The AFC/M23 coalition fighting the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government has expressed its dismay at how their country continues to talk about peace in Doha, while it is concerned with expanding prisons to detain people without due process and dividing the army.
In the DRC, several officers, including those with the rank of General and Colonel, have been arrested in recent days on suspicion of various crimes, including collaborating with the enemy, treason, embezzlement of state funds and attempting to harm the Head of State.
Among the generals arrested are Gen Christian Tshiwewe, former Chief of Staff of the DRC Army and security advisor to President Félix Tshisekedi, Gen Franck Ntumba, former head of military operations at the Presidential Palace, and Brig Gen Benjamin Katende Batubadila, former head of intelligence in the security forces.
They also include the Commander of the Fourth Military Region, John Tshibangu, Lt Gen Pacifique Masunzu and Eric Ruhorimbere Ruhanga and others.
The spokesperson for the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC), Gen Maj Sylvain Ekenge Bomusa, on November 22 announced that several officers, including generals, who have been detained for months are still being investigated for serious crimes.
This is something that the AFC/M23 said was incomprehensible, indicating that while peace talks were being held in Doha, prisons were being prepared in Kinshasa to detain people illegally.
This forum for the rights of Congolese people indicated that these generals were being treated unfairly, and that what Gen Maj Ekenge had announced was a way to divert attention so that the DRC could cover up its atrocities.
This mass detention continues to cause outrage throughout the country. It also prompted the Chairman of the AFC/M23 Forum, Corneille Nangaa, to return to it and ask himself a question that is now being asked by everyone in the country.
It was questioned how “a civilian continues to detain generals in Kinshasa”, while it was assumed that all other generals were waiting for the day of their arrest.
AFC/M23 stated that the FARDC statement shows that something is not going well and that the DRC government is unstable.
In a statement via X, he continued: “In Kinshasa, we are no longer led by leadership, we are led by prison and fear. The numbers speak for themselves. 20 FARDC generals are being held in the Ndolo Military Prison, inhumane conditions. Two have died and their bodies have not been recovered. Others have disappeared.”
The group also pointed out that while people are in confusion, families of those who have been detained are waiting, the DRC government continues to add more officers to the list of those to be imprisoned illegally.
“This is not a leadership error. This is the way they operate. This is a way to intimidate people rather than relying on solid leadership. The message being sent to the army is clear: Respect them, stop them, and pray that you are not the next one. In Doha we speak about peace, in Kinshasa we support dictatorship.”
The group pointed out how constructive principles are being discussed in Doha, such as promoting Congolese unity, good justice, unity in the army, forgiveness and promoting transparent governance, but they are not being followed.
In Kinshasa, the imprisonment of generals, unclear leadership in the army and distrust in the military, and the politics of fear are being discussed.
AFC/M23 stated that the Doha agreement is not valid as long as people are being detained for no apparent reason inside Congo.
M23 stated that the military has been weakened, and the leadership has been disrespected, putting the country in
“When the regime is used to imprisoning generals, without any clear trial or reason, there is no trust in the military. The generals start to suspect each other, the soldiers start to doubt. Politeness is no longer based on respect, but on fear.”
AFC/M23 pointed out that when this happens, the divided army is no longer able to protect the country because it “loses its strength, becomes easy to use, and becomes a source of internal and regional conflicts.”
Discrimination of Congolese based on language, the struggle continues
AFC/M23 said that what is worrying is that most of the imprisoned senior military officers are Swahili speakers.
The forum said that although the DRC government denies it, detaining people based on such a thing can have serious consequences.
The group recalled how the problems of divisionism promoted by the DRC based on language have plagued the country, stating that bringing these divisions into the military is foolish and thoughtless.
The AFC M23 said that no regime has ever lasted long while mistreating its own military.
It states that if the DRC continues to imprison people secretly, and refuses to be transparent as it has always promised in Doha, to weaken the army instead of supporting it, it will be forced to live in two ways, to appear good in front of the cameras while things have deteriorated in its army bases, showing that the country and the army deserve better.
