(New York) - The U.N. Security Council must focus on wartime violence against civilians in its upcoming mission to the Great Lakes region of Africa, Human Rights Watch said today. A Security Council mission to investigate recent violence will visit the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burundi beginning tomorrow. Both countries have at least partial peace agreements in place, but combat continues with civilians as prime targets.
In an open letter to the Security Council, Human Rights Watch also urged the Council to raise the need for justice for these abuses with the leaders in the region.
Human Rights Watch welcomed the recent decision of the Council to authorize a multinational force for Bunia in northeastern DRC, but raised fears about tens of thousands of civilians outside the town whose fate is unknown. In recent days, there has been renewed violence in Aru, Mongbwalu and Tchomia- all of which are areas outside the current mandate of the new force. Human Rights Watch called on the Security Council to urge the interim force to be prepared to respond to such attacks against civilians.
"Tens of thousands of civilians continue to live in fear for their lives in both Congo and Burundi," said Alison Des Forges, senior adviser to the Africa division at Human Rights Watch. "The Security Council must use its influence to stop abuses against them."
On Burundi, Human Rights Watch urges the Council to ensure the new Burundian government delivers on its promises to end the war and deliver justice. In several of the most serious massacres, government soldiers have escaped meaningful punishment. On the rebel side, both the Forces for the Defense of Democracy (FDD) and the Front for National Liberation (FNL) have summarily executed civilians. The Security Council should call upon the Burundian government and the rebel forces to stop these abuses and adhere strictly to international humanitarian law.
Both DRC and Burundi are in the midst of a shaky peace process and in recent months have suffered from renewed fighting with devastating consequences for the local population. On May 30, the Security Council authorized an Interim Emergency Multinational Force to bring peace to the town of Bunia in Ituri. The force is due to arrive in the coming days. In Burundi, the first-ever peacekeeping mission of the African Union arrived in April 2003 with troops from South Africa, Mozambique and Ethiopia to monitor the ceasefire.
