22/2/2002
Grave Rights Violations in Ugandan Controlled DRC Allege Human Rights Watch

The Human Rights NGO, Human Rights Watch, has issued an important call to the UN Security Council in relation to the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) which is under Ugandan military control. The agency have alleged that "grave rights violations and massive human suffering [is] taking place in territories under its occupation."

A resurgence of ethnic fighting centred on Bunia, capital of the Ituri district, has claimed scores of lives over the last few weeks and displaced at least fifteen thousand people. The conflict is taking place in an area that is contested by three Congolese rebel factions and effectively governed by none of them, Human Rights Watch say.

"Uganda wants to keep enough control to continue getting rich from the Congo, but doesn't want to take responsibility for protecting civilians," said Alison Des Forges, senior advisor for the Great Lakes region at Human Rights Watch.

Human Rights Watch urges the Security Council to address the government of Uganda as an important agent of unrest and to hold it liable for the rights violations. "Under international law it must protect civilians and stop these killings," say the agency.

The United Nations peacekeeping force in Congo (MONUC) should also exert maximum pressure on local contenders to cease fighting and should send additional military, humanitarian, and human rights monitors to the area, they say