Latest news with #Tutsi
Jordan News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Jordan News
Democratic Republic of the Congo Signs Peace Agreement with M23 Rebel Movement - Jordan News
On Saturday, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) signed a peace agreement with the M23 rebel movement, guaranteeing a ceasefire and an end to hostilities. اضافة اعلان The agreement was signed during a televised public ceremony held in Doha, the capital of Qatar, following the latest round of negotiations between the two sides. Since early July, Qatar has been mediating talks between a delegation from the Congolese government and representatives of the M23 movement. This is not the first time that Doha has hosted negotiations between the Congolese government and M23, or broader efforts aimed at achieving a ceasefire and ending the armed conflict in eastern Congo. In April 2025, representatives from Qatar, Togo, the United States, France, the DRC, and Rwanda convened in Doha to discuss efforts to address the situation in eastern DRC and the ongoing dialogue between the Congolese government and M23, according to Qatar News Agency (QNA). The March 23 Movement, also known as the "Congolese Revolutionary Army," is an armed rebel group active in the eastern regions of the DRC, particularly in North Kivu Province, which borders both Uganda and Rwanda. The United Nations and the DRC have accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 movement — an allegation Rwanda denies. M23 was formed after the collapse of a peace agreement signed on March 23, 2009. Most of its fighters belong to the Tutsi ethnic group, the same group as Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
Shafaq News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Congo-M23 ceasefire framework reached in Qatar
Shafaq News – Doha The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group signed a ceasefire framework in Doha, Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Saturday. قطر تستضيف توقيع إعلان مبادئ بين حكومة الكونغو الديمقراطية وتحالف نهر الكونغو/ حركة 23 مارس #الخارجية_القطرية — الخارجية القطرية (@MofaQatar_AR) July 19, 2025 Mediated by Qatar and backed by the United States, the deal—described as a 'declaration of principles'—lays the groundwork for comprehensive peace talks set to conclude by August 18. It calls for an immediate end to hostilities and commits both parties to resume formal negotiations by August 8. Under the agreement, M23 will halt its military operations and enter a political process. However, several core disputes remain unresolved, including troop withdrawals, foreign interference, prisoner exchanges, and the restoration of public services in contested areas. Qatar, which previously hosted both indirect and direct meetings between the sides, hailed the deal as a key step toward stabilizing eastern Congo. The United States also welcomed the move, crediting recent diplomatic progress to efforts led by President Donald Trump and adviser Massad Boulos. This breakthrough builds on a prior US-brokered understanding between Congo and Rwanda reached in Washington on June 27, aimed at de-escalating regional tensions. While Rwanda denies links to M23, a United Nations report asserts Kigali maintains operational control over the group. The conflict centers on the resurgence of Tutsi-led M23 in 2021 after a 2013 defeat, citing the government's failure to honor previous accords. Fighting has displaced more than 1.5 million people and fueled growing friction with Rwanda, making it one of the region's most volatile crises. Tutsi, a historically marginalized minority in the region, have faced repeated cycles of violence, particularly in eastern DRC, where M23 claims to protect Tutsi communities.
MTV Lebanon
5 days ago
- Politics
- MTV Lebanon
DR Congo, M23 Rebels Sign Deal in Qatar to End Fighting in Eastern Congo
The Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 rebel group have signed a declaration of principles in Qatar to end fighting in eastern Congo. The declaration was signed on Saturday between representatives from both sides in Doha. The DRC and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have been engaged in heavy fighting, spurred by M23's bloody January assault and capture of the DRC's two largest cities. The decades-long conflict has roots in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, with M23 made up primarily of ethnic Tutsi fighters. The fighting has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands more this year while escalating the risk of a full-blown regional war. Several of Congo's neighbours already have troops deployed in the volatile region. In March Qatar brokered a surprise meeting between Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame during which they called for an 'immediate and unconditional' ceasefire. That led to direct talks, also in Doha, between Congo and M23. DR Congo had previously rejected the idea of holding talks with M23, branding it a 'terrorist group', but in April, both sides pledged to work towards a ceasefire. Talks in the US Washington has also hosted talks between Congo and Rwanda in June. On June 27 the two countries' foreign ministers signed a peace deal and met with US President Donald Trump at the White House. Trump warned of 'very severe penalties, financial and otherwise' if the deal is violated. Trump also invited Tshisekedi and Kagame to Washington to sign a package of deals that Boulos dubbed the 'Washington Accord'. Speaking to reporters on July 2, Boulos said the Trump administration would 'love' to hold that meeting at the end of July. But he also said US officials hope to have a deal in Doha finalised by then. DR Congo, the United Nations and Western powers say Rwanda is supporting M23 by sending troops and arms. Rwanda has long denied helping M23 and says its forces are acting in self-defence against DR Congo's army and ethnic Hutu fighters linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, including the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).
Al Jazeera
6 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
DR Congo, M23 rebels sign deal in Qatar to end fighting in eastern Congo
The Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 rebel group have signed in a declaration of principles in Qatar to end fighting in eastern Congo. The declaration was signed on Saturday between representatives from both sides in Doha. The DRC and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have been engaged in heavy fighting, spurred by M23's bloody January assault and capture of the DRC's two largest cities. The decades-long conflict has roots in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, with M23 made up primarily of ethnic Tutsi fighters. More to come…
Irish Examiner
7 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
More than 30 years on, genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda reminds us we said 'never again' many times before
I recently travelled with Trócaire to Rwanda to meet communities working to adapt and mitigate against the increasing effects of climate change. While speaking to Béatha Usabyimana about the leading role she played in a terracing project, we surveyed the land and the remarkable progress the project has made. In the distance, I noticed a single patch of uncultivated land where a lone tree stood. Rwanda is a small country and quite densely populated — almost every metre of land is cultivated, so I thought this untouched patch of land looked unusual. Béatha said: 'That was my auntie's home once. I was 14 years old when all of my family was killed here. In Rwanda, sometimes you will see small patches of land with a single tree growing. It is to remember those we lost during the genocide." Many will have heard of the Rwandan genocide. Colleagues in Trócaire's Irish office still recall stories of working in Rwanda at the time and the sheer horror they witnessed. By 1994, Rwanda's population exceeded seven million, primarily divided into Hutu (85%), Tutsi (14%), and Twa (1%). Historically, the Tutsis held a higher social status, but social mobility allowed for movement between the groups. Over the course of 100 days in 1994, between 800,000 and one million people were massacred in Rwanda in the genocide against the Tutsi. Picture: AP /Ricardo Mazalan Colonial rule by Belgium and Germany intensified ethnic divisions through rigid classifications, causing tensions. On April 6, 1994, the assassination of the Rwandan and Burundian presidents when the plane they were travelling in was shot down, triggering a horrific genocide. Over the course of 100 days in 1994, between 800,000 and one million people were massacred in Rwanda in the genocide against the Tutsi. Two-thirds of the Tutsi population were murdered before the perpetrators were overpowered and forced into exile. This period is recognised by the UN as the Genocide against the Tutsi. Béatha explained that during that time, she and her three siblings were taken in by a neighbour and hidden in her home. Béatha's mother, and the remaining members of her family were all killed. A mother of two, Béatha is a passionate agronomist with a degree in rural development. In her village in the Karongi district of south-western Rwanda, Béatha has brought her experience to bear on the land as part of the 'Climate Justice Communities' programme. The programme is a combination of support from the Scottish Government, implemented by Trócaire and local partner organisation, Duterimbere, aimed at working alongside communities in Rwanda to respond and adapt to the increasing and devastating effects of climate change. Béatha is very satisfied with the progress the group has made, in particular the leading role women have taken to reshape the land, but she is also mindful to emphasise the impact of the genocide. She does not want that period of her life to be glossed over. Looking out over the verdant land where this happened, it was hard to believe such a ferocious act took place there such a short time ago. It was a reminder of the banality of these acts. How they can take place anywhere, and how most often they only stop when they are stopped. The now notoriously limited mandate of international forces in Rwanda led to declarations of "never again" in the wake of the genocide, and contributed to the generation of 'Responsibility to Protect' (R2P), as a global norm at the turn of the millennium. Tim Sheehan, Trócaire: 'Perhaps one of the most chilling parallels with what happened in Rwanda is the clarity of intent. A key component of any genocide is the 'othering' of the target group and fostering public sympathy towards their eradication.' Picture: Fred Hirwa R2P, as it became known, seeks to ensure all states uphold their rights to prevent genocide and that the international community never fails to act in the face of genocide, ethnic cleansing, war crimes and crimes against humanity. As Béatha took the time to make sure we understood the significance of the tree, to ensure what happened was not forgotten, I couldn't help but think of Gaza and the genocide taking place at that moment, thousands of miles away. In Gaza, every red line of international law has been crossed. The world in which this genocide is taking place is very different to 1994, but the lessons from Rwanda are more relevant than ever. Perhaps one of the most chilling parallels with what happened in Rwanda is the clarity of intent. A key component of any genocide is the 'othering' of the target group and fostering public sympathy towards their eradication. During the Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, the notorious 'Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines', or 'RTLM', broadcast hate-filled propaganda against Tutsis and encouraged the Hutu population to take part in the genocide. At the time, it was a terrifying example of how basic technology could be utilised to mobilise the masses to foster acceptance of violence and mobilise people to perpetrate it. While the tenor of radio broadcasts in Rwanda in 1994 went largely hidden from the outside world, the rise of the internet since then has brought about a complete paradigm shift. Since October 7, 2023, the scale and severity of anti-Palestinian rhetoric on social media and across many media outlets in Israel have been clear for us to see. Over the last 21 months, numerous politicians have called for the complete annihilation of Gaza and have intentionally blurred the line between Hamas militants and the civilian population in order to justify a military campaign against them. Propaganda is just one way in which genocide is perpetuated, but the parallels with what happened in Rwanda are particularly clear in this respect. If we are to respect the principles of 'never again' and the memory of those who died in other genocides, we have to ensure we use these parallels as an initiation for action. While the world marks the anniversaries of Srebrenica and Rwanda this month, we continue to watch the genocide in Gaza unfolding in real time. If the Rwandan 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda has taught us anything, it is that the best moment to act is right now. Anything less will haunt us forever. Tim Sheehan is communications and content officer with Trócaire Read More Thirty years on, Srebrenica still lives under the shadow of genocide
