Rwandese-controlled eastern DRC: Devastating human toll

It is estimated that 2.5 million people have died in eastern DRC from war-related causes in the last four years. Since August 1998, Rwandese government forces have occupied most of this part of the DRC, an area equivalent to 16 times the size of Rwanda itself.

Amnesty International said today in a newly published reportRwandese-controlled eastern DRC: Devastating human toll that the killingof thousands of Congolese civilians trapped in the middle of thisdestructive fighting cannot be justified by the Rwandese Government andallied Rassemblement Congolais pour la DJmocratie-Goma (RCD-Goma)authorities on the basis of security threats to Rwanda's borders. Theabuses cannot be justified either by the Rwandese and BurundianHutu-dominated armed opposition groups and the Congolese mayi-mayi militiawho are fighting to throw out the Rwandese forces and their RCD-Gomaallies".

Human rights violations by Rwandese Government and RCD-Goma forcesSince Rwanda's second armed intervention in the DRC in 1998, tens ofthousands of Congolese civilians have been unlawfully attacked, killed andbeaten. Many of the killings have occurred in areas rich in minerals,where the gains of economic exploitation fuel the fighting.

"Women, children and the elderly who have been unable to flee haveoften been victims of such attacks. The troops have also frequently engagedin sexual violence, including against very young girls and old women. Manywomen have also died because of lack of health services destroyed by thewar" the organization added.

The report also highlights the increasing recruitment of children intothe fighting forces, police, and armed civilian paramilitary Local DefenceForces, including many children under 15 years of age, and a substantialnumber of children less than 12 years old. A Children sufferdisproportionately from the general rigours of the combatant's life,especially in the bush, and are particularly vulnerable to disease andmalnutrition. Frequently ill-treated or even killed by the commanders, theyhave no protectors, Amnesty International said.

Arbitrary arrests and unlawful detention are also a constant practicein the areas controlled by the Rwandese army and RCD-Goma forces. In manycases, arrests of people on charges of collaboration with armed opponentsappear to be politically motivated. The overwhelming majority of detaineesare held unlawfully for prolonged periods, often without charge, withouthaving the opportunity to challenge the basis of their detention before thecourts. Food is often not regularly provided and families are preventedfrom visiting detainees.

Many detainees are often secretly held in unofficial places ofdetention including military officers' private homes to prevent familiesand lawyers from finding them, or to extract money from the detainees.Many detainees are tortured or beaten with iron bars or sticks and womenhave been raped.

It has become increasingly difficult and dangerous for human rightsdefenders to investigate reports of human rights abuses and to publish theresult of their investigations. They are frequently harassed and preventedfrom doing their work, and some have been arbitrarily arrested andtortured.

Abuses by armed political groups opposing the Rwandese army and RCD-GomaforcesRwandese and Burundian Hutu-dominated armed groups, and Congolese mayi-mayimilitia, have also been responsible for the killing of civilians and othersystematic human rights abuses in eastern DRC.

Girls and women have been raped by combatants and threatened withdeath if they try to resist. Some have even been raped in front of theirhusbands, parents or other relatives. Victims of sexual violence oftensuffer further brutality, including beatings and having sharp objects suchas piece of wood inserted into their genitals,Amnesty said.

Many of the children who have been recruited have also been victims ofdeliberate and arbitrary killing, beatings and other forms of torture orill-treatment. Girls have been raped and forced into sexual slavery.

Amnesty International's appeal

Amnesty International in this report is highlighting the appalling extentto which civilians in eastern DRC have been relentlessly deprived of theirmost basic human rights, especially the right to life. They get noprotection or redress from the authorities there. AThis climate of fearand impunity has sparked an explosion of ethnic violence within eastern DRCand given rise to the population's enormous feeling of injustice in beingforgotten by the international community," the organization said.

Amnesty International is appealing to foreign governments, especiallythose with close relations to Rwanda, "to assume their responsibility topublicly condemn grave human rights abuses committed both by the Rwandeseforces and its allied RCD-Goma forces as well as armed political groupsopposing and fighting them. Amnesty International is calling for aninternational investigation into violations of international human rightsand humanitarian law so that perpetrators can be brought to justice."