Protesters in Brussels call for immediate EU sanctions against Rwanda

Protesters gathered in Brussels on Tuesday to demand immediate EU action against violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group recently seized large parts of North Kivu province.

Around a hundred demonstrators gathered at noon on Place Jean Rey in the European district of Brussels, shouting "Rwanda kills, Congo bleeds! Stop the war that has been going on for almost 30 years!"

Demonstrators called to end the EU's "complicity in the massacres and looting of mineral resources"

The Free Congo Belgique citizens' collective organised the demonstration to call for an end to the EU's "complicity in the massacres and looting of mineral resources" in the DRC by "the criminal regime of Rwandan president Paul Kagame". 

Hundreds dead, thousands injured

The Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group has recently seized large parts of the DRC's North Kivu province, including the provincial capital of Goma. Around 900 bodies have already been recovered in Goma following its capture last week.

The UN Human Rights Council will hold an extraordinary session on the situation on Friday

Violence by M23 rebels and the Rwandan army has left hundreds dead, thousands injured and many more displaced. At the request of the DRC, the UN Human Rights Council will hold an extraordinary session on the situation on Friday.

On Monday, in a statement on X, the M23 declared a ceasefire from 4 February "for humanitarian reasons", although it is not clear whether the DRC army intends to respect it. In the statement, the rebel group also denied wanting to take Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province. 

^{Activist Brenda Odimba during a march to protest against Rwandan aggression in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Brussels, 4 February © BELGA VIDEO LOU LAMPAERT}

'EU is responsible'

"Civilians are being killed and hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing the violence," the organisers of the demonstration in Brussels said. "Meanwhile, the West continues to support Rwanda financially and militarily," they said.

"As a European, it hurts to see the deafening silence from the media and politicians"

The demonstrators are calling for Europe to stop providing military support to Rwanda, for Paul Kagame to be held accountable, and for an immediate suspension of all economic agreements between the EU and Rwanda.

"We have been talking about genocide and rape as a weapon of war for 30 years. As a European, it hurts to see the deafening silence from the media and politicians, while the EU in particular is responsible for what is happening," said Belgian-Congolese activist Brenda Odimba. "We will not give up until the genocide is over," she said.

^{A protester during a march to protest against Rwandan aggression in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Brussels, 4 February © BELGA PHOTO JONAS ROOSENS}