politics
U.N. Experts Say All Sides Violate Congo Peace Deal
A U.N. panel reported that the Congolese army, M23 rebels and Rwandan forces have not withdrawn troops or ended cooperation with other armed groups as required by a December agreement. The experts documented continued mineral smuggling and sexual violence linked to M23-controlled areas.
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U.N. experts stated that the Congolese army, the M23 rebel group and its Rwandan backers have not carried out the troop withdrawals or cooperation cuts required by a December peace agreement. The panel said the army continues to work with the FDLR, a Hutu rebel group that includes participants in the 1994 Rwanda genocide, despite Kinshasa's pledge to end that cooperation.
The report found that M23 has not withdrawn from seized territory and instead maintains positions across eastern Congo while expanding control over mining areas. Rwanda maintains an estimated 14,000 to 18,000 troops inside Congo, according to the panel, with no evidence of significant withdrawals after the agreement took effect.
The experts said minerals from Rubaya and other sites in the Masisi region continue to be smuggled into Rwanda by M23, which is building a parallel export economy dominated by Rwandan-linked companies. Last week the U.S. imposed sanctions on Gasabo Gold Refinery, describing it as part of a network coordinating with M23.
Congo filed a case against Rwanda at the International Court of Justice last week, accusing its neighbor of legal responsibility for violence that has displaced large numbers of people in the east. The U.N. has described the conflict as one of the most protracted humanitarian crises on Earth.
