DR Congo arrests rebel leader accused of war crimes

December 24, 2013 by AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE

Congolese people in Kiwanja /></a><p class=

Congolese people in Kiwanja on November 2, 2013/AFP

GOMA, Dec 23 – The Congolese army on Monday arrested a rebel leader whose militia has been accused of committing war crimes in the east of the vast Democratic Republic of Congo, sources said.

Kakule Muhima, head of a Mai Mai militia known by his nickname Shetani (Satan), was arrested in Kiwanja, a town in the volatile, resource rich province of North Kivu, Jean Claude Bambanze, civil society leader for the Rutshuru region where Kiwanja is located, said in a statement.

Army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Olivier Amuli confirmed the arrest, telling AFP that Muhima would be brought before a military tribunal in the eastern DR Congo's main city Goma, some 80 kilometres (50 miles) south of Kiwanja, "at the first opportunity".

Bambanze said Muhima was arrested "after looting money, telephones and other items of value from five houses" in a part of Kiwanja where the UN mission to the DR Congo has a large base.

The area was retaken by the DR Congo army after it defeated the M23 rebel movement early last month.

Shetani's fighters had repeatedly engaged in territorial battles with the M23 during which they committed "many crimes" including "torture, sexual violence (and killings)", Bambanze said.

The M23, which was suspected of being backed by Rwanda and Uganda and held Goma for 10 days in late 2012, surrendered on November 5 after a major army offensive backed by a UN intervention force.

The region has rich deposits of minerals including gold and coltan, a key component in electronic devices, but is ravaged by rebels and militia who rape and murder with impunity, according to rights groups.

Kinshasa has urged dozens of armed groups still active in the area to lay down their arms or face the same fate as the M23.

Several thousand fighters have complied since then, but Kinshasa pledged that sexual violence, war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide would not go unpunished.

Mai Mai groups have a fierce reputation based partly on their belief that they can dodge bullets if they sprinkle themselves with sacred water before battle.

Comments

Le Troisième Mandat de Louise Mushikiwabo à l'OIF : Entre Précédent et Principe Démocratique.

Le Troisième Mandat de Louise Mushikiwabo à l'OIF : Entre Précédent et Principe Démocratique. L'Alternance à l'OIF : Pourquoi un Troisième Mandat Fragilise la Crédibilité de la Francophonie. Introduction Louise Mushikiwabo veut un troisième mandat à la tête de l'Organisation internationale de la Francophonie. Son annonce, faite bien avant l'émergence d'autres candidats, rappelle une tactique familière en Afrique : affirmer qu'on a le soutien populaire sans jamais le prouver publiquement. La méthode est rodée. Des dirigeants africains l'utilisent depuis des décennies pour prolonger leur règne. Ils clament que "le peuple le demande" ou que "les partenaires soutiennent" cette reconduction. Aucune preuve formelle n'est nécessaire. L'affirmation devient réalité politique. Mais voilà le problème : la Francophonie prêche la démocratie, l'État de droit et l'alternance au pouvoir. Peut-elle tolérer en son sein ce qu...

[AfricaRealities.com] Burundi president seen as 'divine' hero in rural homeland

"We will vote for him until the return of Jesus Christ, that is, until the end of time," said Sylvie with a laugh, adding that for her, Nkurunziza "should be president for life." Burundi president seen as 'divine' hero in rural homeland Burundi president seen as 'divine' hero in rural homelan... On the streets of Burundi's capital, protesters have spent a month fighting running battles with police, erecting barricades and demanding President Pierre Nkurunzi... View on news.yahoo.com Preview by Yahoo ### "Hate Cannot Drive Out Hate. Only Love Can Do That", Dr. Martin Luther King . __._,_.___ Posted by: Nzinink <nzinink@yahoo.com> Reply via web post • ...

Votre sélection quotidienne d'articles de IRIN, 5/18/2015

nouvelles et analyses humanitaires Table des matières 1. BRIEFING: La troisième fois sera-t-elle la bonne pour les négociations sur la Syrie ? 2. La sélection d'IRIN : Migration, secteur privé et djihad sur Twitter BRIEFING: La troisième fois sera-t-elle la bonne pour les négociations sur la Syrie ? GENÈVE, 18 mai 2015 (IRIN) - Les participants les qualifient de discrètes et, en effet, de nombreuses personnes n'ont peut-être pas remarqué qu'un troisième cycle de négociations sur le conflit syrien était en cours à Genève ce mois-ci. Lire l'article en ligne La sélection d'IRIN : Migration, secteur privé et djihad sur Twitter DUBAÏ, 18 mai 2015 (IRIN) - Voici la sélecti...

Search This Blog