Tories ‘should condemn Rwanda over hyperlinks to group recruiting youngster troopers’

The UK must condemn Rwanda for supporting a brutal militia accused of war crimes and recruiting child soldiers rather than handing it millions of pounds, human rights groups warn.

The Government is an “outlier” on the world stage after failing to criticise President Paul Kagame’s regime over links to the March 23 (M23) armed group, critics say. Ministers are accused of being “shamefully quiet” while agreeing to hand over almost £400million plus add-ons for the controversial Tory deportation project.

A Home Office report published quietly last week acknowledges the UN and the US State Department conclude Rwanda is backing M23. The feared militia group has carried out a string of deadly attacks in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and fighters are accused of summary killings and rapes.

It has been blamed for a bombing at a displacement camp in Goma last Friday which killed at least nine people, including seven children. The Foreign Office has repeatedly refused to confirm to The Mirror whether it accepts Rwanda has helped M23. International experts say the regime furnished the armed group with weapons and money.

Clémentine de Montjoye, senior researcher in the Africa division at Human Rights Watch, told The Mirror: “Rwanda’s support to the M23 has been extensively documented by the UN and others, and we have received reports that the Rwandan army is taking an increasingly active role in the conflict. We have also documented how the armed group, with Rwanda’s support, is committing horrific human rights abuses and apparent war crimes.

“The UK, in its refusal to call out the government of Rwanda for its support to an abusive armed group, is an outlier. The UK government should face the facts rather than legislate away reality with its Safety of Rwanda bill.”

A human rights assessment published by the Home Office last week includes a statement by the US State Department (USSD) accusing it of recruiting child soldiers. It says: “The (Rwandan) government provided support to and coordinated with the March 23 Movement (M23) armed group, which forcibly recruited and used children.” A UN report published last year said at least 31 children had been made to fight for M23.

The US has also accused Rwanda of playing an active role in last week’s atrocity – which the regime denies. An Amnesty International spokesman said: “We are still working to confirm who was responsible for the shelling on Friday morning of an IDP camp near Goma. Amnesty has called for an immediate and thorough investigation into the circumstances of the attack and urged warring parties to stop.

“It is well-documented that Rwanda has supported M23, and that M23 has committed serious crimes. Amnesty documented summary killings and rapes by the M23 in Kishishe in November 2022.” The human rights group went on: “The UK government has been shamefully quiet on Rwanda’s human rights violations both at home and abroad and should call out the Rwandan government on its support to M23. It’s absurd that under the UK’s disgraceful Safety of Rwanda Act, courts are now forced to treat Rwanda as a ‘safe country’ and can no longer consider all evidence to the contrary.”

The UK has agreed to pay the African nation £370milion over five years, plus add-ons of more than £150,000 per asylum seeker. If more than 300 people are sent, the UK will pay a further £120million. The Rwandan government has insisted it doesn’t support M23. At the weekend regime spokeswoman Yolande Makolo told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg that the US had been “hasty” and denied supporting M23.

But on Monday US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said: “The government of Rwanda must investigate this heinous act and hold all those responsible accountable. And we have made that clear to them.” The Foreign Office refused to say if it agreed. Pressed on links between the Rwandan government and M23, a spokeswoman said: “The UK strongly condemns violence perpetrated by all armed groups in eastern DRC, including M23. We are supporting regional diplomatic efforts to bring an end to the conflict.” She declined to comment further.