FDLR PRESS RELEASE NR. 05/SE/CD/SEPTEMBER/2009

The FDLR released on Friday, September 18, 2009 two soldiers of the coalition of the
RPA (RDF) and the FARDC, who had been captured on the battlefield during the
operation “UMOJA WETU” in June 2009.
The Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR) wish to inform the public, the Rwandan and
Congolese people, the media and the International Community that on September 18, 2009 at KIMUA
in the territory of WALIKALE, they handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC) two Congolese soldiers of the military coalition of the RPA (RDF) and the FARDC, who had
been captured on the battlefield in North Kivu, in the District of Nyamaboko II, in the territory of
MASISI during Operation “UMOJA WETU" in June 2009.
The release of prisoners of war is a sign of strict compliance with international humanitarian law that
the FDLR have consistently applied during the war imposed upon them by the coalition of Rwandan
and Congolese armies supported by the UN Mission in DRC (MONUC).
The FDLR have never ceased to inform the public and the media about the various serious violations of
human rights by that coalition and call on it once again to put an end to these various crimes committed
against Congolese people and Rwandan Hutu refugees located in the eastern DRC.
The FDLR condemn once again in the strongest term the manhunt launched against Rwandan Hutu
refugees by the coalition of Rwandan and Congolese armies with the support of MONUC and UNHCR
in flagrant violation of International Conventions relating to the status of Refugee and Humanitarian
International Law.
The FDLR also condemn the war that the Rwandan and Congolese authorities with the support from
MONUC chief Alan Doss, have imposed on this movement, the Congolese people and the Rwandan
refugees living in eastern DRC through operations "UMOJA WETU" and "KIMIA II", and urge the
two regimes to put an immediate end to that war.
The FDLR do hope that the gesture of releasing these two soldiers, a token of respect for human life
and conventions governing conflicts, will inspire the authorities in Kigali and in Kinshasa and those of
MONUC to give up without delay the logic of war in which they are engaged and opt for peace through
a direct dialogue with the FDLR in order to put an end to the political problem of Rwanda and the
African Great Lakes Region crisis resulting from it.
The FDLR remain committed to peace and are convinced that the Rome process initiated in 2005 under
the auspices of the San’Egidio Community constitutes a solid basis for discussion between the various
warring parties and invite the UN Security Council, the African Union and the European Union to
actively and positively support this process so that it can reach its end.
Done in Paris on September 21, 2009.
Callixte Mbarushimana
Executive Secretary of the FDLR
(Sé)