On March 16, President Paul Kagame cautioned Belgium against interfering in Rwanda’s affairs, asserting that the country unfairly holds Rwanda responsible for DR Congo’s challenges.
Speaking at a Citizens Outreach event attended by thousands from across the country, including a significant number from Kigali, Kagame accused Belgium of pushing for sanctions against Rwanda while ignoring its own colonial legacy, which he argued played a key role in the region’s historical instability.
He criticized Belgium’s consistent alignment with the Kinshasa government, stating that it turns a blind eye to ethnic violence in Eastern DRC while shifting blame onto Rwanda and imposing unjust, biased sanctions.
Kagame firmly stated that Rwanda is prepared to defend herself, regardless of resource constraints.
“With our limited means, we will fight back, and they will not defeat us,” Kagame declared.
Addressing the plight of Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese, Kagame emphasized that they ended up on the other side of the border through no fault of Rwanda’s own.
“It is not Rwanda that expelled them there. It is not Rwanda that chased people to Kisoro (Uganda), Masisi, and Rutshuru (DR Congo),” he said. “If you want to displace them, do so along with their land. If peace is truly the goal, people must be given their rights; otherwise, they will fight for them.”
Kagame underscored the historical ties between Rwanda and DR Congo, stressing that many of the issues stem from the colonial era. He pointed out that Belgium played a major role in creating divisions in the region, leaving families split across borders.
“One of the misfortunes we have is having been colonized by a small country, similar in size to Rwanda, which partitioned Rwanda to match its own size,” Kagame said.
He condemned what he called baseless sanctions imposed under Belgium’s influence, highlighting the irony of those responsible for the problem now advocating for punitive measures against Rwanda.
“When asked for their reasoning, those enforcing the sanctions struggle to provide clear explanations, simply responding, ‘We don’t know, but we were told by the Belgians to do so,’” he noted.
Kagame also urged Rwandans to uphold their national identity, dignity, and sovereignty.
“You must have the mindset that we are Rwandans, not colonizers’ subjects,” he stated.
He reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to peaceful relations while emphasizing the nation’s determination to defend its territorial integrity when necessary.
By Prince Ruzigana