Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, the United Kingdom Minister of State Foreign Commonwealth and Development Affairs, says the UK condemns in the strongest terms the attack on civilians in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Preventing Sexual Violence was referring to what he termed as “disturbing reports” in the United Nations (UN)’s preliminary enquiry into events in Kishishe, DRC on 29-30 November.
“…confirming M23 killed a large number of civilians and kidnapped and raped women and children,” he stated, adding, “The UK condemns the attack in the strongest terms – these attacks cannot go unpunished.”
Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell MP, the UK Minister of State (Development & Africa), announced last week UK funding support to the East African Community (EAC)-led Nairobi Process for the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
“It’s critical that all actors engage to bring an end to the conflict,” he noted.
In a press release, Wednesday, December 7, the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo ( MONUSCO) confirmed that M23 rebels killed around 131 civilians in Kishishe villages, in the Bambo grouping, Rutshuru territory (North Kivu).
According to the preliminary investigation conducted with the United Nations Joint Human Rights Office (UNJHRO), the rebels killed 12 children and committed more than two dozen rapes on November 29-30 in two villages in Rutshuru territory, including Kishishe.
The group has denied any responsibility, blaming “stray bullets” for the deaths of just eight civilians, according to AFP.
The UN peacekeeping mission has said it was not able to reach Kishishe and neighbouring Bambo to investigate last month’s killings, but gathered evidence from witnesses and other sources.
It says the violence against civilians was in reprisal for clashes between the M23 and other, mostly Hutu armed groups.
The UN mission condemned the unspeakable violence against civilians and called for unrestricted access to the scene and the victims for emergency humanitarian assistance.
It welcomed the decision of the Congolese authorities to open legal proceedings against the perpetrators of these violations of human rights and international humanitarian law.
EU sanctions Belgian trader, M23 rebel over DRC fighting
The European Union last Thursday added eight people to its list of sanctions (which already had nine others). The 17 people are now subject to EU restrictive measures until December 2023, which consist of a travel ban and an asset freeze, the Council of the EU said in a press statement.
The eight newly listed individuals include five members of armed groups – namely ADF, CODECO, FDLR, Mai-Mai Yakatumba and M23 – a member of the Congolese army, a Congolese politician and a Belgian businessman.
“Most of them are responsible for serious human rights violations and abuses and for sustaining the armed conflict in the DRC. Others have been listed for inciting violence and exploiting the conflict through the illicit exploitation or trade of natural resources,” the statement said.
Antwerp-born businessman, Alain Goetz, was put on the asset freeze and visa ban blacklist for profiting from gold mines controlled by militia groups in DRC’s South Kivu province.
The Belgian national, described as the beneficial owner and former director of African Gold Refinery, “received, purchased, refined and traded illicit gold originating from mines in the DRC that are controlled by non-governmental armed groups, including the Mai-Mai Yakutumba and Raia Mutomboki, which are involved in destabilising activities in South Kivu province”.
“Goetz is therefore exploiting the armed conflict, instability and insecurity in the DRC through the illicit exploitation and trade of natural resources,” said the EU.
The EU sanctions come after the United States in March sanctioned Goetz and his Uganda-based African Gold Refinery for the “illicit movement of gold valued at hundreds of millions of dollars per year”.
Alongside the Belgian, the EU targeted Willy Ngoma, military spokesman for the M23 rebel group, which has been accused of massacring civilians.
It also added rebel leader Protogene Ruvugayimikore of the FDLR-FOCA militia and Meddie Nkalubo, a commander in the ISIL (ISIS)-affiliated ADF.
High-ranking government army officer Joseph Nganzo Olikwa Tipi was blacklisted for abuses committed by the 312th battalion he commanded, “in particular rapes of women between June and December 2021”.
Congolese politician Justin Bitakwira was put on the list for speeches inciting “violence” against the DRC’s Banyamulenge community.
Additional reporting by agencies