Culture of Impunity in DROC Must Be Ended, U.S. Official Says
By Charles W. Corey
Washington File Staff Writer
Washington -- A "culture of impunity" and the absence of any effective
judicial system are fueling the violence against innocent civilians in
the Democratic Republic of Congo (DROC), says David Scheffer, the U.S.
ambassador-at-large for war crimes.
The last four years of war in Congo also "have decimated the ability
of families to survive," Scheffer added, noting that the International
Rescue Committee estimates that nearly 1.7 million people have
perished in the conflict.
Scheffer made these points while briefing reporters at the U.S.
Foreign Press Center in Washington September 22 about his recent trip
to eastern Congo, which has been hardest hit by atrocities. Scheffer
said he traveled to both the Kivus and to the Kisangani area of the
country.
Scheffer said he confirmed a "widespread and growing pattern of
violence and destruction against the civilian population ...
perpetrated by all forces operating" in the troubled Kivu region. A
"culture of impunity and the absence of any effective judicial system
there are fueling the violence" against innocents, he said.
The U.S. delegation obtained "numerous reports" from local and
international organizations, civil society, and individual victims,
Scheffer said, that point to violations of international humanitarian
law by three categories of forces: "non-state actors supplied by the
government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ... ; Congolese
rebel armies ... ; and ... the armies of the Rwandan and Ugandan
governments."
A "typical pattern" of conduct, he said, "is for the Interahamwe
[Rwandan Hutu militia], the FDD [a Burundi militia, the National
Council for the Defense of Democracy/Front for the Defense of
Democracy -- CNDD/FDD], or Mai-Mai militias [all non-state actors] to
raid or attack a civilian settlement, looting and often killing
villagers and raping or kidnapping young women.
"This is sometimes followed by a reprisal attack by the RCD
[Rassemblement Congolais pour la Democratie -- a Congolese rebel army]
and/or Rwandan government forces, or in some cases, Ugandan government
forces, against the same civilian population, which is accused of
collaborating with the original attackers. The result is further
devastation for the civilian population rather than actual combat
between the opposing military forces," he said.
Scheffer recalled "an intensive six-day fire fight" between Ugandan
and Rwandan forces in Kisangani that left "635 dead civilians, 141
dead military personnel, and 2,120 civilian wounded, as well as the
vast destruction of civilian homes and businesses, which, he said, "we
witnessed. The battle was undertaken in complete disregard of civilian
life or property, with military tactics that defy the laws of war."
In the coming months, Scheffer said, the United States will "intensify
its own collection of information" about atrocities and discuss ways
"to achieve credible justice for victims of the wanton terror." But he
warned that peace and security "will not be achieved without
simultaneously taking concrete steps to end the culture of impunity
that breeds these atrocities."
The U.S. official also called the presence of U.N. peacekeepers under
the Lusaka Peace Agreement "absolutely critical."
"The more that is delayed, the more unfortunate will be the
consequences ... for the civilians of the Congo," he added.
Following Ambassador Scheffer's remarks, John Prendergast, special
advisor to the State Department, spoke to reporters.
Prendergast, who accompanied Scheffer, said they traveled together to
DROC to demonstrate an "integrated effort" by the U.S. government to
"increase its interest and engagement in the Congo crisis, not only
from the perspective of human rights, and specifically on war crimes,
but also in the broader context of political reconciliation and
conflict resolution and response to the enormous humanitarian crisis
that exists in the country today."
Prendergast said the U.S. government is consulting with the Congolese
and with other donors on a "major increase" in food and non-food
humanitarian aid.
"We understand better now that the crisis in the Congo ... is largely
driven by a silent, quiet health crisis, which is fueled by these
continuous cycles of displacement" because of the military activity.
"People congregate, and diseases are passed much more quickly" than
normal, he said.
The U.S. government, he added, also is looking at three key factors
regarding its future response to events in DROC, including:
-- working more diligently "inside our government and with other
donors to increase the amount of assistance" to the Congo," despite
competing emergencies elsewhere in the world;
-- increasing security for humanitarian relief workers; and
-- opening up "huge areas" of the country where humanitarian relief
organizations are now denied access.
It is also important, he said, that those rendering assistance follow
the "do no harm" rule. This, he added, will help to ensure that by
introducing new or increased aid efforts, they do not create
additional problems.
(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International
Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site:
http://usinfo.state.gov)
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