from JEAN KASSONGO in Kinshasa, DRC
DRC Bureau
KINSHASA, (CAJ News) – REGIONAL leaders have been urged to make the most of the summit on the crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to bring to book perpetrators of the conflict.
Amnesty International appealed to the leaders as they meet under the aegis of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional blocs on the escalation of fighting east of the country.
The summit is scheduled for Friday (today) and Saturday in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.
“It is high time to ensure accountability for nearly 30 years of crimes under international law committed in the DRC. Failure to seize this moment will only embolden the perpetrators and increase the likelihood of further atrocities,” Amnesty Secretary General, Agnès Callamard, said.
She believes the special summit on the grave situation in the DRC is overdue as the catastrophic human rights consequences of the country’s armed conflicts had gone on for far too long.
“Now hundreds of thousands of women, children and men have once again been forced to flee the fighting, enduring dire conditions and desperately trying to stay alive,” Callamard said.
On January 18, the March 23 Movement (M23) armed group, allegedly backed by Rwandan forces, launched a military operation to expand its territory, violating a ceasefire agreement between Rwanda and the DRC established through the Luanda Peace Process.
Since then, the M23 and the Rwandan Defence Force have captured several towns and cities, including the North Kivu capital of Goma.
Late January, Amnesty called on DRC’s regional and international partners to exert pressure on all warring parties in the east of th DRCe to prioritise the protection of civilians in the aftermath of the recent fighting in Goma.
– CAJ News