The Congolese military and intelligence authorities could hardly be in a position to fabricate interviews with over 80 ex-combatants, throughout Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu provinces, in order to “support and disseminate their own allegations.”[84] Furthermore, it is very unlikely that in addition to ex-combatants, the Government of the DRC would have been able to set up testimonies from local villagers, politicians, border officials, civil society groups, former rebel commanders, former and current RDF officers, and even active M23members and collaborators which the Group consistently consulted during its field investigations.
The Congolese military and intelligence authorities could hardly be in a position to fabricate interviews with over 80 ex-combatants, throughout Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu provinces, in order to “support and disseminate their own allegations.”[84] Furthermore, it is very unlikely that in addition to ex-combatants, the Government of the DRC would have been able to set up testimonies from local villagers, politicians, border officials, civil society groups, former rebel commanders, former and current RDF officers, and even active M23members and collaborators which the Group consistently consulted during its field investigations.