Rwanda rebels: It wasn't us
2004-08-16 14:19
Nairobi - An extremist Rwandan Hutu rebel group which is based in the Democratic Republic of Congo and has been accused of involvement in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, on Monday denied any involvement in the massacre on August 13 of nearly 160 Tutsi refugees at a camp in neighbouring Burundi.
"The FDLR reaffirms loudly and clearly that it is in no way responsible for these unspeakable acts," the rebel Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda said in a statement.
A Burundian Hutu rebel group called the National Liberation Forces (FLN) has insisted, amid widespread scepticism, that it alone was responsible for murdering the Congolese Tutsi refugees at the United Nations transit camp near Burundi's border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
But several witnesses, the authorities in Burundi and Rwanda, and the UN mission in Burundi have reported that attackers from the DRC and extremist Rwandan Hutus based there were also involved.
Barbarous acts
"The FDLR unequivocally condemns these barbarous acts against Banyamulenge (Congolses Tutsi) refugees and shares the grief of the families," the Rwandan rebels said.
The rebel group is accused of playing a key role in the massacre in Rwanda 10 years ago of up to a million minority Tutsis and their Hutu sympathisers. It fled across the border when Tutsis seized power in Kigali.
The FDLR is also accused of carrying out raids against the Rwandan army from the DRC and incursions into Burundi alongside Burundi Hutu rebels.
The Rwandan rebel group has seen its numbers dwindle in recent months. In November 2003 one of its leaders, Paul Rwarakabije, surrendered to the Rwandan army along with about 100 of his men and urged other rebels to follow suit.