Kinshasa, January 22nd, 2026 (CPA).- The Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo has announced that no injuries and no deaths have been reported among members of the Banyamulenge community remaining in Uvira, Sud-Kivu, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, following the departure of the armed coalition and M23/AFC, according to a statement consulted on Thursday at CPA. ‘With regard more specifically to the Banyamulenge community, the Government states that, at this stage, no injuries or deaths have been reported within this community since the withdrawal of the RDF/M23. This situation is notably the result of targeted prevention and protection measures put in place by the competent authorities, as well as constant calls for social cohesion and peaceful coexistence,’ it is read in the statement from the Ministry in charge of Communication and Media. The rapid redeployment of the Armed Forces, the Congolese National Police and the security services, the source has explained, has made it possible to gradually restore state authority, protect the civilian population and their property, contain risks and preserve public order. The Congolese government has contested, in this regard, the recent statement by Human Rights Watch (HRW), a New York-based human rights NGO, on the security situation in Uvira, considering that it offers a ‘partial’ analysis of the violence. ‘The government notes that the analysis proposed by Human Rights Watch focuses mainly on the risks that arose after the withdrawal of the RDF/M23, without always placing them in the objective context of an illegal armed occupation, marked by serious abuses against the civilian population and a deliberate strategy of destabilisation implemented before, during and at the very moment of withdrawal,’ the document has added. ‘The withdrawal of the RDF/M23 from the town of Uvira on January 17th, 2026 came after a period characterised by systematic looting, large-scale theft, threats, intimidation and community stigmatisation, which have profoundly affected the security of civilians and social cohesion,’ the source has specified. According to the statement, the Government notes that this withdrawal of the Rwandan M23/AFC coalition from the town of Uvira was accompanied by a premeditated disorder, amounting to deliberately organised chaos, aimed at prolonging insecurity and producing residual effects after the departure of the occupying forces. « In this context, the Government unequivocally reiterates that the primary responsibility for endangering the civilian population lies with the RDF/M23, in particular due to: the illegal armed occupation of the town of Uvira; the deliberate exploitation of fear among the civilian population; the forced transfers and displacement of certain members of the Banyamulenge community; and the deliberate chaos left behind at the time of withdrawal, in a persistent logic of destabilisation, » the Congolese Government has insisted. Any attempt to reverse, relativize or dilute this responsibility, it has specified, ‘is contrary to the established facts and cannot form the basis for a balanced assessment of the situation’.
The Government reaffirms the protection of all Congolese populations, without distinction
Furthermore, the Government has indicated that the population movements observed in Uvira must be analysed in light of the climate of fear that prevailed prior to the withdrawal, the targeted threats made against certain families, and the pressure exerted by the RDF/M23 on civilians in a context of armed occupation, facts that have been denounced by the leaders of Banyamulenge community structures themselves. ‘The Government reaffirms that the protection of all Congolese populations, without distinction, including the Banyamulenge populations, is a fundamental obligation of the State. No citizen may be forced to move or deprived of their right to reside freely on the national territory,’ it has explained. The communiqué has also reminded that, since the forced withdrawal of the RDF/M23, the Government, in close coordination with the provincial authorities, has issued clear, public and convergent calls for calm, the rejection of any community stigmatisation and the preservation of peaceful coexistence. « These calls were intended to prevent any excesses, contain the tensions inherited from the occupation and reaffirm the primacy of national unity and social cohesion. The Government firmly reaffirms that any logic of reprisals, settling of scores, community violence or mob justice is strictly prohibited. The only recognised path is that of the rule of law, based on individual criminal responsibility, respect for the laws of the Republic and the regular functioning of judicial institutions, » the Government communiqué has insisted. To this end, and in accordance with the plan for the gradual restoration of state authority, the source has continued, the necessary measures have been taken to ensure the effective deployment of the competent judicial institutions, so that all offences are dealt with in a legal and regular manner that respects fundamental rights.
The action and the withdrawal of Rwandan forces constitute a serious and on-going violation of international law
For the Congolese Government, the presence, action and withdrawal of Rwandan forces (RDF), operating directly or through auxiliaries affiliated with M23/AFC, constitute a serious and on-going violation of international law. « In this regard, Rwanda bears full international responsibility due to the direct involvement of its armed forces on Congolese territory; the military, logistical and operational support provided to the AFC/M23; the absence of any measures to prevent or stop the violations committed; and the persistent effects of the disorder deliberately left behind after the withdrawal, which constitute a continuation of the violations, » the Government has emphasised, he has pointed out. Furthermore, DRC has reaffirmed its commitment to international human rights protection mechanisms, while reminding that these must be exercised with respect for the full factual truth, the hierarchy of responsibilities and the principle of non-equivalence between the aggressed State and the occupying force. ‘The Government remains willing to cooperate with the relevant international mechanisms, provided that the analyses and recommendations are based on a rigorous interpretation of international law and do not lead to a dilution of responsibilities or a reversal of the facts,’ the source has concluded. ACP/