By examining the case opposing the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to Rwanda before the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, a significant step forward in the quest for justice for the Congolese populations who have been victims of decades of aggression and atrocities is emerging.
February 12, 2025 will mark a new turning point in this judicial saga, where the DRC will expose the violations committed by Rwanda and its president, Paul Kagame, on Congolese soil. This trial, beyond its punitive nature, embodies an act of historic redress, an attempt to restore the dignity and rights of the victims who have long been neglected.
The announcement by Samuel Mbemba, Congolese Deputy Minister of Justice, of the holding of this trial before the African Court denotes a firm desire to break with the impunity that has marked relations between the two countries, especially in the context of recurring conflicts in eastern DRC. It is not only a question of condemning past atrocities, but also of highlighting responsibilities, demanding justice for victims and establishing safeguards for the future.
This judicial process represents much more than a simple confrontation between two neighbouring states. It carries within it the weight of history, the suffering of the wounded populations, the scars of a region marked by violence and exploitation. By mobilising international bodies and relying on supranational jurisdictions, the DRC is affirming its determination not to let oblivion and indifference bury past atrocities.
Beyond the trial itself, it is a quest for truth, reparation and reconciliation that is at stake. It is a poignant reminder of the need to be accountable, to restore trust between states, to rebuild a social fabric torn apart by conflict. The road to justice may be long and fraught with pitfalls, but each step in this direction is a step towards a fairer, more humane future.
The trial to be held on 12 February 2025 before the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights will be much more than a simple hearing. It will be the scene of a confrontation between the duty to remember and the quest for justice, between the aspiration for dignity and the fight against impunity. May the light of truth illuminate this court, may the voice of the oppressed resonate within these walls, may justice be served, so that history never repeats itself again.