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Along with the Rwandan minister for regional integration, James
Kabarebe, the U.S. also sanctioned a spokesperson of the M23
rebels, Lawrence Kanyuka Kingston. Two companies linked to
Kanyuka and registered in Britain and France were also
sanctioned.
The M23 rebels are the most prominent of more than 100 armed
groups that have been vying for control of eastern Congo’s
trillions of dollars in mineral wealth.
The rebels' unprecedented expansion followed years of fighting
as the M23 group took control in a lightning three-week
offensive, first seizing eastern Congo’s main city of Goma and
then the second largest city, Bukavu, on Sunday.
The U.S urged “the leaders of Rwanda to end their support for
M23” and withdraw all Rwandan troops from Congo. U.N. experts
say there are about 4,000 troops from Rwanda in Congo.
The U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a
statement that the U.S. also calls on Congo and Rwanda's
governments “to hold accountable those responsible for human
rights violations and abuses.”
The U.S. announcement said that Kabarebe, the Rwandan minister
who is also a retired military officer, has been liaising with
the M23 rebels and handling the revenue and export of minerals
that the Rwanda-backed rebels have procured in eastern Congo.
“Today’s action underscores our intent to hold accountable key
officials and leaders like Kabarebe and Kanyuka,” said Bradley
T. Smith, an acting undersecretary of the Treasury.
Rwanda's foreign ministry called the sanctions “unjustified and
unfounded."
“Punitive measures, including sanctions, make no contribution
toward long-term security, peace and stability for all the
countries of the Great Lakes region,” said the ministry in a
statement.
Since the start of the M23 rebels’ offensive on Goma on Jan. 26,
more than 700 people have been killed and nearly 3,000 have been
wounded in the city and its vicinity, officials say.
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