Washington: Congressman André Carson, U.S. representative for Indiana’s 7th congressional district since 2008, introduced a resolution condemning the violence perpetuated against ethnic minorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Human rights organizations and advocacy groups have documented concerning acts of violence performed by members of the Armed Forces of the DRC and militias against ethnic minorities that may meet one or more criteria for genocide under Article II of the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Targets are primarily Rwandophone communities, or those whose mother tongue is Kinyarwanda. Armed groups and often abusive security forces continue to carry out massacres, abductions, rape and sexual violence, recruitment of children, and other attacks on civilians.
“Individuals fleeing violence from the Democratic Republic of the Congo make up one of Indiana’s largest refugee populations,” said Congressman Carson. “The U.S. has strategic interest in this region, but we also have a moral obligation to stand up to human rights abuses whenever and wherever they occur. I remain concerned that the situation in the DRC has not received the international attention it merits for such grave acts of violence. I invite all my colleagues to join me in this resolution and hold perpetrators accountable.”
The voices of the people in the Democratic Republic of Congo frequently go unheard both in the United States and on the international stage,” said Amber Maze, co-founder and executive director of Indiana-based Crane Center for Mass Atrocity Prevention. “However, violence targeting ethnic minorities, especially the Rwandophone, Tutsi, and Banyamulenge communities, has been on the rise since the resurgence of the M-23 armed group. Politicians have exploited anti-Rwandophone sentiments to bolster their political agendas, exacerbating the situation. It is imperative we address the needs of those impacted by this conflict. Through this resolution, the United States has the opportunity to remind Congolese officials of their duty to safeguard all citizens regardless of ethnicity. We are grateful to Representative Carson for his leadership on this issue.”
Included in the resolution are calls for: social media companies to curb hate speech and incitement to violence on their platforms, immediate action by the government of the DRC including humanitarian assistance and to hold all state security forces that perpetuate atrocities against the civilian population accountable, the Secretary of State to investigate atrocities and coordinate with stakeholders, President Biden to appoint a Special Envoy to the Great Lakes region of Africa, impose targeted sanctions against known human rights abusers in the DRC, and protect those fleeing ethnic-based violence in the DRC including designating Rwandophones for Priority 2 access to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. (End)