NEW YORK, USA October 30, 2024 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/- To address the crises in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan, African leaders should advance human rights-focused solutions during the 23rd Summit of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Common Market for Eastern and Southern AfricaCOMESA) scheduled to take place in Bujumbura, Burundi, on October 31, 2024, Human Rights Watch said today.
Summit participants are expected to discuss steps to end atrocities committed by the M23 armed group and Rwandan military forces and Congolese security forces and allied militias in eastern DR Congo, and promote accountability. They should also support the deployment of a mission to Sudan to protect civilians and end ongoing atrocities.
« The COMESA Summit is a crucial opportunity for African leaders to tackle the crises affecting DR Congo, Sudan, as well as elsewhere in the region, and formulate clear and concrete solutions aimed at the protection of civilians said Carine Kaneza Nantulya, deputy Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “ Participants are also expected to discuss how impunity has contributed to abuses as well as the need to bring those responsible to justice to end these atrocities. »
The summit marks the 30th anniversary of COMESA, Africa’s largest regional economic organization, with 21 member states, including Burundi, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Sudan. At the summit, the President of Burundi, Évariste Ndayishimiye, will succeed the President of Zambia, Hakainde Hichilema, as President of COMESA. COMESA’s objectives are to solidify economic integration, prevent conflicts and promote development. His agenda for the summit includes discussions on peace, security and governance and conflicts in eastern DR Congo, Sudan and elsewhere in the region.
In DR Congo, the Rwandan-backed armed group M23 has committed numerous abuses, including killings of civilians, rape, looting and destruction of property. In 2024, the Rwandan army and M23 indiscriminately bombed IDP camps and other densely populated areas near Goma, North Kivu. The Congolese army and allied militias have increased the risks for displaced people by deploying heavy artillery near the camps. Congolese soldiers and allied fighters, including a coalition of militias known for abuses known as “ Patriots » (« patriots » in Swahili), committed murder, rape and other sexual violence, and arbitrarily detained displaced people.
The recent announcement by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on the reactivation of investigations in DR Congo, which will focus primarily on crimes committed in the province of North Kivu since January 2022, increases the probability that justice will be done for the victims, said Human Rights Watch. The resumption of investigations could be an opportunity to address the lack of justice that fuels serious abuses committed in North Kivu, Ituri and other regions of DR Congo. COMESA leaders are expected to discuss how best to support the ICC investigation.
Summit leaders are also expected to examine the role played by other countries in the region, including Uganda and Burundi, recently named in a report by the United Nations Panel of Experts on DR Congo. They should call on the Rwandan and Congolese governments, as well as neighboring countries, to end their military support for armed groups committing abuses, including the M23 and Wazalendo, and to properly investigate and prosecute commanders. responsible for serious abuses.
In Sudan, Human Rights Watch documented ethnic cleansing targeting Massalit populations and other non-Arab groups in the town of El Geneina, West Darfur, carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (Rapid Support ForcesRSF) and allied militias, summary executions of detainees by both parties, as well as widespread sexual violence by the RSF in Khartoum. Both warring sides have repeatedly used explosive weapons in populated areas, killing and injuring civilians, and more than 10 million people have fled their homes, causing the world’s worst internal displacement crisis.
A quarter of Sudan’s population faces famine, with all parties obstructing or blocking humanitarian aid. The urgent need to protect civilians has been raised in various forums, including the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) and the United Nations. However, there have not yet been any concrete steps taken for the deployment of a mechanism for the protection of civilians or for an investigation into the human rights situation in El Fasher and other areas of Darfur by the African Commission. of Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) in response to the request of the CPS on June 14.
African leaders attending the summit are expected to publicly express their support for the investigation by the African Union Commission in coordination with the ACHPR and call for recommendations on concrete measures for the protection of civilians to be made urgently to the PSC.
The summit is expected to put pressure on Sudanese authorities, warring parties and neighboring governments to cooperate with the African Commission’s joint fact-finding mission, as well as the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission of the United Nations for Sudan, whose mandate was recently renewed. They should also encourage Sudanese and Congolese authorities to cooperate fully with the AU Special Envoy for the Prevention of Genocide and Other Mass Atrocities, Human Rights Watch said.
COMESA was created in the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide of 1994. Thirty years later, the continent is still the scene of recurring armed conflicts and a deterioration of human rights in several regions.
At the summit, African leaders are also expected to address ongoing human rights abuses in other member states such as Ethiopia, where a two-year armed conflict has wreaked havoc in the north of the country, leading to countless atrocities, including crimes against humanity. Government forces continue to commit abuses with impunity, particularly in the Amhara region and other conflict-affected areas. Human Rights Watch has documented numerous violations of war laws in Amhara, including mass killings, the government’s apparent use of drones against civilians, and attacks on aid workers, health facilities, and refugees. .
At the summit venue in Burundi, civil society groups and independent media cannot function effectively. Journalists and human rights defenders work under threat of arrest, prosecution and imprisonment. As part of its commitment to strengthening civil society and the media, COMESA should reaffirm the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly as pillars of any stable democracy.
« COMESA’s core values include the promotion and protection of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, as well as recognition and respect for the rule of law. “, declared Carine Kaneza Nantulya. “ More than ever, African leaders must make these values a reality for all Africans ».
Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) for Human Rights Watch.
Source : African Media Agency (AMA)
2024-10-30 12:04:00
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### Interview with Carine Kaneza Nantulya, Deputy Africa Director at Human Rights Watch
**Interviewer**: Thank you for joining us today, Carine. The 23rd COMESA Summit is just around the corner, and human rights concerns in Eastern Africa are at the forefront of discussions. Can you explain why this summit is particularly critical at this moment?
**Carine Kaneza Nantulya**: Thank you for having me. This summit is crucial as it provides a platform for African leaders to address the severe human rights crises in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan. With ongoing atrocities, including the violence perpetrated by the M23 armed group and the Rwandan military in the DRC, as well as ethnic cleansing and widespread violence in Sudan, it’s imperative that leaders prioritize human rights-focused solutions.
**Interviewer**: What specific actions do you hope the leaders will take during the summit?
**Carine Kaneza Nantulya**: We are advocating for concrete steps to end the violence, particularly the systematic abuses affecting civilians. This includes supporting the deployment of a mission to Sudan to protect civilians and promoting accountability for those responsible for atrocities in the DRC. We also hope to see discussions on how to effectively support the International Criminal Court’s investigations in North Kivu, which can be vital in addressing the impunity that fuels these abuses.
**Interviewer**: In light of the history of COMESA, how do you see its role in fostering human rights and stability in the region?
**Carine Kaneza Nantulya**: COMESA was established after a time of extreme violence and has an important responsibility to foster peace and stability. This 30th anniversary summit presents an opportunity for COMESA to reaffirm its commitment to human rights, especially in environments where civil society and independent media face threats. It’s essential that leaders emphasize the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly as foundational elements of a stable democracy.
**Interviewer**: Beyond the DRC and Sudan, are there other areas of concern that you believe should be prioritized during the summit?
**Carine Kaneza Nantulya**: Absolutely. Countries like Ethiopia are currently experiencing horrific abuses, especially in the Amhara region, where government forces have been implicated in mass killings and attacks on civilians. The summit will need to address the urgency of these ongoing abuses across multiple member states, ensuring that human rights are at the center of any discussion on peace and security.
**Interviewer**: Thank you, Carine, for shedding light on these crucial issues. It will be important to watch how these discussions unfold at the COMESA Summit.
**Carine Kaneza Nantulya**: Thank you for raising these important topics. The eyes of the world will be on the leaders of COMESA, and we sincerely hope they rise to the occasion for the sake of the vulnerable populations affected by these crises.
