In an interview with NewsVoice, Rwanda’s Ambassador to Sweden, Diane Gashumba, addressed misconceptions about Rwanda’s safety and its role in regional conflicts, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Diane Gashumba emphasised that Rwanda is safe for citizens and tourists, with no ongoing conflict within its borders for the past 30 years. She attributed negative Western media portrayals to propaganda aimed at undermining Rwanda’s development, clarifying that the conflict is in the DRC, where over 200 armed groups operate, not in Rwanda. Rwanda maintains strong defensive measures to prevent spillover from the unstable DRC.
Addressing the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ February 2025 summons urging Rwanda to withdraw troops from the DRC and condemning its alleged support for the M23 group, Gashumba called this statement misguided.
She argued that the DRC’s government fails to protect its citizens, particularly the persecuted M23 community, and that groups like the FDLR, responsible for serious atrocities, pose a direct threat to Rwanda.
She criticised Sweden for ignoring these threats and merely echoing EU and UN positions without independent analysis, stressing Rwanda’s commitment to its security due to its history of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.
Gashumba clarified that the 1994 genocide was not a mere conflict between Hutus and Tutsis but a deliberate extermination of Tutsis, orchestrated by the Hutu-led government with support from some Western nations, notably Belgium and France.
She explained that colonial powers, notably Belgium, sowed division by turning socioeconomic classes into ethnic identities, using tactics like phrenology and privileging one group over others to rule through division. The Catholic Church also played a role in fostering these divisions. The genocide, meticulously planned, was halted by the Rwandan Patriotic Front led by President Paul Kagame, she says.
Gashumba noted that the Berlin Conference of 1884 arbitrarily redrew African borders, scattering Rwandan communities across the DRC, Uganda, and Tanzania. This led to ongoing discrimination against Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese, who were denied basic rights and citizenship, fueling regional tensions.
She points out that Belgian companies have been exploiting Congolese minerals since 1925, benefiting from the DRC’s instability, which she suggests Western powers prefer to maintain for economic gain.
Gashumba rejected claims that Rwanda supports M23 to extract minerals, asserting that Rwanda’s mineral trade is legal and regulated. She described sanctions by the US, Canada, UK, and Germany as threats to Rwanda’s security measures, though she noted Sweden has not imposed sanctions directly.
She highlighted strong cooperation with Sweden in research and education. Still, she expressed frustration at Sweden’s alignment with EU narratives on the DRC conflict, which she believes dismisses Rwanda’s legitimate security concerns.
Regarding regional relations, Gashumba said Rwanda seeks good ties with neighbours like Uganda, Burundi, and Tanzania, but faces challenges from ethnic ideologies. She mentioned that Burundi and South African forces joined DRC militias like FDLR and Wazalendo to target M23, driven by ethnic hatred and mineral interests.
She described FDLR as a genocidal militia from 1994, integrated into the DRC army, and criticised the international community for failing to disarm them.
Gashumba refuted claims of Rwanda invading the DRC, asserting that M23 are Congolese citizens fighting for their rights, not invaders, and that FDLR has repeatedly attacked Rwanda.
She dismissed UN reports of M23 killings as lies, pointing to widespread violence across the DRC, including rape and cannibalism, largely ignored by media. She argued that President Tshisekedi and mineral exploiters benefit from the chaos, using Rwanda as a scapegoat for governance failures.
On Western involvement, Gashumba questioned the role of European mercenaries fighting alongside DRC forces and criticised the EU for undermining African-led peace processes, such as those facilitated by former leaders like Uhuru Kenyatta.
She urged respect for African solutions and criticised sanctions on M23 leaders and Rwandan companies as barriers to peace. She also lamented the Swedish media’s reluctance to engage with African embassies, attributing it to government influence, and praised NewsVoice for providing a platform to share Rwanda’s perspective.
Gashumba underscored Rwanda’s resolve to maintain its independence and security, drawing parallels with Sweden’s unquestioned support for Ukraine, and called for respect for Rwanda’s measures given its genocide history.
Interview by Torbjorn Sassersson and Olive Carlson
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