Mudacumura was the deputy commander of the
Presidential Guard of the
Rwandan Armed Forces during
the 1994 genocide. Following the genocide, Mudacumura's wife and children were moved to
Germany with the help of FDLR political leader
Ignace Murwanashyaka. Mudacumura was an FDLR 'westerner', belonging to the group of rebels who were previously based in
Kamina and fought alongside the
Forces Armées Congolaise, as opposed to the group that stayed in the
Kivus. Since 2003, there has been tension within the FDLR as Mudacumura replaced 'easterners' with 'westerners' in the command structure. He was implicated in the December 2006 death of the former FOCA second in command, Colonel
Jean Baptist Kanyandekwe, who died of poisoning at a party thrown by the FOCA head. Kanyandekwe is said to have led a faction advocating for the end of hostilities and the return of the rebels to Rwanda.
Human Rights Watch said in December 2009, According to former FDLR combatants interviewed by Human Rights Watch and others, General Mudacumura has clear and immediate command responsibility over FDLR forces. "It is Mudacumura who gives all the overall instructions and commands, and others follow his orders... No operation could ever be done without his consent," one former FDLR combatant told Human Rights Watch. In another case, a senior FDLR deserter from the Reserve Brigade told UN officials that Lt. Col. Félicien Nzabanita, commander of the Reserve Brigade, which conducted several of the larger attacks on civilians during
Umoja Wetu and
Kimia II, "never made any decisions unless they were coming from Mudacumura." It is unclear if Mudacumura or Murwanashyaka had more power in the FDLR, with at least one FOCA colonel stating that Murwanashyaka reported to Mudacumura during a visit. Mudacumura's younger brother, known as "Big Patrick", has a relationship with the Indian Battalion of
MONUC. Big Patrick was also rumored to have used his contacts with MONUC to provide expatriate medical care to Mudacumura in November 2009. Mudacumura's brother-in-law, Lt. Col. Edmond Ngarambe, was the FOCA spokesperson prior to being captured in Operation Umoja Wetu. == Sanctions and war crimes charges ==