FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2013
Francois Tuyihimbaze Rucogoza, the former chief negotiator of the M23 rebels has fled the camp of Congolese Tutsis refugees of Bugesera, Rwanda to Uganda, sources within M23 rebels tell AfroAmerica Network.
He left Bugesera where he had been held since March 2013, following the defeat of M23 rebels faction led by General Bosco Ntaganda by General Sultani Makenga (see our article: M23 rebels Infighting Leaves Tens of Deads of Feb 25, 2013 ) . After the defeat of General Bosco Ntaganda’s faction, Francois Rucogoza, who was M23 rebels Secretary General resigned and sought asylum in Uganda. He was close to Bishop Jean-Marie Runiga, the political leader of M23 rebels, who was ousted by General Sultani Makenga, and replaced by Bertrand Bisimwe.
In March 2013, Rwandan External Security intelligence operatives kidnapped Francois Rucogoza from Uganda and smuggled him into Kigali, Rwanda. He was detained for several days in Kigali-Rwanda. After his release, he confided to his relatives, who are in contact with AfroAmerica Network , that he had been held in a safe house belonging to Rwandan External Security Services and submitted to a constant interrogation about his relations with General Ntaganda. He was asked why and how General Bosco Ntaganda had surrendered to the US Embassy and asked to be sent to the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the Hague and who had helped him (see our article: General Bosco Ntaganda Evades Rwandan DMI Killing Squads of March 19, 2013) .
Francois Rucogoza was eventually sent to Bugesera, Southern Rwanda, to a camp housing most of the M23 rebels leaders.
Sources within M23 rebels in Uganda, who have been talked to Francois Rucogoza, have informed AfroAmerica Network that Rucogoza is very unhappy about the ordeal he went through while in Rwanda. They added that he has been giving accounts on the horrible conditions prevailing in the camps housing Congolese Tutsi refugees inside Rwanda.
“Cholera is decimating the young and the old. People are hungry and homesick,” Rucogoza allegedly told the sources.
“The refugees are angry with General Kagame. They are so angry that you may soon see them commit unthinkable acts if they stay in these camps. They have been angry for sometime, because of the constant wars waged by General Kagame in Eastern Congo, the living conditions and diseases in the camps, and the forced recruitments of the youth into M23. But when news came of the defeat of M23 rebels and they did not see their sons coming back, the anger boiled to critical levels,” the sources added, citing Rucogoza.
According to the sources citing François Rucogoza, the situation of the Congolese Tutsi refugees inside Rwanda is so sensitive that the security inside the camp is provided by Rwandan reserve forces, under the command General Fred Ibingira, Chief of Staff, Rwandan Defense Forces Reserve Forces.
Source: AfroAmerica Network
