A Letter to Trump: FDLR Pushes Back on ‘Destruction Agenda’

In the wake of the peace agreement signed in June 2025 between the governments of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, facilitated in Washington, the FDLR rebel group made a rare diplomatic move. In a letter addressed to former U.S. President Donald Trump and copied to heads of state across the Great Lakes region, the FDLR expressed its concerns about the agreement’s implications for its survival and for regional peace.

The group specifically acknowledged and appreciated Trump’s role in brokering what they described as “historic” peace talks, even as they warned that dismantling the FDLR would not solve the region’s deeper problems. According to the UN report and regional media sources, the Washington agreement mentions the FDLR over 40 times, with two of its core objectives being:

The lifting of Rwanda’s so-called “defensive measures” (interpreted as RDF deployments)

The complete disbanding of the FDLR

While Kinshasa and Kigali hailed the deal as a breakthrough, the FDLR challenged its premise. In the letter, signed by 'Lt-General' Victor Byiringiro, the group argued that it has never posed a threat to the Rwandan population, but rather positions itself as a movement defending Rwandan Hutu refugees still living in eastern Congo.

The letter stated that previous joint military offensives by Rwandan and Congolese forces between 2009 and 2015, aimed at eliminating the FDLR, had resulted in thousands of deaths and mass displacement of both Congolese civilians and Rwandan refugees.

FDLR leaders emphasized that “dismantling the FDLR will not solve the root of the problem,” and insisted instead on “genuine and inclusive dialogue” as the only sustainable path toward resolving the crisis. They claimed to have consistently advocated for talks over the years, only to be dismissed by the Rwandan government.

Rwanda, for its part, maintains that the FDLR is a terrorist group composed of genocidaires who continue to pose a threat to national security. President Paul Kagame, speaking at a press conference the previous Friday, reiterated his long-standing position: he would never negotiate with the FDLR under any circumstances.

In contrast, the UN Security Council has expressed concerns about all armed actors in the region. In its February 2025 resolution, the Council called on the Congolese army (FARDC) to cease all forms of collaboration with armed groups, particularly the FDLR. At the same time, it urged Rwanda to halt its support to M23 and withdraw all RDF forces from Congolese territory.

While attention now shifts to Doha, where direct negotiations between the DRC and M23 are underway under Qatari mediation, the FDLR remains politically marginalized but strategically central to the justification of cross-border interventions.

Their letter to Trump serves as a reminder that beneath the surface of ceasefires and diplomacy lies a contested narrative about identity, accountability, and whose version of “peace” is ultimately being pursued.