Last weekend, when a football player from Congo scored in a match in an east African league and made a quick gesture, it seemed like a minor topic of conversation among the onlookers.
However, the action of midfielder Héritier Luvumbu during the game in Kigali has sparked a strong response from Rwanda, bringing renewed attention to a government that has been accused of exacerbating the most deadly conflict in the world as it enters a unstable new period.
The event started when Luvumbu, a player for Rayon Sports in Kigali, scored a goal from a free kick against Police FC. His short celebration involved covering his mouth with his left hand and pointing his fingers to his temple, imitating a gun gesture. This was a show of support for those who have lost their lives in the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It is estimated that over six million people have been killed in this worsening humanitarian crisis.
Before their recent semi-final match against Ivory Coast in the Africa Cup of Nations, players on the national team of DRC had made a similar gesture.
However, Luvumbu was abruptly banned by the Football association of Rwanda for a period of six months, and his contract was terminated. Following this, he was compelled to depart from Rwanda two days later and returned to DRC. Shortly after, he received a visit from the sports minister of his home country.
Rwanda’s response has been perceived as overly defensive as the country is increasingly associated with a violent rebel group that is causing chaos in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The infamous M23 rebel group has successfully surrounded Goma, a city with a population of two million and a vital hub in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This has resulted in the disruption of important transportation routes and limited access to basic necessities like food and healthcare. If the M23 takes control of this major city in Africa’s second largest country, there will be increased pressure on Rwanda to stop their alleged financial backing of this militia group, known for committing heinous acts such as murder, rape, and forced displacement in the DRC.
In 2012, the M23 rebel group emerged with the stated goal of defending the Tutsi community in eastern Congo, who had been facing mistreatment and prejudice. Both the United States and the United Nations have accused Rwanda of providing weapons and training to the M23, making it one of the most well-equipped and structured of the many armed groups in the unstable eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Rwanda has continuously denied these accusations.
Amid escalating violence, demonstrations occurred throughout eastern Democratic Republic of Congo last week, with allegations that Rwanda and Western nations were involved in aiding M23.
The UK government’s decision to send asylum seekers to Rwanda has been met with scrutiny due to the treatment of Luvumbu. In November, the UK supreme court declared the plan illegal, citing concerns that asylum seekers could be sent back to their country of origin if sent to Rwanda.
Rishi Sunak, the prime minister, affirmed that Rwanda is a secure country and has implemented a new law that would supersede the supreme court’s ruling. The recent expulsion of Luvumbu by Rwanda has sparked doubts about his claim that it is a safe destination for sending individuals.
On Saturday, the charity Freedom from Torture issued a statement saying Rwanda’s reaction to Luvumbu ought to force Sunak to rethink his strategy. “This incident once again places a spotlight on the government’s immoral plans to send refugees to Rwanda,” said Freedom from Torture’s Kolbassia Haoussou. “Instead of shamefully pushing ahead with a policy that will place survivors of torture, it’s time for the prime minister to draw a line in the sand and put this ‘cash for humans’ deal behind him, once and for all.”
Even the UK government’s own documents attempting to support Sunak’s Rwanda policy recently conceded that the country has “issues with its human rights record around political opposition to the current regime, dissent and free speech”.
The previous Monday, a government committee responsible for protecting citizens’ rights announced that the prime minister’s proposal for Rwanda was not in line with the UK’s commitments to human rights.
Source: theguardian.com
