Belgian journalist and veteran Great Lakes region analyst Colette Braeckman says Rwanda has legitimate reasons to maintain strict security measures along its border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), arguing that the FDLR armed group remains active and continues to recruit new fighters.
Speaking in an interview with CPL TV, Braeckman explained that although more than 30 years have passed since the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, the FDLR—founded by individuals implicated in the genocide—has not disappeared.
She said the group’s founders have raised a new generation of fighters, training their children in military activities and integrating them into a unit known as CRAP (Commandos de Recherche et d’Action en Profondeur).
Braeckman stated that she has personally encountered these fighters in eastern DRC, describing them as young recruits who have been trained and indoctrinated with the belief that they will one day invade Rwanda and overthrow the government of President Paul Kagame.
According to her, this is why Rwanda cannot afford to lower its guard, especially while the FDLR continues to rebuild its capabilities and spread its ideology.
She also strongly criticized the administration of DRC President Félix Tshisekedi, accusing it of collaborating with FDLR fighters.
Braeckman argued that such cooperation is a serious mistake, given that the group was founded by individuals involved in the Genocide against the Tutsi and continues to pose a threat to Rwanda’s security.
She said anyone who believes President Kagame is unaware of these developments—or that Rwanda has no reason to strengthen its border security—is mistaken, emphasizing that Rwanda closely monitors activities across the border.
Braeckman further noted that President Tshisekedi is fully aware of the history of the Genocide against the Tutsi and therefore should not associate with a group whose origins and ideology are closely linked to those tragic events.
She also referred to the peace agreement signed by Rwanda and the DRC in Washington on June 27, 2025, which aimed to eliminate the FDLR and address the security concerns that prompted Rwanda to reinforce its border.
However, she said that more than a year after the agreement was signed, there has been no significant progress in dismantling the armed group.
While the DRC government maintains that the FDLR mainly operates in areas controlled by AFC/M23, the United States has argued that Kinshasa should first dismantle FDLR elements operating in territories under government control.
Braeckman concluded that lasting peace between Rwanda and the DRC will only be achieved if both countries fully implement their commitments, particularly by dismantling the FDLR and ending any form of cooperation that allows the group to survive or expand.
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