DRC leader, Felix Tshisekedi has consistently established himself as a proponent of chaos and mayhem in the country that he’s mandated to unite and deliver sustainable development as enshrined in his oath of office. The regime he prides over continues to steadfastly oppose to all peace efforts to pacify the eastern part of the country.
In yet another shocking development, the Kinshasa regime through its newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister in charge of Defense and veterans, Jean-Pierre Bemba dragged another foreign player into the conflict. That’s none other than Russia through her Ambassador to DRC, Alexey Sentebov.
Amb Sentebov who lacked a clear understanding of the ongoing conflict between M23 and Congolese regime, pledged his country’s full support to fight M23 rebels whom he labelled “terrorists”, another notion that Tshisekedi has been pushing to delegitimize the group and its cause of fighting.
On the Russian side, it’s imperative for the European country to exercise utmost caution before meddling in internal matters of Congo. M23 has been fighting to protect the lives of the downtrodden Tutsi community who were deprived of their rights to nationality, land and forced to flee their country to neighboring Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi. Russia should desist falling into Tshisekedi’s trap and critically examine the reason why M23 is fighting and the Movement’s goodwill to vacate occupied territories and pursuing dialogue to resolve the matter.
Being a member of the UN Security Council, it’s in good interests of all parties for Moscow to support the implementation of the regional peace initiatives’ recommendations that set stage for peaceful dialogue between Tshisekedi and M23, as well as cessation of all hostile activities.
It’s not the first time that Russia will be supporting Tshisekedi regime in the war against M23, last year, following Russian Foreign Minister- Sergey Lavrov’s visit to Kinshasa, Russia supplied a batch of heavy military logistics made by both arms and fighter jets- Sukhoi25 that were instrumental in shelling civilian populated territory in full glare of the International Community.
However, Russia’s support to Tshisekedi shall not deter M23 from pursuing its rights and the safety of its people, the group is determined to defend the helpless from persecution and all sort of dehumanization without flinching until their grievances are heard and addressed.