The European Union (EU) has reiterated its call for Rwanda to withdraw its troops operating alongside M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The offensive of the M23-RDF coalition in North Kivu, denounces the EU, exposes millions of people to human rights violations, in particular to displacement and deprivation. and gender-based violence, with complete impunity.
Extremely concerned by this escalation of violence, the EU called on all parties to do their utmost to protect civilians, prevent violations of international law and ensure safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid.
“We reiterate our call to cease all support and/or cooperation between Rwanda and the DRC on the one hand, and armed groups on the other, in particular between Rwanda and the M23, which bears the majority of the responsibility for the massive deterioration of the humanitarian situation, particularly around Goma. We also reiterate our call to Rwanda to immediately withdraw its troops from the territory of the DRC,” the EU said during the enhanced interactive dialogue on the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human and Human Rights. team of Independent experts on the Democratic Republic of Congo, held Tuesday April 2 in Geneva, Switzerland.
In the process, the EU reaffirmed that there is no military solution to this conflict: “The European Union reaffirms its firm support for the Luanda and Nairobi processes and calls for a rapid relaunch of the latest initiative “.
In addition, the European delegation in Geneva shared Volker Türk’s concern about the increase in speech of an ethnic nature and incitement to violence, particularly in the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu, as well as than in the Kasai and Katanga regions, after last year’s general elections.
“The EU urges all political and civil society actors to contribute to a dialogue focused on peace and to refrain from any escalation,” she stressed.
Regarding the lifting of the moratorium on the execution of the death penalty, the EU reaffirmed its firm and unequivocal opposition to the use of this measure “at any time and in all circumstances”.
“Capital punishment violates the inalienable right to life and is incompatible with human dignity. The death penalty does not have an effective deterrent effect against crime and makes any judicial error irreversible,” the EU insisted.
This article is originally published on .mediacongo.net
