Sylvestre Mudacumura
Sylvestre Mudacumura (1954-2019) was a Rwandan soldier and militant in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as general of the Forces Combattants Abacunguzi (FOCA), the armed wing of the FDLR, a militant group based in the Kivu region of the DRC.
Biography
Mudacumura studied for two years at the Bundeswehr Leadership Academy in Hamburg, Germany. This academy educated not only German officers, but those from other NATO and allied countries, including Rwanda.
At the time of the genocide, Mudacumura was deputy commander (perhaps a major or lieutenant colonel) of the Presidential Guard Battalion. Following the assassination of President Juvénal Habyarimana, the Presidential Guard sought out and killed prominent moderate Hutu leaders such as Prime Minister Agathe Uwilingiyimana, as well as assisting the Interahamwe and Impuzamugambi in making roadblocks to identify Tutsi civilians. As deputy commander, Mudacumura was likely involved in this operation.
As an insurgent
Following the genocide, Mudacumura's wife and children were relocated to Germany, but Mucadumura himself along with his fellow guardsmen escaped to Zaire. During the Second Congo War, Mudacumura and his "westerners" (those who went on into the DRC as opposed to staying in Kivu) joined forces with the Army for the Liberation of Rwanda (French initials: ALiR) to create the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). This group fought for Laurent-Désiré Kabila (and following his assassination, his son Joseph) against Rwandan and Ugandan forces who sought to install a puppet regime.
Although the war ended in 2002, they continued fighting both Banyamulenge(Congolese Tutsis) and Rwandan forces across the border, resulting in many being forced to flee. In the mid-2000s, Mudacumura consolidated his authority over the FDLR, concentrating "westerners" in the leadership. He was also implicated in poisoning a subordinate at a party.
War crimes
Between 2009 and 2010, the FDLR committed a number of attacks against both the DRC military and civilians. As a result of this campaign, Mudacumura was charged with five counts of crimes against humanity and nine counts of war crimes. These included attacks against civilians, murder, mutilation, rape, torture and destruction of property.
Death
On September 18, 2019, Mudacumura was killed by Congolese and Rwandan armed forces in Rutshuru, DRC. A month earlier, his security chief revealed his location during interrogation. While they intended to take Mudacumura alive in order for him to be turned over to the ICC, Rwandan special forces were unable to, due to being overwhelmed by their FOCA counterparts. In order to avoid losing Mudacumura, they shot him at point blank range.