A human rights report published today by the US rights group, Human Rights Watch, accused M23 rebels of carrying out war crimes that included summary executions, rape and forced recruitment of child soldiers, since breaking away from Congo’s army.
In the report, Human rights Watch argued the UN Security Council should already be considering sanctions on high ranking officials that were allegedly responsible for violations of an arms embargo as well as international criminal law.
Highlighting the Rwandan authorities’ potential liability for war crimes, Anneke van Woudenberg, senior Africa Researcher at Human Rights Watch said,
“From a legal perspective because Rwanda is directly involved in the conflict both in providing recruits and fighting, it could be made accountable for war crimes.”
Rwandan officials continued to deny accusations of spurring on the conflict in Congo, blaming “western diplomatic blundering and Congolese incompetence, for causing the crisis.”
Despite Rwanda’s continued defiance, the sustained allegations against the nation suggests that Rwanda will have to the consequences of it’s actions.
Britain Germany Holland and the African Development Bank have all delayed direct monetary aid to President Kigali in response to the allegations, although Britain reinstated half the aid it was due to deliver this year.
