplomatic and political cover from the United States, flouting U.S. law. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Relief, Security and Democracy Promotion Act (P.L. 109-456) says the Secretary of State is authorized to withhold assistance to countries that destabilize the Congo. In 2013 the Obama Administration withheld aid from Rwanda for supporting this same M23 rebel group and the State Department today says there is “credible evidence” that Rwanda is providing support to the M23.
