UN urges government of D R Congo to investigate cases of human rights violations committed on her territories
The general growing concern of the world over the numerous atrocities (violating human rights) committed on the territories of the Democratic Republic of Congo, has been echoed by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, on Friday, 9th of June, 2017. He condemned these acts and called on the Government of DRC to carry out judicial investigations on all these cases. He reiterated the United Nations commitment in supporting the Government towards meeting this end.
“It is the sovereign duty of the Government of the DRC to carry out judicial investigations into human rights violations committed on its territory and we will continue to support the Government by providing advice and support towards its fulfillment of these obligations.”
Zeid disclosed that the weight of the atrocities in recent times informed the interest of the international community. He made it know that the level of responses of the local authorities in dealing with these cases were not exactly pleasing. He added that there is a need for the Human Rights Council in particular as an international body to compliment the fight against the upsurge.
“However the crimes committed in the Kasais appear to be of such gravity that they must be of concern to the international community as a whole, and in particular the Human Rights Council.
“The scale and nature of these human rights violations and abuses, and the consistently inadequate responses of the domestic authorities, oblige us to call for an international investigation to complement national efforts.”
It is really unfortunate how badly these cases have affected the community. Between August 2016 to this time alone, according to reports available, about 1.3 million people have been displaced by violence in Kasais. In another report, 30, 000 others have become refugees in Angola. That the UN Human Rights Council alone, from research, has identified 42 mass graves, is enough to prompt the agitation to consider joining the fight at this point. Zeid explained that there is a need to inform the perpetrators of the atrocities that the International community is alert and ready to crunch whoever is behind those crimes. He described this as a binding obligation upon the union which must be fulfilled in the service to bring justice to the victims.
“We have an obligation to the victims and a duty to send a message to the perpetrators of these crimes that we are watching and that the international community is throwing its weight behind ensuring that the endemic impunity in the DRC is brought to an end,” the High Commissioner stated.
