The M23 movement has publicly accused President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and President Evariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi of orchestrating a plan to eliminate the Tutsi population in the eastern regions of the DRC.
In a statement released late Wednesday night, January 23, 2025, the M23 movement alleged that the administrations of Kinshasa (DRC) and Gitega (Burundi) have collaborated militarily to execute the plans of Presidents Tshisekedi and Ndayishimiye. This purported military alliance includes the FARDC (Armed Forces of the DRC), the Burundi army, the Wazalendo group, Casakula, and the FDLR.
The statement reads: “This coalition continues to engage in acts of mass murder targeting innocent civilians identified by their Tutsi congo heritage, destroying their properties in North and South Kivu provinces. These acts of violence persist, accompanied by barbaric cannibalistic practices.”
It further states: “All these heinous actions reinforce the poor and oppressive governance that has undermined President Félix Tshisekedi’s administration, which has been in power for six years but has failed to address the issues plaguing our society.”
Signed by Lawrence Kanyuka, the political spokesperson for the M23 movement, the statement also criticizes regional and international forces, claiming that “the SADC, SAMIDRC, and the United Nations’ MONUSCO have failed to distance themselves from these violent actions.”
As a result, the M23 movement asserts its right to self-defense whenever under attack and urges everyone to dissociate from these harmful alliances aimed at malevolent objectives.
The M23 movement declared its readiness to protect and fight for the civilian population in the areas it controls, particularly addressing all Kongo people affected by these actions. The movement insists that no one else is responsible behind the scenes except President Félix Tshisekedi and Burundi’s President Ndayishimiye.
Additionally, the M23 movement called on the Congo population to join their efforts to liberate the country from the ongoing misgovernance in the DRC, in collaboration with Burundi.
The statement concludes by commending the soldiers supporting FARDC and fighters from armed groups such as Maï-Maï and Wazalendo, who are uniting with the M23 movement to eliminate these problems. The M23 movement also appeals to others to follow this path in combating the issues facing the nation.
