Killings in Congo "Constitute War Crimes," Says UN Official
James J. Gormley
November 10, 2008
The recent killing of civilians by armed militia in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) "constitute war crimes", the top United Nations official to the country said Saturday, while welcoming the outcome of Friday´s high-level meeting aimed at ending the crisis.
Violent clashes between renegade-general Laurent Nkunda's CNDP rebels and pro-government PARECO/Mayi Mayi militia that broke out on Tuesday in the town of Kiwanja, in North Kivu, were condemned by the Secretary-General's Special Representative in the DRC, Alan Doss, as "serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law."
Doss, who is also head of the UN mission in the DRC (MONUC), called for all armed groups to withdraw from the area around Rutshuru, the scene of this week's violent outbreak, to allow MONUC to protect people in the area and enable the safe return of thousands who fled the fighting.
Madnodje Mounoubai, a U.N. mission spokesman in Kinshasa, said that a U.N. team in Kiwanja had confirmed reports of 26 bodies in 11 graves in the village. According to CNN, residents informed the U.N. team that rebels killed the victims amid accusations that they collaborated with government troops.
The clashes earlier this week continue the escalation of hostilities in North Kivu province over the last two months between Government forces (FARDC) and the CNDP headed by Nkunda, which has displaced some 252,000 Congolese, on top of the 800,000 already forced from their homes from previous fighting.
Staff members of the U.N. High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) said shooting had erupted on Friday morning in the vicinity of the two Kibati camps, interrupting the distribution of aid and causing panic among the camp population. The shooting stopped after about 30 minutes, the UNHCR reported, while adding that people from the camp continued to move south toward Goma. A fresh outbreak of shooting was heard later in the day, sending the internally displaced people into a new panic.
"Thousands of [displaced people] fled Kibati camp after hearing gunfire. Families with children gathered their few possessions ... and headed towards Goma. Some children were screaming for their parents after getting lost in the confusion of the exodus," said one eye-witness after the morning clashes.
"The road to Goma had a steady flow of [displaced people] heading south, while [government] soldiers were seen marching north to the camp."
The fighting is pitting government soldiers and pro-government militia against fighters loyal to renegade commander, Laurent Nkunda, and the opposing forces are close to the camps.
"We are again appealing to all sides in the conflict to respect the civilian character of the camps, to respect humanitarian principles and to ensure the safety of civilians and those trying to help them. There is also a risk of militarization in the camps," said a UNHCR spokesman.
The UNHCR and other agencies are rushing to get life-saving assistance to the internally displaced civilians as quickly as possible in an extremely volatile environment characterized by widespread human rights abuses and general lawlessness.
The agencies have been distributing humanitarian assistance in Kibati, including food, plastic sheeting for shelter construction, blankets, mats, kitchen sets, mosquito nets and jerry cans. Deliveries are being made to six UNHCR-managed camps around Goma. The refugee agency is looking into the possibility of opening another camp west of Goma in case the situation in Kibati becomes untenable. The security situation in Goma was quiet though tense on Friday.
Doss applauded the statement from the UN-backed summit of African leaders in Nairobi on Friday which urged for an immediate ceasefire in eastern DRC, and the establishment of a humanitarian corridor to ensure that the hundreds of thousands displaced can get the assistance they need.
"An immediate response can be made to the humanitarian crisis and the immediate implementation of the Joint Nairobi and Goma agreements," Doss told reporters while stopping off in Goma on his return from the Nairobi meeting.
The Nairobi communiqué is the November 2007 agreement under which the DRC and Rwanda have agreed to work together against threats to peace and stability in the region.
The Goma agreement, signed by the Government and armed groups in January, included a commitment by rebels to withdraw their troops to either disarm or join the brassage process whereby ex-combatants from armed groups are retrained to form part of FARDC.
"The summit also established a facilitation mechanism which will involve, in addition to the Special Envoy for the Great Lakes [Olusegun Obasanjo, the former president of Nigeria], all heads of state of the region," Doss added.
For more information on the continuing efforts to help refugees in the Congo and around the world (or to donate) visit the UNHCR website: http://www.unhcr.org/donate/index.htm.
Violent clashes between renegade-general Laurent Nkunda's CNDP rebels and pro-government PARECO/Mayi Mayi militia that broke out on Tuesday in the town of Kiwanja, in North Kivu, were condemned by the Secretary-General's Special Representative in the DRC, Alan Doss, as "serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law."
Doss, who is also head of the UN mission in the DRC (MONUC), called for all armed groups to withdraw from the area around Rutshuru, the scene of this week's violent outbreak, to allow MONUC to protect people in the area and enable the safe return of thousands who fled the fighting.
Madnodje Mounoubai, a U.N. mission spokesman in Kinshasa, said that a U.N. team in Kiwanja had confirmed reports of 26 bodies in 11 graves in the village. According to CNN, residents informed the U.N. team that rebels killed the victims amid accusations that they collaborated with government troops.
The clashes earlier this week continue the escalation of hostilities in North Kivu province over the last two months between Government forces (FARDC) and the CNDP headed by Nkunda, which has displaced some 252,000 Congolese, on top of the 800,000 already forced from their homes from previous fighting.
Staff members of the U.N. High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) said shooting had erupted on Friday morning in the vicinity of the two Kibati camps, interrupting the distribution of aid and causing panic among the camp population. The shooting stopped after about 30 minutes, the UNHCR reported, while adding that people from the camp continued to move south toward Goma. A fresh outbreak of shooting was heard later in the day, sending the internally displaced people into a new panic.
"Thousands of [displaced people] fled Kibati camp after hearing gunfire. Families with children gathered their few possessions ... and headed towards Goma. Some children were screaming for their parents after getting lost in the confusion of the exodus," said one eye-witness after the morning clashes.
"The road to Goma had a steady flow of [displaced people] heading south, while [government] soldiers were seen marching north to the camp."
The fighting is pitting government soldiers and pro-government militia against fighters loyal to renegade commander, Laurent Nkunda, and the opposing forces are close to the camps.
"We are again appealing to all sides in the conflict to respect the civilian character of the camps, to respect humanitarian principles and to ensure the safety of civilians and those trying to help them. There is also a risk of militarization in the camps," said a UNHCR spokesman.
The UNHCR and other agencies are rushing to get life-saving assistance to the internally displaced civilians as quickly as possible in an extremely volatile environment characterized by widespread human rights abuses and general lawlessness.
The agencies have been distributing humanitarian assistance in Kibati, including food, plastic sheeting for shelter construction, blankets, mats, kitchen sets, mosquito nets and jerry cans. Deliveries are being made to six UNHCR-managed camps around Goma. The refugee agency is looking into the possibility of opening another camp west of Goma in case the situation in Kibati becomes untenable. The security situation in Goma was quiet though tense on Friday.
Doss applauded the statement from the UN-backed summit of African leaders in Nairobi on Friday which urged for an immediate ceasefire in eastern DRC, and the establishment of a humanitarian corridor to ensure that the hundreds of thousands displaced can get the assistance they need.
"An immediate response can be made to the humanitarian crisis and the immediate implementation of the Joint Nairobi and Goma agreements," Doss told reporters while stopping off in Goma on his return from the Nairobi meeting.
The Nairobi communiqué is the November 2007 agreement under which the DRC and Rwanda have agreed to work together against threats to peace and stability in the region.
The Goma agreement, signed by the Government and armed groups in January, included a commitment by rebels to withdraw their troops to either disarm or join the brassage process whereby ex-combatants from armed groups are retrained to form part of FARDC.
"The summit also established a facilitation mechanism which will involve, in addition to the Special Envoy for the Great Lakes [Olusegun Obasanjo, the former president of Nigeria], all heads of state of the region," Doss added.
For more information on the continuing efforts to help refugees in the Congo and around the world (or to donate) visit the UNHCR website: http://www.unhcr.org/donate/index.htm.
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