Title: DR Congo implements strict measures to fight against military impunity
The government of DR Congo, through the Ministry of National Defense and Veterans, has set up a commission of inquiry to investigate the abuses committed by soldiers of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Kwamouth and Goma. This initiative aims to fight against impunity in military circles and to strengthen discipline within the Armed Forces.
The commission of inquiry is composed of 20 members deployed on two sites, at the rate of 10 members per site, and includes the members of the cabinet of the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defense and Veterans Affairs, of the General Staff General of the FARDC, of the General Inspectorate of the FARDC, of the General Auditor at the High Military Court and of the Intelligence Staff.
According to the ministerial decree signed by Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defense and Veterans Affairs, the commission’s mission is to collect data, collect evidence, identify and hear the alleged perpetrators, potential victims, witnesses and informants. The duration of the committee’s work is set at 30 days, renewable.
This initiative is part of the fight against human rights violations in the country’s conflict zones. North Kivu province is plagued by violence perpetrated by local and foreign armed groups, while Mai Ndombe province faces communal conflict between the Teke and the Yaka.
These conflicts have so far claimed hundreds of lives and plunged people into fear and insecurity. The establishment of this commission of inquiry is a salutary measure which will no doubt be welcomed by human rights protection NGOs.
Beyond the investigations, it is important for the Congolese authorities to guarantee the security of the populations and to put an end to the impunity of the soldiers, in order to restore the confidence of the citizens in the Armed Forces. The DR Congo today faces many political and economic challenges, and security remains a major issue for the stability of the country.