Rwanda Government Spokesperson, Yolande Makolo, criticized the international human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) for its recent claims about Rwanda, saying they are far from the group’s mandate and that HRW deliberately ignores what is happening in DRC.
This comes after HRW alleged that graves at the Kanombe Military Cemetery had increased since January this year.
The organization, which has repeatedly accused Rwanda of falsehoods in the past, claimed that some of the new graves belonged to Rwandan soldiers allegedly killed while fighting alongside AFC/M23 when the coalition took control of the cities of Goma and Bukavu.
These accusations have been consistently dismissed by Rwanda as lies. Kigali maintains that no Rwandan soldier has ever set foot on Congolese territory to support the coalition, which it says is composed of Congolese fighters standing up against longstanding injustices, particularly against Kinyarwanda-speaking communities, most notably the Tutsi who continue to be killed daily.
Speaking on HRW’s latest report, Government Spokesperson Yolande Makolo said the organization had gone too far.
She asked: “In what way would stalking Rwandan cemeteries like this even conceivably be a “human rights” issue?
Makolo further accused HRW of being disingenuous and desperate for attention
The organization also released a satellite image it claims to have taken in January 2022, allegedly showing the Kanombe Military Cemetery in Kigali.
Makolo countered by questioning HRW’s selective use of such technology: “How about using this technology to show the ongoing bombing of Banyamulenge villages by FARDC, the thousands of Burundian troops crossing into South Kivu to support FARDC and out-of-control VDP/Wazalendo militias who are killing civilians? Or is HRW covering for these ongoing attacks by repeatedly and wrongly placing the blame on Rwanda?”
She emphasized that HRW has a history of publishing false claims against Rwanda. In particular, the organization has in the past alleged human rights abuses against Rwandans claims that many have refuted, pointing out instead that the Rwandan government prioritizes the well-being of its citizens and does everything possible within its capacity to serve them.
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