The Rwandan government has rejected calls by the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) to be granted political space in Rwanda, insisting that the armed group must first disarm, disband and have its members return to the country.
The response follows recent statements by FDLR expressing interest in returning to Rwanda and participating in the country’s political process, as part of discussions between the group and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on the disarmament and repatriation of its fighters.
Rwanda has dismissed the Kinshasa-FDLR arrangement, arguing that it does not align with the commitments made under the Washington peace agreement. Foreign Affairs Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe said the agreement between the DRC and FDLR is an attempt to divert attention from obligations that were already agreed upon.
Under the Washington agreement, Rwanda says the DRC committed to dismantling FDLR within 90 days, a step Kigali says has not been implemented.
FDLR has previously indicated that securing political recognition in Rwanda is among the conditions it wants addressed before ending its armed activities. In a recent interview with BBC, the group’s spokesperson, Curé Ngoma, said FDLR was prepared to return to Rwanda and engage in politics.
However, Nduhungirehe said Rwanda would not accept such a move, arguing that FDLR is a group linked to individuals accused of participating in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
“There is no political space that can be opened for genocidaires. FDLR must be dismantled, as stated in the Washington agreement, and its members should return to Rwanda without additional conditions,” he said.
The minister stressed that FDLR is not a signatory to the Washington agreement but rather one of the security challenges the agreement is intended to resolve.
“FDLR is not a party to this agreement; it is one of the issues being addressed,” he said.
Nduhungirehe also accused the DRC government of using the recent agreement with FDLR to delay implementation of security commitments under the Washington framework, including measures to neutralise the armed group.
He further alleged that Kinshasa continues to support FDLR militarily despite the peace commitments, claiming that some members of the group have been incorporated into the Congolese armed forces.
The minister also accused the DRC of attempting to give FDLR political legitimacy by engaging with individuals linked to former Rwandan political structures living abroad.
Rwanda has consistently maintained that FDLR remains a threat to its national security and has called for the full implementation of the Washington agreement, particularly the provisions requiring the group to surrender weapons, disband and facilitate the return of its members to Rwanda.
