06 11 13 HRW Dispatches: After the M23 – Congo’s Next Challenges
defeat is partly due to the Congolese army’s military operations and the crucial
support provided by the United Nations peacekeeping force, MONUSCO, and its new
African-led Intervention Brigade.
But the key may
have been mounting international pressure on Rwanda to stop supporting the M23.
After aid suspensions to Rwanda by key donors in 2012 and 2013, public
denunciations from its close allies, and phone calls to Rwandan President Paul
Kagame from United States
Secretary of State John Kerry and United Kingdom Foreign
Secretary William Hague
when the latest round of fighting began in late October, the Rwandan government
may have concluded that its support to the M23 had become too damaging to its
public image. In the recent fighting, the M23 rebels did not get the military
support from Rwanda that they had depended on in earlier operations.
For the past 19
months, the rebels terrorized civilians: killing and raping them, forcibly
recruiting children as soldiers, and targeting anyone who dared to speak out
against the
abuses. Just yesterday,
the M23 shelled the towns of Bunagana and Chengerero, killing at least 15
civilians and wounding many others. Last night, they were pushed out of their
two remaining positions, and this morning announced an
end to their
rebellion.
While many in
Congo are likely to celebrate the defeat of the M23, numerous challenges remain.
Eastern Congo has been beleaguered by abuses by other armed
groups, as well as by
the Congolese army
itself, which have
also been responsible for killings, rapes, and other human rights violations.
Going forward,
the Congolese government should focus on the following three priorities:
· Arrest M23
leaders responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other serious
human rights abuses and bring them to justice in fair, credible
trials;
· Issue explicit
orders to all members of the security forces not to carry out revenge attacks or
other abuses against members of the Tutsi ethnic group or suspected M23
collaborators. Those implicated in such acts should be promptly brought to
justice; and
· Together with
MONUSCO, address the threat posed by other abusive
armed groups, including the
Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), the Nduma Defense of
Congo (NDC) led by Ntabo Ntaberi Sheka, the Raia Mutomboki, and a number of
Congolese Hutu militia groups often referred to as Nyatura. As part of these
efforts, urgently implement a new Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration
program that provides alternative employment opportunities for ex-combatants and
ensure that rebel leaders responsible for serious human rights abuses are
arrested and brought to justice.
The Congolese
government, with UN and diplomatic support, has shown a strong
commitment to addressing
the threat posed by the M23 in a way that avoids repeating past mistakes of
rewarding war criminals with high-ranking military posts and promoting impunity.
It should demonstrate the same resolve when addressing abuses by other armed
groups, as well as members of its own security forces.
http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/11/05/dispatches-after-m23-congo-s-next-challenges
Ida
Sawyer
Senior Researcher
Human
Rights Watch
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