Rights group decries abuse of DRC civilians by armed group and Rwanda military News
U.S. Department of Defense Current Photos, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Rights group decries abuse of DRC civilians by armed group and Rwanda military

Human Rights Watch said on Monday that the M23 armed group and allied Rwandan forces that captured the city of Uvira in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on December 10 have put civilians at grave risk of abuse.

The warning followed the fall of Uvira, South Kivu province, in a joint offensive that has displaced about 200,000 people and resulted in at least 74 civilian deaths, according to UN and media reports cited by the rights group. The report details summary executions, use of explosives in populated areas, and a collapsing humanitarian situation in the strategic border city.

Both sides in the conflict, the M23, backed by Rwandan forces, and the DRC military allied with Burundian troops and local “Wazalendo” militias, have been accused of humanitarian violations. The capture of Uvira represents a major territorial advance for the M23, ironically coming just days after the signing of the US-brokered Washington Accords between the DRC and Rwanda, intended to de-escalate the conflict.

Human Rights Watch documented specific atrocities committed during and after the capture. Clémentine de Montjoye, senior Great Lakes researcher at the organization, stated:

The Washington Accords addressing the situation in eastern Congo have not resulted in greater security or access to assistance for civilians near Uvira in South Kivu. The warring parties are continuing to commit atrocities and hinder humanitarian assistance and should be held to account.

Consequently, the report claimed all belligerents were liable for violations of international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions. The group called for the UN Security Council and the international community to enforce accountability, citing the US delegation’s accusation that Rwanda is “intimately involved” in planning the conflict with thousands of troops in Congo.

The report stands as a crucial record of atrocities and provides evidence for future accountability mechanisms but cannot itself stop the fighting or alleviate the suffering of hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians, which constitutes the most urgent crisis.

International diplomatic efforts, including the Washington Accords, have so far failed to curb the violence or protect civilians. Subsequent steps may include new UN sanctions, or intervention by regional actors.

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