DR Congo: Civilian protection urged as tens of thousands flee escalation in fighting

“The advance towards the gates of Goma places thousands more civilians at
risk,” said Salil Shetty, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.

“All parties to the conflict must protect civilians from attack and
respect international humanitarian law, as hostilities get closer to densely
populated areas.”

Since the M23 was created in April 2012, Amnesty International has documented
numerous human rights abuses attributed to its fighters – including unlawful
killings, forced recruitment of children and young adults, and rape.

The latest clashes bring to a close three months of de facto truce between the
national army and the M23, which controls most of the Rutshuru territory in North Kivu.

Despite the FARDC receiving support from UN MONUSCO peacekeepers’ attack
helicopters, on 17 November the M23 overran the city of Kibumba, 30km north of Goma. The
Rwandan-backed armed group then continued their advance towards Goma. 

Fear of being caught in the crossfire has forced some 70,000 internally
displaced people (IDPs) living in the Kanyaruchinya camp 10 kilometres outside
Goma to flee again. The M23 is now reportedly strengthening its positions in
the Munigi area, just outside Goma.

The majority of displaced people from Kanyaruchinya have now crossed Goma to
join other IDPs in the Mugunga camp, where the humanitarian situation is
critical.

“As the fighting encroaches on Goma, the Congolese army and MONUSCO should take
coordinated measures to ensure civilians are protected against the effects of
future attacks,” said Shetty.

According to a UN statement, the M23 is now well equipped with heavy weapons, including
120mm mortars. Such weapons may have indiscriminate effects if used in densely
populated areas.

With FARDC military installations and equipment located in Goma’s densely
populated centre, there is increasing risk for the civilian population.

“The Congolese army should avoid placing military targets within densely
populated areas to spare the civilian population, in case the M23 launches an
offensive,” said Shetty.

Amnesty International also calls on the FARDC to stop allying itself with other
local armed groups – some of whom are already involved in abuses against the
civilian population – in the fight against the M23.

MONUSCO has a strong mandate to ensure the protection of civilians, including
humanitarian personnel, under imminent threat of physical violence.

“UN peacekeepers must do more to avert a looming civilian protection
catastrophe,” said Shetty.

“This must be matched with concrete measures by the international
community to end violations of the UN arms embargo and prevent supplies of
weapons to armed groups in eastern DR Congo.”

In July of this year, Amnesty International documented M23 using Rwandan
recruits and weapons supplied by Rwanda. The organization also
documented numerous violations of international humanitarian law and human
rights abuses committed by the M23, including forced recruitment of children.

The UN Group of Experts on the DRC also accused Uganda of providing support to the
M23.

Although Rwanda and Uganda have
breached a UN arms embargo, the UN Security Council has yet to take concrete
measures to press them to halt support to the M23.

Both Rwanda and Uganda have
publicly denied providing support to the M23.

The M23 armed group

M23 is named after a failed peace agreement signed on 23 March 2009 and composed
of soldiers who defected from the FARDC in April 2012. Most were previously
members of the National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP), another
Rwanda-backed armed group that integrated into the Congolese armed forces in
2009.

M23 is led by Bosco Ntaganda, a former General in the Congolese army who is
under an International Criminal Court arrest warrant, and Colonel Sultani
Makenga, recently placed on the UN sanctions list for recruitment of child
soldiers.

Recent months have been marked by an increase in ethnic-related violence in
eastern DRC.  Other armed groups including the Democratic Liberation
Forces of Rwanda (FDLR), the Nyatura and Raia Mutomboki have targeted civilians
on the basis of their perceived ethnicity.