Gen Maj Jérome Ngendahimana, umuyobozi mukuru wungirije w’urwego rw’igihugu rw’inkeragutabara, aganira n’umunyamakuru w’Izuba Rirashe (Ifoto/Izuba R)

 

General Major Jérome Ngendahimana magingo aya ni umuyobozi wungirije w’urwego rw’igihugu rw’inkeragutabara, rumwe mu nzego eshatu zigize igisirikari cy’u Rwanda (RDF).
Uyu mwanya yawushyizwemo mu mwaka wa 2012, nyuma y’imyaka 9 atahutse ava mu mashyamba ya Kongo.
Urugendo rwe mu buzima bwa gisirikari ni rurerure; yabaye mu ngabo za Leta yakoreye Abatutsi Jenoside mu 1994 (FAR), zimaze kuneshwa ahungira muri Repubulika Iharanira Demokarasi ya Kongo; bidatinze aba umugaba mukuru wa ALIL (yaje guhinduka FDLR), agira uruhare rukomeye mu bitero by’abacengezi muri Perefegitura za Ruhengeli na Gisenyi, ayobora inzego nkuru zitandukanye muri FDLR zirimo urwego rw’ubutasi, kugeza muri Nzeli 2003 ubwo yatahukaga mu Rwanda.
Yabwiye Izuba Rirashe byinshi bijyanye n’urugamba barwanye na RPA (Ingabo za RPF-Inkotanyi) kugeza ibatsimbuye mu gihugu; ubuzima yabayeho bwo mu mashyamba ya Kongo; uruhare yagize mu bitero by’abacengezi; uko yafashe umwanzuro wo gutahuka, uburyo yakiriwe ageze mu Rwanda n’ibindi.
Icyatumye FAR itsindwa urugamba
Gen Maj Ngendahimana avuga bidatangaje cyane kuba ingabo z’igihugu z’icyo gihe (FAR) zaratsinzwe urugamba na RPA kuko “benshi ntabwo bari barigeze barwana, ntabwo bari bazi icyo intambara ari cyo, nibwo bwa mbere ingabo z’u Rwanda zari zirwanye.”
Kuri ibi ngo hiyongeraho kuba “mu minsi ya nyuma kandi FAR nta bikoresho bari bafite, ku ruhande rw’abaturage nta morali yari ihari, amahanga nayo mu minsi ya nyuma kubera Jenoside Leta [y’u Rwanda] nta jambo yari igifite.”
Gen Maj Jerome Ngendahimana avuga ko iby’igitero cya mbere RPA yagabye ku Rwanda kuya 1 Ukwakira 1990, “twabyumvise ku makuru, byabaye nk’ibidutunguye ariko ntabwo twabihaga agaciro, twumvaga ari ibintu bitazamara igihe, ko igitero turagisubizayo vuba, ariko imirwano yarakomeje. Icyo gihe nari i Butare [aho nabaga] mu kigo cya gendarmerie.”
Ingabo za RPA zabaye nk’izineshejwe ukuntu mu mirwano yo mu Gushyingo no mu Kuboza 1990 zisubirayo, maze nk’uko uyu musirikari mukuru akomeza abisobanura, “haba ibyishimo byinshi ariko ntabwo byatinze, RPA [muri Mutarama na Gashyantare 1991] yarongeye iriyorganiza [irisuganya], mbere yateye conventionally [ibitero bisanzwe], igarukana ibitero bya guerilla [udutero-shuma]”
Yakomeje abwira Izuba Rirashe ati, “mu mwaka w’1991 nagiye kuri renfort (gutanga ubufasha) ku rugamba mu Ruhengeli za Butaro no mu Birunga, uko amezi yagendaga ashira niko RPA yagendaga yongera ingufu, FAR igenda icika intege, cyane ko yari izi ko urugamba rutazatinda. FPR ifungura Gereza ya Ruhengeli abantu nibwo babonye ko ibintu biri serious [bitoroshye], nyuma yaho itera igitero kuri Bassin, hanyuma haza imishyikirano ya Arusha, FPR yari imaze kwigarurira igice kinini cy’amajyaruguru”
Intambara Gen Maj Ngendahimana yita iya ‘rurangiza’ yatangiye nyuma y’urupfu rwa Perezida Juvenal Habyarimana wapfanye na mugenzi we w’u Burundi Cyprien Ntaryamira, barasiwe mu ndege yo mu bwoko bwa Falcon 50 bavuye mu mishyikirano ya Arusha, kuya 6 Mata 1994.
Nyuma y’amezi hafi atatu FAR yatsinzwe urugamba ikwirwa imishwaro, FPR ifata igihugu cyose, ihagarika Jenoside yakorerwaga Abatutsi.
 
Ubuzima bwa Gen Maj Ngendahimana muri FDLR
Nyuma y’itembagazwa rya Leta yiyise iy’Abatabazi [yashyizweho kuya 9 Mata 1994 nyuma y’urupfu rwa Perezida Juvenal habyarimana], abakoranye nayo hafi ya bose bafashe iy’ubuhungiro.
Kuri Gen Maj Ngendahimana, ibyo ntibitangaje kuko “iyo umuntu amaze gufata ubutegetsi wamurwanyaga uravuga uti ‘icyo akora ni ukunyica, ni ukwihorera”, ugakizwa n’amaguru.
Uyu musirikari wo ku rwego rwo hejuru, icyo gihe we yahunze yerekeza mu Majyaruguru y’Uburengerazuba bw’u Rwanda, akomereza i Goma muri Repubulika Iharanira Demokarasi ya Kongo.
Asobanura ubuzima bwe bw’ubuhunzi muri aya magambo: “Twagiye mu nkambi z’impunzi i Goma, bamwe bajya Mugunga, Rutchuru, Kahindo, njye ndi mu bagiye Kahindo. Muri 96 [1996] ubwo inkambi zasenyukaga [zisenywe n’ingabo z’u Rwanda, RPA] , navuye Kahindo njya Mugunga ariko ntitwatinzemo kuko iyo nkambi ya Mungunga nayo RPA yahise iyisenya mu byumweru bitagera kuri 2, icyura impunzi, izindi zijya Masisi.
Bamwe mu bo twari kumwe [banze gutaha mu Rwanda] bagiye Kisangani, abandi bajya Central Africa [Central African Republic], njye ndi mu basigaye i Masisi. Aho i Masisi twakomezaga kurwana n’ingabo za Kabila [Laurent Desiré Kabila wapfuye] zari zasigaye inyuma kuko izindi zakomezaga zigana i Kinshasa”
Gen Maj Ngendahimana Jerome yemera ko yagize uruhare rukomeye mu bitero by’abacengezi byagiye bigabwa mu bihe bitandukanye muri Perefegitura za Gisenyi na Ruhengeli. Yemera kandi ko yagize uruhare no mu yindi migambi itandukanye yari igamije guhirika ubutegetsi buriho mu Rwanda, kuva yahungira muri Kongo mu mwaka w’1994 kugeza mu mwaka wa 2003 ubwo yatahukaga.
Yabaye umuyobozi mukuru mu nzego zitandukanye za ALIL (yaje guhinduka FDLR) no muri FDLR nyirizina. Yabanje kungiriza umuyobozi w’ibiro bya gatanu; yungiriza umugaba mukuru w’ingabo, aba umuvugizi w’ingabo, aba umuyobozi wa diviziyo (division commander), ashingwa iperereza n’indi mirimo itandukanye.
Abacengezi bari ifite icyizere kingana gite cyo gutsinda urugamba?
Nubwo abacengezi bateye u Rwanda inshuro nyinshi, ngo nta cyizere gifatika bigeze bagira cyo gutsinda urugamba. None ubwo barwanaga bafite iyihe ntumbero?
Abajijwe icyo barwaniraga kandi badatekereza ko batsinda, Gen Maj Ngendahimana yabwiye iki kinyamakuru ati, “Uko twari muri North-Kivu [Kivu y’Amajyaruguru] urugamba rwarashyushye, hanyuma turavuga tuti ‘reka tujye kurwanira mu Rwanda’. Ibyo kuvuga ngo twiyumvishaga ko tuzatsinda byo, oya!
Twaravugaga tuti ‘kuba tumaze umwaka turwanira muri Kongo reka dupfe kujya mu Rwanda turebe ko twarwana undi mwaka umwe ariko turwanira mu gihugu cyacu. Ariko twari tuzi ko turi weak [dufite intege nke].
 
Hanyuma waje gufata ute icyemezo cyo gutaha?
“Icyatumye ntaha, njye nagize amahirwe, umufasha wanjye yaje kunsanga muri DRC aturutse mu Rwanda, [we tuva mu nkambi mu 1996 yahise atahuka mu Rwanda], twamaranye ibyumweru 2, mubaza uko u Rwanda rumeze, ati ‘nje kugutwara’. Nti ‘uje kuntwara mu nyenzi nta soni? We yari umwarimukazi i Rambura [Mu Karere ka Nyabihu], njye nari nshinzwe ubutasi muri FDLR hari byinshi nari nzi, noneho amakuru yampaga akabyemeza. Twagarukanye mu Rwanda ntahutse muri Nzeli 2003.
Nasanze ibyo turimo [muri FDLR] ntacyo bizatugezaho, mfata icyemezo cyo gutaha [kandi] uko iminsi yagendaga niko umuntu yagendaga abona amakuru y’uburyo u Rwanda rwateye imbere kuva 1994-2003.
Muri 2003 gahunda y’ubumwe n’ubwiyunge yari imaze gushora imizi; hari bagenzi bacu benshi bari baramaze gutaha baba integrated [binjizwa mu gisirikari] nka ba Gatsinzi [Gen Gatsinzi Marcel uherutse guhabwa ikiruhuko cy’izabukuru], ndavuga nti ‘ntanabaye integrated naba umusivili ariko mve mu mashyamba ya Kongo.”
Hari imbogamizi wagize mu kwitandukanya na FDLR?
“Nyinshi cyane. Gutekekereza kwitandukanya na FDLR no kwitandukanya nayo ni ibintu bibiri bihabanye. Igitekerezo kiraza ariko kugishyira mu bikorwa bigasaba ubushishozi buhambaye. Byonyine bagenzi bawe bo muri FDLR bamenye ko ugiye kubasiga bakwiyicira.”
Uku niko Gen Maj Ngendahimana akomeza asobanura uburyo yatashye: “Gutaha ni operasiyo. Nagombaga gukora ku buryo hatagira umenya ko ntashye kuko nagombaga kunyura mu ngabo zacu zari deployed [zikwirakwiye hirya no hino], kunyura ku ba Mai Mai kandi bakoranaga na FDLR, kunyura kuri RCD kandi RCD bari abanzi bacu, urumva yari gymnastique [ihurizo] ikomeye cyane.
Byabaye ngombwa ko nza nikamufuye [niyoberanyije], naje nambaye nabi, nambaye training na kamambili nigize umunyekongo, madamu we yari yishyize mu bibazo aza kundeba, yari yaruhaze nawe cyane ko yari yarabanyuzemo aza kundeba.”
 
Ugeze mu Rwanda wakomeje kuba umusirikari, hari amahitamo yari ahari yo kuguma mu gisirikari cyangwa kuba umusivili?
“Urumva ntabwo bakoblija [bagutegeka] kujya mu gisirikari utabishaka kandi urumva nk’umuntu wari usanzwe uri umusirikari byanyorohereza ubuzima [kuguma mu gisirikari], birumvikana bamptishijemo, numvise nagirira igihugu akamaro ndi umusirikari kurusha kuba umusivili.”
Hanyuma ugereranya gute FAR na RDF?
“Hagati ya FAR na RDF hari itandukaniro ririni cyane. Icya mbere, FAR yari igisirikari kimeze nk’ikiri isolated [cyitaruraga abaturage], nta mishyikirano, nta busabane, cyabaga mu bigo kikajya gukora imyitozo, ntaho cyahuriraga n’abaturage, n’abaturage baragitinyaga. Ariko RDF ikorana n’abaturage, bayiyumvamo.
Icya kabiri, RDF uko imeze binajyana na guverinoma uko imeze. RDF yiyumvamo Abanyarwanda, ni igisirikari buri munyarwanda wese ajyamo, apfa kuba yujuje ibyangombwa. FAR cyari igisirikari cy’Abahutu, Umututsi wari kubonamo yari exception [ikintu kidasanzwe], ariko RDF irimo Abatutsi, Abahutu n’Abatwa.
Ubona ibitero bya FDLR ku Rwanda hari icyo bizatanga?
Abajijwe iki kibazo, Gen Maj Ngendahimana Jerome yatangaye cyane maze, nawe arambaza ati, “wowe se ubona hari umusaruro ushobora kubivamo? Mu 1994 twari dufite ingabo zisaga ibihumbi 13 kandi ubu hamaze gutaha ingabo zirenga ibihumbi 10, impunzi zikiriyo ni nkeya, ibyo tutabashije dufite ibihumbi 15 byashoborwa n’ingabo zitageze no ku bihumbi 3 cyangwa 2?
Itaha ryawe utekereza ko hari icyo ryatwaye FDLR? 
“Gutaha kwanjye, Paul Rwarakabije, Fred Itangayenda, byaciye intege FDLR kuko twari abayobozi.  Abana baravuze bati ‘ko hari abayobozi batashye twe turi ino dukora iki?’ Urumva ingaruka byagize. Icya kabiri, tukigera aha twakoze ubukangurambaga, ni nacyo cyatumye n’ibyo bihumbi 10 bitaha. Kiriya kigo cya Mutobo cyatangiye kwakira aba-ofisiye, aba-suzofisiye [sous-officiers] kubera itahuka ryacu n’ubukuangurambaga twakoze…”
Gen Maj Ngendahimana avuga ko n’ubu akomeje guhamagarira abakiri muri FDLR gutahuka, ariko ngo “biroroshye gusansibiliza [gushishikariza gutaha] abana kurusha abakuru kuko abakuru ni bo batsimbaraye ku ngengabitekerezo” kandi abo bakuru b’intagondwa bakaba bafata abana bakababuza gutaha.
Ubu ufashwe ute muri RDF, ese nk’umuntu wabaye muri FAR ukaza kuba umuyobozi mukuru muri FDLR, nta pfunwe cyangwa urwikekwe watahukanye?
“Nakiriwe neza, suspicions [urwikekwe] nari mfite muri njye zahise zivaho. Nasubiye mu gisirikari nta bwoba. Ariko maze no kugera mu ngabo, na bagenzi banjye twakoranaga nta kibazo nagize kugeza uyu munsi.
Psycologically [mu rwego rw’imitekerereze] nta kibazo na gike mfite, ingabo zarakataje cyane mu bintu by’ubumwe n’ubwiyunge, niba hari ahantu umunyarwanda yishimira kuba ni mu ngabo.”
Agitahuka muri Nzeli 2003, Brig Gen Ngendahimana yahise yakirwa mu biro by’umugaba mukuru w’ingabo. Yakomereje mu ishuri rya Gisirikari rya Nyakinama mu mahugurwa yarangije mu mwaka wa 2004.
Yungirije Lt Gen Fred Ibingira ku buyobozi bw’urwego rw’igihugu rw’inkeragutabara (reserve force) kuva muri 2012.