International rights watchdog- Human Rights Watch has published a length article title “DR Congo: Atrocities by Rwanda-Backed M23 Rebels”; devoid of a single evidential fact. The report is, rather, premised on concocted allegations pinning Kishishe massacres to the Congolese Revolutionary Movement- M23.
HRW’s accusations which are being promoted by renowned biased individuals such its former Executive Director- Kenneth Roth (a man without credibility due to his corruption while still head of HRW) state that the killing of 29, November 2022 in Kishishe were perpetrated by M23. However, apart from quoting hearsay, the HRW investigators did not visit the crime scene despite a public appeal by M23 administration calling for interested parties (including UN investigators and other foreign actors) to come and figure out what really happened in Kishishe.
According to the M23 administration, whose version of events is shared by independent investigators who visited the crime scene in Kishishe and Bambo, Rutshuru, in the Eastern Congo: “M23 did not commit any crimes against the civilian population in Kishishe. No women or children were killed, no kidnappings, no church was torched, no rape or any form of sexual abuses was committed by M23. Only eight (8) civilians were killed by stray bullets in exchange of fire between M23 and the government forces-FARDC together with its allied armed militias- FDLR, Nyatura, and Mai-Mai.”
According to findings of field investigators in Kishishe, on the fateful day- 29, November 2022, M23 fighters came back to Kishishe from the Virunga Park where they had pursued the enemy. Fleeing civilians had informed M23 that Mai-Mai had carried out a reprisal in Kishishe and mounted an ambush in the area waiting for M23 combatants.
On arrival, fighting ensued between M23 and Mai-Mai but lasted for a short period of time after the latter failed to put up a firm resistance. The M23 regained control of Kishishe town. It’s after that time that M23 assembled all residents and found 19 dead bodies. The inhabitants of Kishishe identified only 8 people while 11 others were strangers fighting for Mai-Mai militia group.
The 8 identified remains were buried by their families and M23 commiserated with the families of the victims of the stray bullets in the crossfire with the enemy.
If HRW was objective and credible as it claims, all these facts would have been considered in its report; but it chose to ignore them yet they were independently verified and bear witness of Kishishe residents.
The M23 has continuously protested against foreign groups that have been publishing false reports to draw a hostile international opinion that aims to delegitimize its cause. However, truth will always prevail. In spite of all these falsehoods and blackmail, the Movement will spare no effort to fight for the downtrodden Congolese Tutsi.