DRC - FDLR (Forces democratiques de liberation du Rwanda)

TCL

MIL

1. Justification for SCS

The FDRL consists mainly of Rwandan Hutu exiles, many of whom were engaged in the 1994 genocide (ex-Interahamwe, ex-FAR - former Rwandan army). Therefore, they are a military actor based on ethnicity.

1. Stakeholder size (number of people)

1,700[1] - 10,000[2] troops and 10-15,000 dependants

The number of troops varies significantly between different sources, but regarding recent developments a number towards smaller estimates seems more credible. There are an estimated 10-15,000 dependants living with the FDLR in the forests.

Around 10 to 20 per cent of the FDLR are child soldiers. Rwandan intelligence estimates that around 15 to 18 per cent of the FDLR officers, or 100-120 individuals, are wanted for serious crimes of genocide.

1. Area of Influence
   1. Geographic area

The FDLR's headquarters are located in Kibua, Masisi in the province of North Kivu. They have three brigades deployed in North Kivu and two deployed in South Kivu[3].

1. 1. Population subsets

Rwandan Hutu refugees, to a large part consisting of ex-Genocidaires

1. Description of Organization
   1. Who are the leaders?

The political wing in exile is led by Ignace Murwanashyaka and has practically no influence.[4]

The FDLR military wing is led by General Sylvestre Mudacumura, a former commander of the presidential guard in Habyarimana's regime. His commander of operations is Colonel Mugaragu, while Colonel Rumuli Michel is the Defence Commissioner. All three commanders are wanted by Rwanda for serious crimes of genocide[5]

1. 1. How does one gain influence in the group?

n. a.

1. 1. What issues do they care about?

Aims and objectives: Up until the end of March 2005, the FDLR's declared intention was to overthrow the Tutsi-dominated government of Rwanda and re-establish an administration controlled by the Hutu majority. It remains to be seen how much of the rank and file are willing to follow this change in strategy. The Rwandan government claims that the FDLR (or elements thereof) would also seek to complete its policy to remove all Tutsis from the country but official FDLR policies have long diverged from the genocidal ideology of the early 1990s. [6]

1. 1. What does the organizational structure look like?

The FDLR is a decentralised organisation made up of five principal elements: former members of the Rwandan armed forces (FAR) and presidential guard; Interahamwe militias; second generation Hutu fighters drawn from the refugee camps, who were not involved in events in 1994; Burundian Hutu combatants, with a similar anti-Tutsi agenda; Congolese local combatants aggrieved at Rwandan abuses while occupying the eastern DRC.

The FDLR have been able to maintain a fairly rigid discipline and organisation, with frequent rotations of their troops and with good communications between the various units.

Certain FDLR units retain their old FAR military structure and chain of command. ALiR? inherited a conventional division-brigade-battalion-company force structure. Most of the fighting in the DRC has been undertaken by battalions or smaller units, with only major attacks seeing the massing of brigade strength formations.

1. Financial Resources (if applicable)
   1. List activities that generate cash flow

The FDLR controls the area around Lubero, between Butembo and Goma, which is a focal pont for diamonds from the Kivus with extensive mining activity involving thousands of diamond miners. According to the Pact report, traders in Butembo are quite open about the fact that the Interahamwe come into the town to trade diamonds, noting that they are always trying to keep a low profile and do their business fast therefore they will accept low prices for their stones. Butembo is also an important town for cassiterite from the east (Mambasa) and the south (Walikale). It was also

reported that significant quantities of cassiterite are being produced around the Virunga National Park[7].

1. 1. Income from activities

no data

1. 1. Profitability

no data

1. Military Resources (if applicable)
   1. What arms do they possess

The government and its allies (the FDLR was supported by the Congolese government[8], which officially has stopped after the signing of several agreements with Rwanda; it can be assumed that the FDLR still has these weapons though) deploy 152mm, 122mm and 88mm towed artillery pieces. However, far more widespread is the use of 75mm and 105mm light artillery pieces. As in all conflicts of this nature, the employment of small arms is widespread. AK-47s, RPK 7.62mm (LMG) and PK series 7.62mm (GPMG) seem to be the weapons of choice for most participants. All sides in the conflict use small arms supplied by primarily FSU, but also from South Africa, Pakistan, China, North Korea, France and USA. Grenades and splinter weapons are particularly sought after for attacks on strong-points in the dense undergrowth. MANPADS are used by both sides, specifically the SA-14 Gremlin, SA-7 Grail, and SA-16 Gimlet. Furthermore, both rebels and their allies and the government's troops use RPG-7s and RPG-18s. In addition many home-made weapons and bladed weapons are employed against civilian targets.[9]

Scarce communications equipment and a shortage of batteries initially made it difficult for ALiR? units to retain radio contact, although with experience FDLR units appear to have gained better communications equipment and made more effective use of it.

According to deserters, each FDLR brigade used to have a satellite phone, with HF radios at battalion level and VHF radios with each company commander. Much of this equipment, especially the satellite phones, has however broken down. [10]

• i. What type?
• ii. How much?

1. 1. Experience level

Between 1990 and 1994 France provided training and military assistance to the FAR. During the 1998-2001 interstate war, Zimbabwe ran guerrilla training facilities for proxy militia, including ALiR? , in Lubumbashi and Kamina, Katanga province. Since then, there has been no obvious formal training.

The FDLR has set up a rudimentary training camp in Masisi, North Kivu, run by ex-FAR officers.[11]

1. Provide a short history of the stakeholder group
   1. What is their origin?

The FDLR consists of soldiers of the former Rwandan Army and members of the Interahamwe militia that was behind the 1994 genocide attempt in Rwanda. Forced out of Rwanda by invading rebel forces, elements of the army and the Interahamwe crossed into the eastern parts of Zaire - now the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Their guerrilla raids from bases in the border area were the key trigger for the Rwandan and Ugandan invasion of Zaire, which, in turn, triggered the civil war in that country.

The FDLR resumed its guerrilla raids into Rwanda after Rwandan and Ugandan forces withdrew from the DRC. It also stands accused of attacking ethnic Tutsis in the eastern provinces of the DRC. This has led to threats of a renewed invasion by the Rwandan Army, finally leading to an agreement between Rwanda and the DRC that the DRC Army will disarm the FDLR, forcibly if necessary. [12]

1. 1. How have they changed?

The FDLR, which was estimated to consist of around 10,000 combatants, was significantly weakened by two developments in 2007. First, the completion of the political transition appeared to diminish the group's political powerbase. Second, an agreement between Rwanda and the DRC to forcibly disarm the FDLR led the group to enter into discussions with the Rwandan government at the close of the year on its peaceful return to the country[13]

1. 1. What are their future goals?

As their military organisation became weakened and it became unlikely that the FDLR could capture a whole province in Rwanda, the militia changed its tactics. Interviews with FDLR deserters in 2005 indicated that the organisation's aim was to conduct small raids against the Tutsi population in Rwanda in order to provoke a large counter-attack by the Rwandan army that would undermine the transition in the Congo. The FDLR would then try to re-establish itself as a mercenary force for Kinshasa. [14]

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