KEY POINTS
- 7,000 people have been killed in Congo since January.
- The M23 rebel group has taken control of key cities and resources.
- The U.N. warns of escalating violence and widespread human rights abuses.
The ongoing conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has claimed 7,000 lives since January, according to DRC Prime Minister Judith Suminwa.
Speaking at the United Nations Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, Suminwa described the worsening situation, with both combatants and civilians among the dead.
The latest wave of violence has displaced approximately 450,000 people after 90 displacement camps were destroyed.
The rebel group M23, which the Congolese government accuses Rwanda of supporting, has captured key areas, including Goma and Bukavu, along with valuable mineral deposits.
Suminwa called on the international community to take urgent action and impose sanctions on Rwanda, which has consistently denied backing the M23 rebels despite accusations from the DRC, the United Nations, and Western governments.
Escalating conflict raises fears of regional instability
The violence in eastern Congo is part of a long-standing conflict rooted in historical tensions over power, resources, and ethnic divisions.
The violent conflict began when the Rwandan genocide spread into adjoining territories in the 1990s.
The recent deterioration of circumstances has led 40,000 people to seek refuge in Burundi in the past two weeks, as reported by the United Nations.
According to Reuters, Suminwa issued a warning about the expanding violence in Congo which threatens stable conditions across the region.
Suminwa spoke with reporters after her address to convey the immediate need of resolving ongoing territorial disputes that drive the conflict forward.
“If this question of the violation of territorial integrity isn’t resolved, the situation could degenerate further,” she said.
Calls for global intervention amid reports of human rights abuses
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres raised an alert regarding the escalating human rights violations within the DRC during the Geneva summit.
Reports of widespread displacement, summary executions and random communal attacks made the humanitarian crisis progressively worse.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) recently reported that common graves are being dug at cemeteries to bury those killed in the clashes.
Humanitarian groups battle to support affected populations, who now reside in filled shelters, where they face severe difficulties accessing basic services including food, water and medical assistance.
Suminwa asks for “dissuative sanctions” against Rwanda to demonstrate the rising international pressure towards resolving the crisis.
However, the ongoing rejection of involvement allegations by Rwanda keeps the situation unresolved.
The world closely observes international leaders’ reaction to Africa’s most deadly conflict, as violent battles persist, displacing thousands of people and creating numerous casualties.
