FDLR PRESS RELEASE NR. 06/SE/CD/AUGUST/2009

The FDLR refute the misinformation propagated in the press by certain members of the
Burundian government that some members of the FDLR reportedly entered with weapons in
Burundi from the DRC.
The Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR) categorically deny the misinformation
propagated in the media by some members of the Burundian government that some members of the
FDLR have entered in recent days with their weapons on the territory of Burundi from the DRC.
Statements made by Lieutenant-General Germain Niyoyankana, Burundian Minister of Defense, on
August 20, 2009 at a press conference in Bujumbura and those of Major General Lazare Nduwayo,
spokesman of the Burundian army made on August 21, 2009 on the BBC airwaves, are completely
unfounded and are intended to distract the peoples of the African Great Lakes Region, especially the
peoples of Burundi and Rwanda, from serious problems they currently face.
The FDLR inform the public, media and the international community that none of their members has
entered in Burundi. The truth is that there are some unhappy demobilized soldiers from the National
Liberation Forces (FNL) and National Defense Forces (FDN i.e. the Burundian national army) who
cross the river Rusizi and go to steal and plunder border posts with the DRC (Luvungi, Bwegera,
Katogota etc.), and ambush vehicles on the axis Bukavu-Uvira. Some of them were arrested by the
Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) and are detained in Bukavu. Last week, some demobilized
soldiers of the FNL and FDN looted and burned houses in the centre of Runingu in DRC and then
crossed the river Rusizi towards the locality of Rukoko in Burundi.
The FDLR urge politicians of the African Great Lakes Region to seriously work to find viable
solutions to internal political problems of their respective countries rather than look for scapegoats in
the FDLR.
Specifically, the FDLR urge the authorities of Burundi to find a solution to the problems of
demobilized soldiers of the FNL and the FDN instead of taking as a pretext for their own problems the
FDLR, an organization that seeks to liberate its people currently languishing under the yoke of a
criminal group supported by international lobbies.
The FDLR also condemn the statements made by General Niyoyankana aimed at creating a regional
war by proposing that the armed forces of the CEPGL countries come together to fight the FDLR. The
will to put fire on all the African Great Lakes Region to solve a political problem which is internal to
one country is extremely dangerous and should be unreservedly condemned by all women and all men
who love peace and concord in the African Great Lakes Region.
The FDLR ask the media not to relay information whose content is nothing but a blatant lie such as
statements from these Burundian authorities cited above.

The FDLR remain committed to peace and are convinced that only dialogue and not war can solve the
political problem of Rwanda which is the basis of the various hegemonic wars that have afflicted the
African Great Lakes Region since October 1st, 1990.
Done in Paris on 24 August 2009
Callixte Mbarushimana
Executive Secretary of the FDLR
(Sé)