The 63rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council opened in Geneva, Switzerland, this Monday, providing a platform for the global body to assess human rights situations worldwide.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, for instance, human rights violations continue, especially in the eastern part of the country, where civilian populations suffer numerous abuses, including drone strikes. In the west, several human rights organizations denounce arbitrary arrests and detentions in clandestine locations.
Documented violations, but perpetrators rarely prosecuted
Human rights groups describe the situation in the DR Congo as highly concerning, both in the east—partially controlled by the AFC/M23—and in the west, which is administered by Congolese authorities.
“The United Nations continues to document these human rights violations, as do international and local organizations. On government-administered territory, there are people currently detained, either in official prisons or in secret cells, without knowing what they are accused of. Those responsible for these abuses within state institutions are rarely brought to justice,” explains Jean-Claude Katende, president of the African Association for the Defense of Human Rights (ASADHO). The organization persistently highlights the impunity enjoyed by perpetrators.
National human rights body demands sanctions against AFC/M23
For the National Commission for Human Rights (CNDH), the most severe human rights abuses are primarily attributable to the AFC/M23. The CNDH recalls its call for the international community to impose sanctions against the rebels.
“We deplore the extreme human rights violations and attacks on the right to life in the area occupied by the M23 rebels. These are essentially violations that strike at the core of human rights. Of course, across the entire national territory, we will demonstrate in Geneva that there are also human rights violations, but they fall into the traditional category that requires conditions such as a strong economy,” insists Paul Nsapu, president of the CNDH.
Beyond the debates in Geneva, human rights defenders in the DR Congo are primarily demanding action. For them, the key issue remains justice: documenting violations, identifying perpetrators, and ending impunity.
