UN rights chief warns of escalating crisis in eastern DR Congo, urges immediate action

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - The UN human rights chief on Friday sounded the alarm over the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, calling for urgent international intervention.

Speaking at a special session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Volker Turk condemned the increasing violence in the eastern provinces, particularly North and South Kivu, where the M23 armed group, backed by the Rwandan Defense Forces, has intensified its offensive.

He reported that since Jan. 26, nearly 3,000 people have been killed and 2,880 injured, though the real toll may be even higher. The conflict has forced over 500,000 people to flee their homes, he said, adding to an already staggering 6.4 million internally displaced persons.

"Goma airport, which is so important for humanitarian aid, has been rendered inoperable by the M23 and Rwandan forces. Warehouses belonging to MONUSCO (UN mission) and humanitarian organizations have been looted," he said, and warned: "The risk of violence escalating throughout the sub-region has never been higher."

"All those with influence over the parties involved, be they states or non-state actors, must redouble their efforts to avert a conflagration and to support peace processes," he urged.

Turk dismissed military solutions, urging all parties to resume diplomatic negotiations under the Luanda and Nairobi processes. He called for an independent investigation into human rights violations and welcomed the International Criminal Court’s appeal for submissions on the crisis.

"The military path is not the answer to the political, social, and economic challenges which are at the root of this conflict, including the illegal exploitation of natural resources," he said.

The UN rights chief also said he is "horrified" by the spread of sexual violence, "which has been an appalling feature of this conflict for a long time."

This is "likely to worsen" in the current circumstances, he said. Citing judicial authorities, he said, during the prison break from Muzenze Prison in Goma on Jan. 27, at least 165 female prisoners were raped. Most of them were subsequently killed in a fire, the circumstances of which remain unclear.

"My team is also currently verifying multiple allegations of rape, gang rape and sexual slavery, throughout the conflict zones," he added.

"The Congolese people have been suffering terribly for decades," he said. "How many more innocent lives must be lost before sufficient political will is galvanized?"

He called on global actors to act urgently to put an end to the tragic situation, ensure accountability, and address root causes such as corruption, press restrictions, and hate speech.