DRC: Armed fighting threatens civilians in and around Goma

28/01/2025
Statement
en fr
Jospin Mwisha / AFP
  • Several months since fighting intensified in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) the M23, supported by Rwandan forces and the Alliance du fleuve congo (AFC) movement, fighting against the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) and their auxiliaries, entered Goma.
  • The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its member organisations in the DRC are deeply concerned about the fate of the civilian population, many of whom had already found refuge in Goma and the surrounding area.
  • Civilians are exposed to serious atrocities wherever clashes are taking place. The signatory organisations call on the belligerents to cease the fighting immediately and place the fate of the Congolese people at the heart of their concerns.

Kinshasa, Kisangani, Paris, 28 January 2025. The latest information received by FIDH and its member organisations in the DRC, including the Association africaine de défense des droits de l’Homme (ASADHO) (ASADHO), the Groupe Lotus, and the Ligue des électeurs, reports the presence of the March 23 Movement (M23) in Goma, near the Rwandan border. This comes after the group recently took control of the city of Minova in South Kivu, Sake (20km from Goma), and other towns in the province of the DRC.

This advance on Goma, the capital of North Kivu, risks igniting the spread of the conflict throughout the entire region, which has been plagued by cyclical violence for the past 30 years. Goma and its surroundings host a large number of internally displaced people. Those who had sought refuge there, away from the fighting, are now directly threatened, still with no hope for a better life, justice, or reparations for the violations and crimes committed by the parties to the conflict.

All the mediation efforts made by various international actors, including Angola (Luanda process), Kenya (Nairobi process), as well as other bilateral efforts, have not succeeded. There is an urgent need to intensify efforts to protect civilians and put an end to the fighting.

The signatory organisations welcome the recent statements from the United Nations (UN) Security Council, convened in an emergency session, the UN Secretary-General, and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, condemning the M23’s advance and calling for an end to hostilities. The East African Community (EAC) is also expected to meet soon to urgently address the situation in Eastern DRC.

However, after 30 years of endless violence, the signatories urge the parties to the conflict and the international community to go beyond statements and intensify efforts to influence and exert pressure to immediately end the fighting and protect civilians. A lasting solution to the armed conflict must be found for the sake of the civilian population.

Furthermore, FIDH and its member organisations in the DRC welcome the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC)’s decisionto renew its investigation into crimes committed in North Kivu since January 2022. We urge the Office to ensure a thorough investigation into all alleged perpetrators and provide a public update on its progress and next steps".

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