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Soldiers

Catastrophic Human Rights Abuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

UN human rights expert Philip Alston has uncovered scores of civilians being killed, raped, or mutilated by government troops in the Democratic Republic of Congo as part of joint military operations with UN peacekeepers to combat Rwandan Hutu rebels. The joint operation has been poorly carried out, allowing rebels to re-enter villages and commit brutal retaliation massacres. The UN mission in DRC, MONUC, has acknowledged its involvement in efforts to flush out the rebels but has faced criticism for its silence on human rights abuses.

Key Takeaways:

  • Government troops in the DRC have killed, raped, or mutilated scores of civilians in joint military operations with UN peacekeepers.
  • The joint operation has been catastrophic, resulting in the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people, the burning of hundreds of villages, and the deaths of at least 1,000 civilians.
  • Women and girls have been raped to death in gruesome attacks, and some 50 Rwandan Hutu refugees were shot and beaten to death in an attack in April 2009.
  • The UN mission in DRC, MONUC, has acknowledged its involvement in efforts to flush out the Rwandan Hutu rebels but has faced criticism for its silence on human rights abuses.
  • The LRA rebels have infiltrated into the country, and killings and kidnappings continue to occur, with the Government dispatching troops who have a history of committing human rights abuses.
  • Impunity for killings is pervasive in the country, with even Bosco Ntaganda, wanted by the ICC for using child soldiers, holding a senior command position in current military operations.

Statistics:

  • At least 1,000 civilians have been killed in the joint operation.
  • Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced.
  • Hundreds of villages have been burned to the ground.
  • Over 1,200 civilians have been brutally killed by the LRA since September 2008.
  • The LRA is responsible for turning itself into a regional problem that now requires a regional solution.
  • The Government claims to have pushed the LRA out of the Congo, but the sad reality is that the LRA is still very much in business in Orientale.

Sources:

  • UN News Service (Oct 15, 2009)
  • All Africa Global Media (Oct 15, 2009)

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