United Nations’ Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif delivered a report concerning the human rights landscape in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday, highlighting ongoing violations linked to the offensive initiated by the Rwandan-supported M23 group in eastern DRC.
“This year’s offensive by the M23 armed group, backed by Rwanda, in the North and South Kivu provinces has intensified an already critical human rights and humanitarian crisis in Eastern DRC,” she stated.
Al-Nashif pointed out that since the last briefing to the Council in October, the UN Joint Human Rights Office has worked to provide technical assistance to local authorities aimed at reinforcing the rule of law, promoting transitional justice, and combating impunity, despite the recent surge in violence.
“The extent of violence and insecurity has hindered our Office’s ability to fully fulfill this mandate. Nonetheless, with our support, trials have taken place that led to the conviction of a warlord and former militia members for war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, rape, and sexual slavery,” Al-Nashif remarked.
She emphasized with deep concern that since the start of the year, the UN has recorded 602 victims of extrajudicial and summary executions carried out by all factions involved in the conflict in the North and South Kivu provinces.
In the northeastern Ituri province, various groups continue to kill, injure, and abduct civilians.
Additionally, DRC forces and their allies have also targeted civilians.
Conflict-related sexual violence remains widespread, perpetrated by all sides, with reported cases increasing by over 270 percent from January to February, she noted.
Currently, nearly 26 million people—almost a quarter of the country’s population—are facing emergency and crisis levels of food insecurity.
Overall, around 7.8 million individuals are displaced within the DRC, including 3.8 million in the Kivu provinces alone.
Numerous schools have been shut down, destroyed, repurposed as emergency shelters, or taken over by armed factions, leaving over 1.6 million children in eastern DRC without access to education.
“Any strategy aimed at achieving lasting peace must address the fundamental causes of the conflict, particularly the unlawful exploitation of the nation’s natural resources. The DRC government must adopt a strong and unwavering approach against corruption, impunity, and hate speech, regardless of who is responsible,” she stated.
The Deputy High Commissioner emphasized the need to expedite transitional justice processes, including the completion of inclusive national consultations.
The national policy on transitional justice in the DRC, developed with assistance from the UN Human Rights Office, holds promise for significant future truth and reconciliation initiatives.
“As an Office, we will persist in supporting these efforts whenever possible. This includes providing forensic expertise, logistical and financial assistance, and support for victims and witnesses. We are also dedicated to aiding the reform of the Penal Code to incorporate provisions that classify hate speech as a serious offense,” Al-Nashif remarked.
“After nearly thirty years of conflict and more than six million fatalities, it should be clear that there is no military resolution to this crisis.”
She added that the people of the DRC require local, national, and regional leaders to prioritize dialogue over personal gain, greed, and violence.
The international community must also take decisive, tangible, and urgent steps to promote lasting peace in the DRC.
“States and private enterprises that benefit from natural resources extracted under perilous and illegal circumstances must cease to operate behind convoluted and opaque supply chains,” she asserted.
“Without decisive measures, the ongoing violence could potentially engulf the entire region, and the risks of such a disaster are escalating daily.”
Al-Nashif emphasized the need for accountability regarding the immense suffering experienced by civilians in the DRC.
She urged the international community to deliver a clear and powerful message to all involved parties, insisting that the violations and abuses—many of which could be classified as international crimes—must come to an end and be properly addressed.
AFRICANEWS
