For any keen independent observer conversant with Congo and its decades-long conflicts, the Kishishe massacres were without a shred of doubt committed by FDLR, Mai-Mai Nyatura, and other militias in bed with the Tshisekedi government.
But then the Kinshasa regime mouthpieces spread the lie that the massacre was “the doing of M23”, to use it against the M23 and hoodwink the international community (to invoke the humanitarian act and war crimes charter against the M23).
Any public relations expert will tell you that the speed and zeal with which the Kinshasa regime responded to the reports is quite suspicious. It is as if the government learned about the said killings before they even were committed! The very first media reports on the incident came from the government, whose army had ostensibly been beaten back from the geography of the killings by the M23.
How then was the Tshisekedi regime able to learn about the massacre – at lightning speed! – and be able to know the number of the dead?
As if this was not enough, Kinshasa has continued to blow up the numbers of the purported victims, with every passing day. Kinshasa regime officials have been giving conflicting numbers and account at different times and places. What started with “30 people dead” has now reached more than 300! Even when they say they don’t control the area of the said massacres, they keep revising the number of the dead upwards. What was the cause of death, nuclear radiation? Do they think we are idiots?
The M23 Movement has issued a statement, which has mostly been ignored by the international community, showing 12 people were killed by stray bullets, and the movement duly brought this issue to the Rutchuru civil society who hastened to bury them to reinforce the false government allegations. The M23 offered to grant MONUSCO and anyone else access to conduct an independent investigation. Despite this, some players in the international community have preferred to run with the government’s side of the story, which is entirely laced with dangerous propaganda.
As the region and international community seek to find a lasting solution to the conflict in Eastern DRC, it is prudent to tread carefully. Everyone should be aware that they are dealing with a dysfunctional state. A state where a leader seeks to postpone the elections so that he can rule forever.
As things stand, the world is playing into Tshisekedi’s hands by falling for his propaganda.