DR of Congo: Security Council hears of 'gross violations' of human rights

Deeply concerned by the continuous heavy fighting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), despite the signing of ceasefire agreements, two top United Nations officials today briefed the Security Council on the military situation and the deteriorating human rights conditions in that country.

The Under Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, updated the Council on the persistent instability in the northeastern part of the country and steps taken by the UN Organization Mission in the DRC (MONUC) to achieve a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

MONUC has been working hard in the past weeks to defuse tensions among various factions and recommend peace-building mechanisms, Mr. Guéhenno said. He noted that the Mission was deeply concerned by the claims of the leader of the Union des Patriotes Congolais (UPC), Thomas Lubanga, that he has sole legitimate right to control the entire Ituri region.

"If there is no end to the present culture of impunity in the DRC, the progress we seek on the political front may be hard to achieve," Mr. Guéhenno said, adding that thousands of people were displaced and suffered human rights abuses.

In echoing the view of Mr. Guéhenno, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Sergio Vieira de Mello, told the Council in his briefing that the human rights situation has "deteriorated significantly." He said that information gathered "reveals that prosecution on ethnic and tribal grounds, extortion of property, rape and other forms of sexual violence against women, extra-judicial executions, and the forced recruitment of children are being committed."

In view of these "gross violations of human rights" Mr. Vieira de Mello recommended that there was an "imperative need" to continue to monitor closely and report on the human rights situation in the DRC. He said consideration should be given to the establishment of an international commission of inquiry to look into such violations.

"The Council may wish to demand again that the belligerents and their foreign supporters put an immediate end to human rights violations and to the culture of impunity, and that those responsible for such crimes be immediately arrested - including those who continue to exercise military command functions - and eventually brought to justice," the High Commissioner said.

Video

of Security Council meeting