AI: Devastating human toll in Rwandan controlled eastern DRC

* News Release Issued by the International Secretariat of Amnesty
International *

19 June 2001
AFR 62/015/2001
103/01

It is estimated that 2.5 million people have died in
eastern DRC from war-related causes in the last four years. Since
August 1998, Rwandese government forces have occupied most of
this part of the DRC, an area equivalent to 16 times the size of
Rwanda itself.

Amnesty International said today in a newly published
report Rwandese-controlled eastern DRC: Devastating human toll
that Athe killing of thousands of Congolese civilians trapped in
the middle of this destructive fighting cannot be justified by
the Rwandese Government and allied Rassemblement Congolais pour
la DJmocratie-Goma (RCD-Goma) authorities on the basis of
security threats to Rwanda=s borders. The abuses cannot be
justified either by the Rwandese and Burundian Hutu-dominated
armed opposition groups and the Congolese mayi-mayi militia who
are fighting to throw out the Rwandese forces and their RCD-Goma
allies".

Human rights violations by Rwandese Government and RCD-Goma forces
Since Rwanda=s second armed intervention in the DRC in 1998, tens
of thousands of Congolese civilians have been unlawfully
attacked, killed and beaten. Many of the killings have occurred
in areas rich in minerals, where the gains of economic
exploitation fuel the fighting.

"Women, children and the elderly who have been unable to
flee have often been victims of such attacks. The troops have
also frequently engaged in sexual violence, including against
very young girls and old women. Many women have also died
because of lack of health services destroyed by the war" the
organization added.

The report also highlights the increasing recruitment of
children into the fighting forces, police, and armed civilian
paramilitary Local Defence Forces, including many children under
15 years of age, and a substantial number of children less than
12 years old. A Children suffer disproportionately from the
general rigours of the combatant=s life, especially in the bush,
and are particularly vulnerable to disease and malnutrition.
Frequently ill-treated or even killed by the commanders, they
have no protectors,@ Amnesty International said.

Arbitrary arrests and unlawful detention are also a
constant practice in the areas controlled by the Rwandese army
and RCD-Goma forces. In many cases, arrests of people on charges
of collaboration with armed opponents appear to be politically
motivated. The overwhelming majority of detainees are held
unlawfully for prolonged periods, often without charge, without
having the opportunity to challenge the basis of their detention
before the courts. Food is often not regularly provided and
families are prevented from visiting detainees.

Many detainees are often secretly held in unofficial
places of detention including military officers= private homes to
prevent families and lawyers from finding them, or to extract
money from the detainees. Many detainees are tortured or beaten
with iron bars or sticks and women have been raped.

It has become increasingly difficult and dangerous for
human rights defenders to investigate reports of human rights
abuses and to publish the result of their investigations. They
are frequently harassed and prevented from doing their work, and
some have been arbitrarily arrested and tortured.

Abuses by armed political groups opposing the Rwandese army and
RCD-Goma forces
Rwandese and Burundian Hutu-dominated armed groups, and Congolese
mayi-mayi militia, have also been responsible for the killing of
civilians and other systematic human rights abuses in eastern DRC.

AGirls and women have been raped by combatants and
threatened with death if they try to resist. Some have even been
raped in front of their husbands, parents or other relatives.
Victims of sexual violence often suffer further brutality,
including beatings and having sharp objects such as piece of wood
inserted into their genitals,@Amnesty said.

Many of the children who have been recruited have also
been victims of deliberate and arbitrary killing, beatings and
other forms of torture or ill-treatment. Girls have been raped
and forced into sexual slavery.

Amnesty International=s appeal

Amnesty International in this report is highlighting the
appalling extent to which civilians in eastern DRC have been
relentlessly deprived of their most basic human rights,
especially the right to life. They get no protection or redress
from the authorities there. AThis climate of fear and impunity
has sparked an explosion of ethnic violence within eastern DRC
and given rise to the population=s enormous feeling of injustice
in being forgotten by the international community," the
organization said.

Amnesty International is appealing to foreign
governments, especially those with close relations to Rwanda, "to
assume their responsibility to publicly condemn grave human
rights abuses committed both by the Rwandese forces and its
allied RCD-Goma forces as well as armed political groups opposing
and fighting them. Amnesty International is calling for an
international investigation into violations of international
human rights and humanitarian law so that perpetrators can be
brought to justice."

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