Ezekiel Wenje
Relations between Tanzania and Rwanda took a plunge in May 2013 following President Jakaya Kikwete’s appeal to Rwanda to engage FDRL rebels in talks.
Media reported that Kikwete’s suggestion at a meeting of the Great Lakes countries, which met on the sidelines of the African Union summit in Addis Ababa, did not go down well with Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
Rwandan government links the FDLR with the 1994 genocide, in which over 800,000 people, mainly Tutsis and moderate Hutus, were killed.
M23, which dominated the North Kivu Province since the end of the Second Congo War in 2003 before it was defeated last year by a joint force from Tanzania, South Africa and Malawi, is a reincarnation of the National Congress for Defence of the People.
In April, 2012 up to 700 former CNDP soldiers mutinied against the DRC government that was being supported by the peacekeeping contingent of the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Monusco).
The debate about Rwanda and the DRC featured in Tanzanian parliament mid this week during the ongoing budget session.
Presenting the Opposition’s statement to the ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation’s 2014/ 2015 budget estimates shadow minister, Ezekiel Wenje accused Foreign Affairs minister Mr Benard Membe for causing diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
He accused the minister of uttering inflammatory words against Rwanda instead of using diplomatic language and refraining from interfering in other country’s affairs.
Wenje, who is also the Nyamagana MP, earlier told Parliament that Membe’s remarks on the BBC’s Focus on Africa programme had worsened the fragile relations between Tanzania and Rwanda.
He said such comments could only heighten confusion and anger among ordinary citizens of the two countries. The shadow minister claimed that Membe said Rwanda had exported insecurity and instability to eastern DRC after sending rebels into country.
He said the minister made inaccurate statement. But in response Membe hit back when responding to MPs’ views, accusing the shadow minister of acting on behalf of a foreign country.
He stood his ground, saying what he said was the truth, which had even been documented by UN experts. Membe said Tanzania was playing a key role in finding lasting peace in the Great Lakes Region.
Winding up debate on his ministry’s 2014/15 budget proposals in Parliament, Membe offered to resign if Wenje would provide documentary proof that he was wrong when he said last September that the Banyamulenge in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) were ethnic Tutsis originating from Rwanda.
“This is a fact that cannot be denied,” he said.
He said the Banyamulenge, who formed the M23 rebel group that fought the DRC government for a number of years, were Tutsis originating from Rwanda, while members of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) were Rwandans, who fled to eastern DRC after the 1994 genocide.
“When I told BBC that Rwandans were causing instability in Eastern Congo, I meant what I said…it’s the UN’s group of experts that originally accused Rwanda, not me,” Membe told Parliament.
He admitted that relations between Tanzania and Rwanda were strained, but added that “opportunists” had taken advantage of the situation to fuel diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
Some members of parliament who talked to The Guardian here expressed fear that Rwandan government may react to the debate that took place in the parliament, causing heated debate among legislators.
Maswa West Member of Parliament, John Shibuda (Chadema) noted that it was wrong for the parliament to dwell so much on discussing other countries knowing the relations between Tanzania and Rwanda are delicate.
“I know that Rwandans might hit back to this discussion as they have always done mainly through the media” he said. He blamed the government for making such a strong statement on Rwanda.
His sentiments were echoed by Bariadi West Member of Parliament, John Cheyo (UDP) who also noted that the debate went a little bit off the truck and may have diplomatic consequences.
He said Tanzania has played a very important role in enforcing peace within the region and the continent at large, thus should refrain from anything that can blemish its image in the international community.
The Nyamagana Member of Parliament, Ezekiel Wenje while speaking with The Guardian at the parliament grounds maintained that it was wrong for Tanzania to have such position against a neighbouring country, saying the strained relationship might continue.
SOURCE:
THE GUARDIAN
No comments:
Post a Comment