An independent UN investigative commission stated on Monday 29 June in Geneva that it had received reports of violence of “exceptional gravity” in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The commission detailed incidents including sexual violence, unlawful executions, and the forced recruitment of children.
A worrying trend for local communities
Presenting before the Human Rights Council, the commission noted that it had gathered testimonies pointing to a severe deterioration in both North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, where residents are described as “vulnerable and without protection” as the conflict intensifies and public institutions weaken. “The information brought to our attention indicates a situation of exceptional gravity,” said commission chair Arnauld Akodjenou. He added that investigators received “deeply troubling accounts” regarding children, conflict-related sexual violence “including sexual slavery,” forced recruitment, unlawful killings, arbitrary arrests, as well as attacks on schools and health facilities.
