Rwandan officials 'aiding and abetting war crimes in Congo'
Andrew Mitchell, the former International Development Secretary, claims that Rwanda had made "progress" towards satisfying Britain's concerns about its support for rebels in Congo.
Picture: Reuters
Senior officials in Rwanda could face justice for "aiding and abetting" war crimes in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Human Rights Watch said, a week after Britain restored its aid for the country's government.
The Department for International Development became the first Western donor to restart aid payments to Rwanda last Tuesday. Britain had withheld £16 million after United Nations investigators found that Rwanda armed and supplied the "M23" guerrilla movement in neighbouring Congo.
But Andrew Mitchell, the former International Development Secretary,released this sum on his last day in office, claiming that Rwanda had made "progress" towards satisfying Britain's concerns about its support for rebels in Congo.
In fact, Rwanda has recruited 600 fighters for the M23 rebels, according to an investigation by Human Rights Watch, with this taking place "either by force or under false pretences". Recruitment was happening as recently as last month - exactly the time when Mr Mitchell said that Rwanda was acting to allay British concerns.
In July, Rwanda sent "several hundred" soldiers into Congo to help the rebels capture three towns and a border post. With direct military support from Rwanda, M23 guerrillas have carried out "widespread war crimes, including summary executions, rapes and forced recruitment," said the rights group, adding that some of those forced into its ranks as soldiers were children under the age of 15.
"The M23 rebels are committing a horrific trail of new atrocities in eastern Congo," said Anneke Van Woudenberg, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch.
"M23 commanders should be held accountable for these crimes, and the Rwandan officials supporting these abusive commanders could face justice for aiding and abetting the crimes."
Human Rights Watch has documented the recruitment of at least 137 young men and boys in Rutshuru territory, eastern Congo, by M23 rebels since July. At least seven were under the age of 15.
Witnesses told researchers that at least 33 new recruits and other M23 fighters were summarily executed when they attempted to flee. Some were tied up and shot in front of other recruits as an example of the punishment they could receive.
"When we were with the M23, they said [we had a choice] and could stay with them or we could die," one young recruit was reported as saying.
"Lots of people tried to escape. Some were found and then that was immediately their death."
The M23 rebellion began as a mutiny inside Congo's national army. Bosco Ntaganda, a renegade general who leads the rebels, is the target of two arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
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