(the claim) That they were conscripted between February and April 2012. It is a fact that M23 did not have any presence in the Runyoni area until second week of May 2012. Runyoni was still under full control of FARDC.That all subjects, despite having been recruited on different dates and by different individuals claim to have used the exact same route, namely Mudende - Bigogwe Market - Ruhengeri - Hotel Bishokoro- Virunga National Park - Runyoni.
That they were conscripted by two unarmed civilians who somehow managed to shepherd and control 23 recruits from their home area all the way to Virunga National Park without any means of coercion.
Finally, among other bizarre claims by the "deserters," despite supposedly having recently gone through military training and serving as M23 combatants, the subjects were unable to provide elementary details on their training, including weapon details, identity of instructors, or identity of M23 junior or senior commanders under whom they served.
Contrast the joint verification team report with the Reuters' report gleaned from Congolese television, and by any stretch of the imagination or critical thinking, the story presented by the "M23 defectors" is riddled with holes.
Fiction is a bridge that collapses under the weight of truth and critical analyses. Journalists owe us the truth and not a report generated from a televised news program.
In a sad sidebar to this story, AFP reports Congolese (FARDC) General Didier Etumba told a group of Congolese ministers that the Congolese army killed 200, wounded 250 and caused 374 M23 to surrender. M23 vehemently attacked Etumba in a press release, charging that he claimed FARDC deaths as M23 casualties, thereby "refusing to honor the deaths" of "fallen brothers in arms" who are Congolese citizens who died "defending the Republic." Which side they fought on did not matter in this breach of the military honor code.
In an email an M23 spokesman said that it was obvious the number of M23 deaths was exaggerated since "(death and casualty) figures given are from FARDC army not ours because in case we loose such numbers we should no longer exist at this time."
Genocide Memorial Rwanda 2009 Photo by G. Nienaber
Broken Baby DRC Photo by G. Nienaber 2007
Rwanda also has a story to tell, and it is puzzling why no one is listening. There have been too many deaths, too much war and too much suffering on both sides.
Judging by my mail, the genocide deniers are having their way with Rwanda. Personally, I cannot deny the suffering I have seen on both sides of that arbitrary border in the Virungas.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
