The United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) has estimated that at least 131 civilians were killed by Mouvement 23 Marches (M23) rebels at the end of November.
The UN investigation indicates that these deaths occurred mainly in two localities, Kishishe and Bambo, in the Rutshuru district of North Kivu province. This area has continued to record an increase in violence.
The victims were executed in what points to a series of retaliatory measures for the ongoing offensive carried out by the government. «The violence has been carried out as part of a campaign by rapists, kidnappers and murderers, who have been looting villages in Rutshuru in the face of clashes with government forces,» the text states.
The investigation shows that of the dead, 102 are men, 17 are women and at least twelve are children, who died between November 29 and 30. All of them were arbitrarily executed, while about twenty women were raped, according to the MONUSCO document, which condemned the violence against civilians.
«It is necessary that access to the civilian population be facilitated in order to deliver urgent humanitarian aid,» the UN mission pointed out. It also applauded the Government’s decision to open legal proceedings against the possible perpetrators of these violations of human rights and international law.
It also called for the «immediate cessation of violence against civilians» and urged the parties involved to «immediately lay down their arms and engage in a process of demobilization, disarmament and reintegration».
However, the M23 rebels, who have taken control of several localities near the border with Rwanda and Uganda, have denied having attacked civilians.
In this sense, the rebel group has accused the government and its allies of «committing genocide» and carrying out «executions» against the Tutsi community in the east of the country. Thus, they have pointed out that the coalition forces have «attacked positions in Bwiza and surroundings, in a clear violation of the current cease-fire».
They also stressed that government-allied forces have killed innocent people, destroyed houses and looted villages. «Many reject the idea of genocide while the international community remains silent. This brings us back to the times before the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda,» the rebels said in a statement.
For this reason, they have asked to intercede instead of «standing by and watching» while the civilian population is «murdered». «We are ready to intervene and stop these terrible massacres,» the statement said.
The Congolese authorities have not reacted to such accusations. The M23 communiqué comes after the group agreed to withdraw from occupied territory following the strong pressure exerted by the government and the international community after the resolutions approved by the heads of the different states during a meeting in the Angolan capital, Luanda.
