The envoy made the remarks on August 22, 2025, during the UN Security Council briefing on the situation in the DRC.
Amb. Ngoga delivered this message after UN Security Council member states endorsed reports by organizations, including Human Rights Watch, which accused fighters of the M23 armed group of killing 140 civilians in Rutshuru territory â€" 'mainly Hutu' â€" while allegedly 'operating alongside Rwandan forces' in July 2025.
He told the Council that Rwanda is deeply concerned by what he called 'grave and utterly unfounded allegations' against his country, particularly surrounding reports of civilian massacres in Rutshuru. He emphasized that only an independent and impartial investigation could provide credible facts.
'On the alleged massacre of civilians in Rutshuru, the initial reporting of facts has been contradictory, vague, and in many respects outright implausible. Only an impartial and independent investigation can provide the Council with a reliable set of facts,' Amb. Ngoga said.
The envoy further warned that misinformation threatens the credibility of UN institutions themselves, citing what he described as a 'long-standing pattern of selective reporting of human rights matters in the DRC, where victims are painted as perpetrators, and vice versa.'
He criticized the Council's silence on the activities of the FDLR, a group he described as the principal driver of violence and abuses in eastern Congo.
'While there has been overwhelming focus on alleged violations by AFC/M23, I did not hear a single delegation talk about Kinshasa-backed FDLR. Even within your own reports, you acknowledge the DRC government backs the FDLR, but why is it not presented in that manner?' Amb. Ngoga asked.
Amb. Ngoga reminded members that the FDLR is composed of remnants of those responsible for mass killings during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, and stressed that their continued presence in the DRC is central to the conflict.
The ambassador also highlighted Rwanda's commitment to peace, pointing to its ratification of the Washington Peace Agreement in July and support for the Doha talks and other regional frameworks. He said Rwanda will continue to meet its obligations under these agreements but insisted that peace requires equal accountability from all parties.
'Yes, the territorial integrity of the DRC is non-negotiable, but so is the territorial integrity of neighbors of DRC, including Rwanda,' Ngoga said. 'Sovereignty comes with obligations. The DRC must stop treating part of their population as lesser citizens, and the Council must defend the principle that all people must be equally protected.'
IGIHE
