US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to publicly promote free and fair elections, respect for human rights and anti-corruption efforts during his visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo on Aug. and Congo today. Blinken’s visit comes as the abusive M23 armed group has expanded its control in eastern Congo, attacking villages and summarily killing civilians. The UN Group of Experts on Congo recently confirmed renewed support for the M23 from the Rwandan military.
The Democratic Republic of Congo, under President Félix Tshisekedi, faces widespread human rights abuses and corruption, prolonged attacks on civilians by various armed groups, and failed democratic institutions. The forests and peatlands of the Congo Basin, which are essential in the fight against climate change, are at increasing risk from logging and mining.
“The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo needs to demonstrate political will to promote democracy, fight corruption and address the country’s increasingly intense crises,” said Floribert Anzuluni of The Sentry and FILIMBI. “Secretary Blinken must denounce the growing crackdown on activists, protesters and journalists and warn that growing intolerance towards critics risks free, credible and timely elections in 2023.”
Blinken should highlight the need for democratic elections that meet international standards, the groups said. The last elections, in 2018, were marked by widespread irregularities, including voter and candidate suppression, and unreliable official results, failing to meet basic international standards for a democratic election. The Congolese authorities must develop an accurate registration process with the timely publication of a voter list, commit not to exclude candidates or legitimate voters, guarantee the free campaign of candidates and parties, and demand transparent verification and dissemination of results.
Blinken must also publicly condemn the suppression of peaceful demonstrations and dissent by security forces. These problems were particularly acute in eastern Congo, where authorities used martial law to restrict peaceful protests and other rights.
The resurgence of the M23 in the east has exacerbated fighting and abuse by dozens of armed groups in the region. Foreign military forces from Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi have also been implicated in abuses against civilians.
The M23, originally made up of soldiers who mutinied in early 2012, went on to commit widespread war crimes, with the support of Rwandan troops. Over the past decade, Congo has failed to demobilize the remnants of the group. In 2021, the M23 began to rebuild its ranks. Since May, M23 forces have sometimes invaded UN-backed Congolese forces in eastern Congo. In the course of the new fighting, hate speech, in some cases by government officials, and the stigmatization of communities linked to neighboring countries have grown.
The UN Group of Experts on Congo, mandated by the UN Security Council to monitor the implementation of its sanctions regime, confirmed in June the presence of men in Rwandan military uniforms in the M23 camps. On 4 August, the media reported that the Expert Group found “solid evidence” of Rwandan forces fighting alongside and providing further support to the M23. The Rwandan government has repeatedly denied supporting the M23. In addition, violence by other armed groups has increased across the region, including around Beni and Ituri.
Blinken must make it clear that the US will impose targeted sanctions on government officials and others who are supporting abusive armed groups. He must also push for the reform of the national army, torn apart by patronage and embezzlement. Any solution to the armed conflicts in the east must reject an amnesty for those responsible for serious international crimes, must not allow abusive commanders to join Congo’s armed forces, and must include a vigorous program of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration under new leadership.
“Secretary Blinken must inform Rwandan President Paul Kagame, as President Barack Obama did in 2012, that the US will not tolerate any support for the M23,” said Father Rigobert Minani Bihuzo of the Center d’études pour l’Action. sociale (Center for Social Action Studies, CEPAS). “It should emphasize the Congolese government’s need for military reform, including improved anti-corruption mechanisms, the verification and removal of abusive officers, and investigations of officers implicated in past war crimes.”
President Félix Tshisekedi has made very little progress in dismantling high-level corruption that impedes security, development and responsible investment. Rampant corruption in the lucrative mining sector denies the Congolese people the benefits of the country’s vast natural wealth and prevents responsible companies from making long-term investments in the country.
Blinken should urge the government to publish all mining contracts, including those with Dan Gertler, a businessman under US sanctions, the groups said. The government must make a genuine effort to combat systemic corruption, including in the mining and logging sectors, and hold those who are complicit in the looting of the country accountable. It should address findings from investigations into the “Congo Hold-Up”, an account of large-scale corruption by a consortium of media and international groups.
Conflicts in the Great Lakes region and political turmoil and violence in Congo require a new regional policy strategy from the Biden administration to address urgent security and humanitarian issues, the groups said, including the appointment of a special envoy to the region. Former US special envoys to the Great Lakes region who had senior diplomatic status and sufficient resources played a vital role in mitigating conflict and addressing democracy and human rights issues, provided they were sufficiently senior, pursued objectives through diplomatic and financial pressure and were well trained. A special envoy could also help pursue the administration’s priorities on global warming and the protection of the Congo rainforest.
“Secretary Blinken’s trip to Congo should reinforce efforts to promote democratic elections, fight corruption and end rights abuses,” said Ida Sawyer, director of the Crisis and Conflict Division at Human Rights Watch. “The US should appoint a special envoy to the Great Lakes region to demonstrate that it takes these issues seriously and wants to help with meaningful democratic reforms.”
Anthony W. Gambino, Former USAID Mission Director, DRC
Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)
CREDDHO (Centre de recherche sur l’environnement, la démocratie et les droits de l’homme)
Fred Bauma, Executive Secretary of Ebuteli, Lucha activist (lutte pour le changement)
Jason Stearns, Assistant Professor, Simon Fraser University (SFU)
Joshua Z. Walker, Director of Programs, Congo Research Group, New York University Center for International Cooperation
Lucha (Fight for the changement)
RODHECIC (Réseau d’organisations des droits de l’homme et d’éducation civique d’inspiration chrétienne)
Stephen R. Weissman, Former Director of Personnel, US House of Representatives Subcommittee on Africa
Distributed by the APO Group on behalf of Human Rights Watch (HRW).
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