Following intensified fighting in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) between the Congolese army and fighters of the Movement of 23 March (M23), Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, said:
All parties to the ongoing fighting in North Kivu must immediately end deliberate and indiscriminate attacks on civilians and ensure that they are protected and assisted as the conflict intensifies.
Tigere ChagutahAmnesty International's Regional Director for East and Southern Africa
“Thousands of civilians are again being caught between crossfire and are desperate for humanitarian assistance following renewed heavy fighting around the city of Goma. All parties to the ongoing fighting in North Kivu must immediately end deliberate and indiscriminate attacks on civilians and ensure that they are protected and assisted as the conflict intensifies.
“Parties to the conflict must ensure that there is immediate and unrestricted access for humanitarian actors who are seeking to deliver life-saving assistance to civilians. With over one million internally displaced people crammed in and around Goma in need of shelter, food, sanitation, and health services, DRC’s international partners should step up efforts to ensure dignified humanitarian assistance to all those in need.
Without exposing the enablers of the conflict and ensuring accountability for nearly 30 years of crimes under international law committed in the DRC, atrocities are likely to continue.
Tigere Chagutah
“The catastrophic human rights consequences of the armed conflict in the DRC have gone on for far too long. States and intergovernmental organizations in the region and internationally need to reconsider their response to this crisis. Without exposing the enablers of the conflict and ensuring accountability for nearly 30 years of crimes under international law committed in the DRC, atrocities are likely to continue.”
Background
The M23 group resumed attacks in North Kivu in November 2021. It claims to be fighting for the implementation of previous political agreements with the Congolese government, which provided for the safe return of Congolese Tutsi refugees, among other demands.
The group has since taken several towns in North Kivu. After several months of relative calm following a ceasefire, intense fighting resumed in January, resulting in at least 35 civilians killed, dozens wounded and over 135,000 more forced to flee. The Congolese army has been fighting along with dozens of local militias, European mercenaries, and other armies, while the M23 continues to enjoy Rwanda’s support according to UN reports.
