Bintou Keïta, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in the DRC during his speech by videoconference to the United Nations Security Council. Kinshasa, March 29, 2022.
Radio Okapi.Ph/Jonathan Fuanani”/>
On Friday 9 December, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Bintou Keita, called on the Security Council to “strongly condemn” the crimes committed in the DRC by the M23 rebellion.
“I call on the Security Council to condemn the crimes committed in the DRC in the strongest possible terms and to support the decision of the DRC government to refer them to the International Criminal Court for prosecution,” Bintou Keita said before the Security Council in New York, during the presentation of the UN Secretary-General’s report on the situation in the DRC.
For the head of MONUSCO, the Council must also ask for the immediate release of the five girls held captive by the M23.
“The atrocities and other crimes allegedly committed by M23 and other armed groups are extremely worrying,” said Bintou Keita.
The Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in the DRC explains that “more recently, a preliminary investigation team of the United Nations was able to confirm that between 28 and 30 November in Kishishe and Bambo, Rutshuru territory, in North Kivu, at least 131 civilians including 102 men, 17 women and 12 children were killed by M23 fighters”.
During the same period, he continues, “M23 fighters raped at least 22 women, one of whom was killed after the rape, and 5 girls. The five girls are currently being held captive by M23 fighters and are said to be victims of sexual slavery.”
For Bintou Keita, “neither these crimes nor other serious crimes must be able to continue and remain unpunished”.
It also informs that MONUSCO has continued to provide operational, logistical and tactical support to the FARDC and the PNC in their efforts to deal with armed groups in eastern Congo, and in particular against the M23.
“Robust patrols, also in collaboration with the FARDC and the PNC, have been carried out in and around Goma to ensure the protection of civilians and to dissuade the M23 from advancing further towards the city. In addition, MONUSCO has set up additional community alert networks in areas vulnerable to M23 attacks in Rutshuru and Masisi territories,” said Bintou Keita, head of MONUSCO.
