The UK government has decided to freeze approximately US $34 million in aid to Rwanda. The decision was made after the release of a report by the UN, which alleged that Rwanda and Uganda had aided the so-called “March 23” (M23) rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Rwanda contests the report, calling it controversial and faulty. Rwanda’s Foreign Minister, Louise Mushikiwabo, stated, ”False, politically-motivated allegations against Rwanda serve the purposes of those who would rather ignore their responsibilities and not face up to the complex governance and security challenges that have afflicted the DRC over many decades.”She continued to describe the sanctions as “unfortunate and undermining to the pursuit of peace in the region.”
As the west continues to withhold foreign aid, Rwanda has looked to the east for aid. Recently, China has expressed its continued support during the sanctions.
Some accuse the report of bias. The document was compiled by a group led by Steve Hege, whom many Rwandans accuse of unjustified hostility towards the government. He has previously written favorably of the Congo-based Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) militias, an internationally black-listed terrorist group.
Last April, hundreds of Tutsi soldiers mutinied against the UN-supported DNC. After gathering supporters and arms, the M23 movement proceeded onto Goma, a city with a population of about one million. About 140,000 civilians were forced from their homes.
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