Rwandan newspapers on Thursday focused on the a trial of 25 members of an armed group, Rwanda National Congress (RNC), captured recenty in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the testimonies in court allegedly pin pointing Burundi and Uganda to be ‘knee-deep’ in helping the armed group.
Talking about the involvment of some of the neighbouring countries that have been at loggerheads with Rwanda, the English daily The New Times reported that one very interesting thing about this whole trial is that among those on trial are four Burundians and three Ugandans.
In an editorial, titled: “Trial of 25 brings the worms out of the woodwork”, the newspaper added that The capture of the group dealt the RNC one of its biggest blows; its operations in eastern DR Congo, were not only disbanded, but it also compromised its regional backers. It revealed the extent of their destabilisation of Rwanda.
According to the newspaper, stranger still, none of the men currently standing trial before military court in Kigali were recruited in Rwanda; 14 were recruited in Burundi, eight from Uganda, two in Kenya and one young man was recruited in Malawi, a country that has a sizable number of Rwandans.
The suspects include retired Major Mudasir Habib, who was captured recently in DRC, during a battle with the DRC army. Others are Rwandans, Ugandans and Burundians who lived in Burundi and Uganda before joining an insurgent group, Rwanda National Congress (RNC) led by South African-based fugitive Kayumba Nyamwasa, another renegade senior officer of the Rwandan army.
The New Times concludes that One lesson one gets from the incident , this enforces the belief that, as long as the international community, beginning with the continental and regional bodies, sit by and do nothing, they will always be treated with the spectacle of ostriches burying their heads in the sand.
In another article, the English daily “KT press” reported that during a pre-trial hearing which started Wednesday, the Military Tribunal in Nyamirambo has adjourned to Oct. 14 pre-trial hearing of 25 people suspected of working with rebel groups mainly Rwanda National Congress (RNC).
But the newspaper reminded that Uganda and Burundi have been explicitly mentioned in the case of 25 people, all members of ‘P5’, a coalition of groups fighting the Rwandan government, who were arrested in Democratic Republic Congo (DRC) and handed over to Rwanda earlier this year.
During the case, Prosecutors, based on statements of the suspects did not mince words in mentioning the role of the Ugandan and Burundian authorities in supporting P5 whose mission is allegedly to overthrow the Rwandan government, according to the newspaper.
In addition, the Military Prosecutor Maj. Denis Ruyonza insisted that the court must carefully examine the active role of Ugandan authorities and security agencies in supporting the arrested group.
Commenting on the trial, The private daily “The Chronicles” published a critical analysis saying the latest extradition and trial of terror suspects shows what collaboration and cooperation between neighbours can deliver, and the DR Congo Government should also be hailed for their act of good neighborliness.
In a critical analysis, the newspaper said that this trial Of suspected rebels proves “our culture of war is still alive’
However, the capture and trial of these individuals also remind us about another critical and uncomfortable truth: As a country and a people, we are yet to defeat the culture of war and violence that has defined the country since the pogroms of 1959 and consequent mass exile; suffering and genocide, according to the newspaper
CU/abj/APA