Transcript: Patrick Muyaya Alleges Rwanda Used Ambulances to Transport Drones in Minembwe

During an interview with RFI, Democratic Republic of Congo government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya defended the government's military posture in eastern DRC, saying participation in the peace process does not prevent Kinshasa from fulfilling its constitutional responsibility to protect civilians.

Below is a transcript-style account of the exchange.

Patrick Muyaya: First of all, what people need to understand is that the fact we are engaged in a peace process does not mean we should stop fulfilling our sovereign duty to protect our population.

There has been a lot of discussion about Minembwe, but what is happening there is completely unacceptable.

I could show you images that, according to us, demonstrate Rwanda using ambulances to transport drones and launch attacks while using medical equipment as cover.

That is an extremely serious allegation.

It is supported by evidence.

If proven, it would constitute a war crime.

Interviewer: Have these allegations been communicated through the mediation process?

Patrick Muyaya: Of course.

There are mechanisms that record and report every incident taking place on the ground.

Recently, the Joint Monitoring Committee met in London.

Another meeting of the Joint Mechanism responsible for implementing the Washington Agreement is expected on 8 July, and all of this information will be presented there.

Patrick Muyaya: Regarding Minembwe, Rwanda must stop stigmatizing a Congolese community.

What is happening there is completely unacceptable.

On what basis can the Rwandan president present himself as the protector of a Congolese community and then justify massacres and killings under the pretext of protecting that community?

Interviewer: Some people question why the Congolese army is carrying out operations around Minembwe while peace negotiations are ongoing. How do you justify those operations?

Patrick Muyaya: I would not even describe them as offensives.

In most cases, what we are conducting are defensive operations because our responsibility is to protect our people.

Let me remind you that in South Kivu we witnessed the invasion of Uvira, which, according to us, was organized under Kigali's direct command.

Bombs were used.

Kamikaze drones were used indiscriminately against peaceful civilians.

These are well-known events.

Patrick Muyaya: What we continue to say—and President Félix Tshisekedi has repeated this—is that the Democratic Republic of Congo wants peace.

But we do not want a symbolic or superficial peace.

We want genuine and lasting peace, and we are working toward that objective.

Unfortunately, on the other side, we are dealing with a country and a president who, together with his allies and proxies, continue to maintain a climate of terror on the ground.