Take Action: Protect Civilians in DRC

The situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) remains on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe. The priority now is reinforcing the capacity of the UN’s peacekeeping force, MONUC, to protect civilians and to ensure people have access to humanitarian assistance.

It is high time for regional leaders and the UN Security Council to step up its efforts. At least 250,000 civilians, most of them women and children, were displaced by the recent fighting. These people are in a desperate situation, without sufficient food, water, medical supplies or shelter, and cannot wait any longer.

Take Action:

This month, the United Nations Security Council will consider increasing the support of the UN peacekeeping mission. Amnesty International members must call on the US government to ensure that the UN Security Council takes the steps necessary to protect civilians in eastern DRC.

Using the sample letter below as a model, please write letters to the following US government officials to urge the United Nations to take action to protect civilians:

Dear

I am deeply concerned that the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) remains on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe. While a long-term solution is necessary, the priority should be reinforcing the capacity of the UN’s peacekeeping force, Mission des Nations Unies en République Démocratique du Congo (MONUC), to protect civilians and to ensure people have access to humanitarian assistance. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, the United States should utilize its leadership to support MONUC.

MONUC remains the only force capable of providing meaningful protection to civilians. The UN Security Council should send immediate assistance to MONUC in the form of additional troops, intelligence-gathering capabilities, air support and other equipment. Only then will the UN peacekeepers be able to forestall armed group attacks against civilian populations, safeguard humanitarian operations and enforce the UN arms embargo on the DRC, in line with its mandate.

The humanitarian and human rights crisis in eastern DRC has deteriorated dramatically in the past month. In October, the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP), under the command of renegade general Laurent Nkunda, launched a fresh offensive against government forces. Over four days in late October, the CNDP, which numbers possibly around 6,000 fighters, routed the national army, captured the major town of Rutshuru and moved to within 15 km of the city of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, before declaring a unilateral cease-fire on 30 October.

Amnesty International’s most recent report, North Kivu: No end to war on women and children highlights the serious human rights violations and abuses committed by the parties to the conflict in the province.

Considering the gravity and urgency of the humanitarian and human rights situation in eastern DRC, I call on you to ensure that the UN Security Council:

• reinforces MONUC peacekeeping contingents in North-Kivu province immediately, ensuring that peacekeepers have the necessary troop numbers, intelligence-gathering, air-surveillance and other assets to ensure effective protection of civilians, to forestall possible armed group attacks against local communities, to safeguard humanitarian operations and to enforce the UN arms embargo on the DRC in line with MONUC’s mandate;
• urges all parties to the conflict to ensure that humanitarian aid agencies are not hindered in their work to provide aid to displaced people, including those who are injured, and ensure that safe corridors for humanitarian aid are opened throughout the province;
• presses the warring parties, especially the CNDP, and governments that have influence over them, especially Rwanda, to prevent more civilian casualties;
• presses the governments of the DRC and Rwanda to abide by the commitments made in the Nairobi joint communiqué of November 2007, particularly to end negative propaganda against each other and to refrain from providing support to armed groups, including the CNDP and the Rwandan Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR);
• asserts that justice and an end to impunity has a central place in the search for durable peace in the Great Lakes Region, and that deliberate or indiscriminate attacks against civilians and peacekeepers carrying out their duty of protecting civilians is a war crime, punishable under international law.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent matter.

Sincerely,

Addresses:

Secretary Condoleezza Rice
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520

Ambassador Zalmay Khalizad
United States Mission to the UN
Press and Public Diplomacy Section
United States Mission to the United Nations
140 East 45th Street
New York, NY 10017
Fax: 212-415-4053
Email: USUNPublicAffairs@state.gov

Jendayi Frazer
Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520

Brian H. Hook
Deputy Assistant Secretary
Bureau of International Organization Affairs
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520