The announcement of the reactivation of investigations into alleged crimes committed in North Kivu by the International Criminal Court raises many questions about justice and impunity in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The African Association for the Defense of Human Rights (ASADHO) welcomes this decision, but stresses the importance of a more active involvement of the Congolese government in the fight against impunity.
Jean-Claude Katende, President of ASADHO, emphasizes that this decision by the ICC is an urgent call for a change in behavior on the part of the actors implicated in serious crimes committed in the region. He also highlights the Mapping report, which identifies the incriminated actors and calls on the Congolese government to take concrete measures to bring them to justice.
The fight against impunity must not be limited to the intervention of the ICC, but must also involve Congolese judicial institutions. It is crucial that national courts take over in prosecuting those responsible for serious crimes committed in the DRC, in particular the political actors involved.
Jean-Claude Katende points the finger at rebel groups such as the M23 and the potential role of Rwanda in these unpunished crimes. He insists that international justice cannot cover all the crimes committed, but focuses on the most serious. Thus, he calls for coordinated action between the ICC and national courts to ensure that all those responsible for these crimes are held accountable.
The reactivation of investigations by the ICC is therefore a significant step forward in the fight against impunity in the DRC, but it cannot be sufficient without the active and determined participation of the Congolese authorities. It is time for the Congolese justice system to take over and ensure that those responsible for these heinous crimes are brought to justice, thus allowing the Congolese population to look forward to a more just and peaceful future.