• Text size  | | |
• Email this document
• Printable version

Democratic Republic of the Congo: The United Nations' investigation of the human rights situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo between 1993 and 1997, more particularly, of the massacres of Hutus committed by the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo-Zaire (Alliance des forces démocratiques pour la libération du Congo-Zaïre, AFDL)

In the 1990s, the United Nations (UN) Commission on Human Rights made several resolutions providing for the appointment of a special rapporteur to investigate the human rights situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) (UN 8 Feb. 1999, Para. 1). On 15 July 1997, the Secretary-General of the UN appointed a team to conduct this investigation (ibid. Para. 3). However, several sources report that the Congolese government created obstacles to prevent the investigative team from carrying out its mandate (ibid.; ibid. 29 June 1998, Para. 21; HRW Apr. 1997; AI 15 May 1998). As a result of these obstacles, the Secretary-General recalled the investigative team in April 1998 (ibid.; ibid. 3 Sept. 1998; UN 8 Feb. 1999, Para. 7; see also ibid. 29 June 1998, 2). Nevertheless, the investigative team produced a report in which it referred to the [UN English version] "massacres," and human rights violations committed by the AFDL, including

[UN English version]

The deliberate execution of unarmed civilians during and after the attacks on camps of displaced Rwandans by AFDL troops.... The AFDL was also responsible for other violations of international humanitarian law, including the detention of malnourished children being treated in a hospital, the killing of wounded patients in another hospital, the beating and killing of nurses in those hospitals, the denial of access by relief organisations to camps for displaced persons containing large numbers of ill and wounded persons ... the denial of humanitarian assistance to displaced Rwandan Hutus ... murder and extermination.... (ibid. Para. 92, 93 and 95)

In addition, the investigative team concluded that [UN English version] "the killings by [the] AFDL and its allies, including elements of the Rwandan Patriotic Army, constitute crimes against humanity ... " (ibid., 2).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Amnesty International (AI). 3 September 1998. "Introduction." République démocratique du Congo : une crise déjà ancienne qui échappe à tout contrôle. (AFR 62/33/98) <http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/AFR62/033/1998/fr/dom-AFR620331998fr.pdf> [Accessed 13 May 2008]
_____. 15 May 1998. "L'attitude du gouvernement oblige les enquêteurs de l'ONU à quitter le pays." République démocratique du Congo : une année d'espoirs anéantis. (AFR 62/18/98) <http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/AFR62/018/1998/fr/dom-AFR620181998fr.pdf> [Accessed 13 May 2008]

Human Rights Watch (HRW). April 1997. République démocratique du Congo – Ce que Kabila dissimule : massacre de civils et impunité au Congo. <http://www.hrw.org/french/reports/drc1997a/Table%20of%20Contents.htm#TopOfPage> [Accessed 20 May 2008]

United Nations (UN). 8 February 1999. Economic and Social Council. Office of the Commissioner of Human Rights. Rapport sur la situation des droits de l'homme dans la République démocratique du Congo, présenté par le Rapporteur spécial, M. Roberto Garretón, conformément à la résolution 1998/61 de la Commission. (E/CN.4/1999/31) <http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G99/108/83/PDF/G9910883.pdf?OpenElement> [Accessed 20 May 2008]
_____. 29 June 1998. Security Council. Rapport de l'Équipe d'enquête du Secrétaire général sur les violations graves des droits de l'homme et du droit international humanitaire en République démocratique du Congo. (S/1998/581) <http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N98/177/23/PDF/N9817723.pdf?OpenElement> [Accessed 20 May 2008]

Additional Sources Consulted

Internet sites, including: AllAfrica.com, L'Avenir [Kinshasa], British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), European Country of Origin Information Network (ecoi.net), Factiva, Freedom House, International Crisis Group, Jeuneafrique.com, Ligue des droits de la personne dans la région des Grands Lacs (LDGL), L'Observateur [Gombe], Le Phare [Kinshasa], Radio France internationale (RFI), Le Soft [Kinshasa], United Kingdom (UK) Home Office Country of Origin Information Service, United Nations (UN) Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN), United Nations (UN) Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Mission des Nations Unies en République Démocratique du Congo, MONUC), United States (US) Department of State.