Simply days after signing a peace deal brokered by President Trump, the preventing between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo continues, with Rwanda-backed rebels taking a 3rd main metropolis.
MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
Preventing within the jap Democratic Republic of Congo is the heaviest it has been for months. That is even after President Trump declared the battle over. Emmet Livingstone studies. And a warning – you’ll hear gunfire on this piece.
EMMET LIVINGSTONE: Solely final week, President Trump hailed a historic second, bringing the leaders of Congo and Rwanda to Washington for a ceremony meant to finish years of battle.
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PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: It’s a tremendous day – nice day for Africa, nice day for the world and for these two nations. They usually have a lot to be happy with.
LIVINGSTONE: However the razor-sharp tensions between Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame have been clear.
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LIVINGSTONE: Because the viewers applauded, the 2 leaders prevented one another’s eyes and did not shake fingers.
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LIVINGSTONE: However even whereas the speeches have been being made, violent clashes with Rwanda-backed M23 rebels and the Congolese military continued, in a battle that has its roots within the Rwandan genocide over three a long time in the past.
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PRESIDENT FELIX TSHISEKEDI: (Talking French).
LIVINGSTONE: By Monday, again within the capital, Kinshasa, Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi was already warning that the peace deal was in jeopardy.
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TSHISEKEDI: (Talking French).
LIVINGSTONE: In an handle to the nation, he stated, “regardless of our good religion, Rwanda is already violating its commitments.” Rwanda says it would not again the M23, however the U.S., the U.N. and others disagree.
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LIVINGSTONE: Earlier this yr, the rebels took Goma and Bukavu, jap Congo’s largest cities. They started to progress south final week, and by Tuesday, the rebels have been closing in on Uvira, a key metropolis on the Burundi border. By dusk, it had fallen. 1000’s have been killed within the battle through the years, and the U.N. studies that greater than 200,000 individuals have fled the realm this month alone.
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LIVINGSTONE: Now the rebels are one step nearer to Congo’s Katanga area, which is wealthy in copper and cobalt. The Trump administration has signed an financial cope with Congo meant to encourage U.S. corporations to put money into that area. However the peace deal between Congo and Rwanda is falling aside, and talks with the M23 rebels have stalled.
For NPR Information, I am Emmet Livingstone in Kinshasa.
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