FDLR Confirms Senior Officer Brig. Gen. Gakwerere Handed Over to Rwanda Amid Rising Regional Tensions

The Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) in eastern DR Congo has confirmed that Brigadier General Gakwerere, known by various aliases, is one of its senior officers who was captured in Goma and handed over to Rwanda.

Last weekend, the M23 movement, which controls Goma, handed over Gakwerere and other FDLR fighters it says were with it to Rwandan authorities. However, the identities of some of the fighters, as well as Gakwerere himself, have left some confused.

'Curé Ngoma', an FDLR spokesman, told the BBC that Brig Gen Gakwerere, who was shown to Rwanda on Saturday and handed over to Rwanda, was "in the top leadership" of the group. He also described how he was captured.

The Rwandan government, along with UN experts, accuses the DR Congo army of collaborating with the FDLR, saying that they are threatening Rwanda's security, a claim denied by the Kinshasa government. It, along with the UN, also accuses Rwanda of collaborating with the M23.

Speaking to the BBC, an FDLR fighter said that the war in eastern DR Congo "has no role in it at all", adding: "Except that we are also affected in some places, because we are also in that zone.

"We are usually watching from our positions, but it does not prevent the M23 and Rwandan forces from sometimes coming close to our positions, which means we have to respond too".

In late January (1) of this year, as the city of Goma was being taken over by M23, the BBC obtained reports that Brigadier General Gakwerere of the FDLR had been captured, reportedly while he was in the city for medical treatment. Neither side confirmed this at the time.

On Monday, regarding Gakwerere's capture, 'Curé Ngoma' told the BBC: "What I can tell you is that he had been ill in Goma for a long time - of course in secret. He had been out of sight for some time due to illness."

The FDLR spokesman said that he was taken to Rwanda immediately after his capture, but he did not provide any evidence to support this.

He added: "Yesterday they brought him back to show him. You saw that he was wearing new FARDC uniforms."

'Ngoma' confirms that among the 13 fighters who were given to Rwanda with Gakwerere were FDLR members, saying: "There are none", but he says that there were also those who were shown the infiltration.

He said: "Like that boy called Ishimwe Patrick who has been played in a play for a few days, he has appeared in many 'propaganda'

'Ngoma' is echoing the FARDC military's statement that Corporal Ishimwe Patrick was previously reported by Rwandan newspapers as having defected from the FDLR and returned to Rwanda.

In January (1) of this year, Ishimwe Patrick appeared in videos claiming to be a fighter who had defected from the FDLR and returned to Rwanda.

Apart from the fact that Ishimwe Patrick's name is on the list provided by the Rwandan military over the weekend, the BBC has not been able to independently verify whether the man mentioned among those who accompanied Gakwerere was also the one who was seen in Rwanda in January.

Who is Brig. Gen. Gakwerere?

Documents from the former Arusha Tribunal established to try genocide crimes in Rwanda state that his name is Ezéchiel Gakwerere, and that during the 1994 genocide he held the rank of Sous-Lieutenant.

A statement from the Rwandan military says that he is Brig Gen Jean Baptiste Gakwerere. In the FDLR, he was also known by the names Sibo Stany and Julius Mokoko. However, the FDLR now confirms that the person handed over to Rwanda is the alleged Gakwerere.

Ngoma told the BBC that before Gakwerere fell ill, he was "in the senior leadership" of the FDLR.

Gakwerere was a former Rwandan government soldier who fled to the former Zaire after being defeated by RPF-Inkotanyi fighters in 1994, and was later reported to be a fighter for the FDLR in DR Congo. In 2019 - at the time of the assassination of Gen Mudacumura, who led the FDLR - the group said that Ezéchiel Gakwerere held the rank of Colonel.

Not much is known about Gakwerere's personal life.

Documents from the 2010 Arusha Tribunal state that Second Lieutenant Ezéchiel Gakwerere was among the soldiers who received orders from Captain Ildephonse Nizeyimana, then head of the Ecole des Sous-Officiers (ESO-Butare), to kill Tutsis in Butare, and to kill Queen Rozalia Gicanda.

In Nizeyimana's trial – who was sentenced to 35 years in prison in 2014 for genocide and his role in the Gicanda killing – he argued in his defense that since April 18, 1994, he had been replaced by Second Lieutenant Gakwerere as head of ESO-Butare.

Gakwerere has not pleaded guilty to these charges, and it is suspected that if he is extradited to Rwanda, he may be brought before a court and prosecuted.

The Rwandan government says the FDLR, a group of former Rwandan genocide survivors, targeted Tutsis and its members have continued to kill Tutsis from Congo who arrived in the country after 1994.

On this, 'Curé Ngoma' told the BBC: "That is the reason [Rwandan authorities] always give to explain why their troops are in Congo... The crime is a crime, as long as someone has not been tried and convicted, you are wrong to say they are a genocidaire."