US sanctions Rwandan minister over DR Congo fighting

 

The United States on Thursday unveiled sanctions against a Rwandan government minister over his support for the M23 armed group fighting in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

With support from the Rwandan Defence Force (RDF), the M23 have in recent weeks made big gains in the eastern DRC, seizing the cities of Goma and Bukavu and prompting warnings to the United Nations Security Council. The unrest has stoked fears of a regional conflagration.

The US Treasury Department said it had designated the country's minister for regional integration James Kabarebe, accusing him of being "central" to Rwanda's support for the M23.

Kabarebe "is a Rwandan government liaison to M23 and orchestrates RDF support for the armed group," it said in a statement.

"He has coordinated the export of extracted minerals from mining sites in the DRC for eventual export from Rwanda," it added.

Yolande Makolo, a spokesperson for the Rwandan government, told AFP that the sanctions against Kabarebe were "unjustified and unfounded."

"The international community should support not undermine ongoing regional efforts towards a political solution," she said. "If sanctions could resolve conflict in eastern DRC, we would have had peace in the region decades ago."

The Treasury also unveiled sanctions against Lawrence Kanyuka Kingston, a member of the M23 and another group known as the Congo River Alliance, along with two of his companies.

Treasury's actions are intended to hold accountable officials "enabling the RDF and M23's destabilizing activities in the eastern DRC," said Bradley Smith, the acting Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said the United States was calling on Rwanda's leaders "to end their support for M23" and withdraw troops from the DRC.

"We also urge the Governments of Rwanda and the DRC to hold accountable those responsible for human rights violations and abuses," she said in a statement.