Survivors' Rights International (Annapolic, MD)
PRESS RELEASE
June 6, 2004
Posted to the web June 18, 2004
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): The international community must immediately
address escalating conflict, military occupation, lawlessness, and impunity for
ongoing acts of genocide and crimes against humanity, including widespread sexual
violence, in DRC.
Survivors' Rights International (SRI) calls on the international community in the
strongest of terms to address escalating conflict and the climate of impunity and
lawlessness in the DRC, to demand governments and other warring parties to order their
soldiers to stop committing acts of genocide and crimes against humanity, and to
withdraw troops that remain in DRC in contravention of international peace agreements.
SRI calls on the governments of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi and
Uganda to immediately demand that all military leaders order their troops to stop
ongoing atrocities and sexual violence by their respective forces, to investigate
abuses and suspend or arrest those responsible, and to desist from arming, or
otherwise supporting, diverse factions and militias serving as their proxy armies in
DRC.
SRI urges in the strongest of terms that foreign governments with troops in DRC¾and
the DRC's transitional government-demand the immediate release of women and girls who
have been abducted and who remain captive sexual slaves to government soldiers and
affiliated militias, to arrest the perpetrators, and investigate the complicity of
military leaders and government officials in condoning or participating in the
widespread sexual violence, including rapes, torture, disappearances and abductions of
women and girls.
SRI wishes to call attention to reports about planned military destabilization in DRC,
reportedly led by Rwandan, Burundian and Rwandan-backed RCD-Goma (Rassemblement
Congolais pour la Democratie-Goma) forces, in a new military alliance, Front for the
Liberation for Eastern Congo (Front de Liberacion de L'Est du Congo). SRI asks the
international community to prevent Rwandan, Burundian and Ugandan forces amassing on
their borders from further incursions into DRC under the pretense of "defending
national security". Reports are substantiated by renewed warfare in the Kivu
provinces, since 26 May 2004, involving RCD-Goma and DRC (Forces Armee Congolaise)
troops. SRI condemns the renewed violence and subsequent violations of the ceasefire
agreements in the strongest of terms, and calls on the international community to
immediately intervene to halt ongoing atrocities, the forced displacement of tens of
thousands of civilians, and the continuing escalation of warfare in DRC.
SRI calls on U.N. Organization Mission in DRC (MONUC) officials to make public their
knowledge about foreign troops in the DRC: estimates indicate that at least 400, and
perhaps as many as 4000, Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA) troops remain. SRI also calls on
the international community to investigate the role of MONUC troops in committing
atrocities in DRC, including (widely reported) rapes by MONUC soldiers.
Ongoing problems recently documented and/or reported by SRI sources are listed below.
While information from the DRC is difficult to obtain or verify, these sporadic and
arbitrarily documented cases indicate a much higher and acute prevalence of ongoing
problems, particularly in the inaccessible rural areas.
NORTH & SOUTH KIVU: On approximately April 21, 2004 Rwandan government troops (RPA)
suffered a military defeat in eastern DRC after a failed military operation-in
contravention of Rwanda's signatory participation in DRC peace accords-against FDLR
forces (Forces Democratique du Liberation du Rwanda). SRI sources report that the FDLR
routed the RPA, and that RPA troops subsequently retaliated by destroying villages,
killing, torturing and raping non-combatant civilians. Reports indicate that uniformed
RPA officers have been seen by MONUC (and other observers) commanding RCD-Goma troops
in DRC.
EQUATEUR PROVINCE: Unidentified troops, and troops belonging to the RCD-Goma faction,
began occupying Equateur in April, reportedly on their way for rendezvous and
integration with DRC troops. Transient soldiers have been emptying entire villages
along the way, terrorizing local populations already dehumanized by eight years of
unrelenting war and inhumanity. Eyewitnesses reports from different parts of Equateur
indicate both transient soldiers and resident DRC government FAC (Forces Armee
Congolaise) soldiers looting and destroying property; confiscating and occupying homes
and schools; conscripting and brutalizing males for forced labor; raping women and
girls; and abducting women and girls for prolonged periods of sexual slavery.
ITURI PROVINCE: The situation in Ituri remains unstable, with recurring acts of
genocide and crimes against humanity being perpetrated by miscellaneous forces on
their opposition ethnic groups, many of which have been armed, supported and
manipulated by the Ugandan People's Defense Forces (UPDF). The Mbuti pygmies continue
to suffer the brunt of abuses from all sides. Credible sources report MONUC forces
involved in both perpetrating and perpetuating sexual violence.
Numerous international human rights organizations and government bodies have widely
and repeatedly documented the atrocities in DRC. Due to the severity of the abuses,
the November 10, 2003 report by a U.N. expert investigator called for a more committed
international response. Because the report described abuses that amount to genocide,
crimes against humanity, and war crimes, the international community has the
obligation and responsibility to intervene. (See SRI Press Release, 01/07/2004:
Answers to a U.N. Expert's Call on the International Community to Intervene in DRC to
End Genocide
Relevant Links
Central Africa
Refugees and Displacement
Humanitarian Abuses and Civilians
Congo-Kinshasa
Crime and Corruption
The Mulindwas Communication Group
"With Yoweri Museveni, Uganda is in anarchy"
Groupe de communication Mulindwas
"avec Yoweri Museveni, l'Ouganda est dans l'anarchie"
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