THE CONFLICT IN THE DRC
HAS TAKEN 5 MILLION LIVES
OVER THE PAST DECADE
SOLDIERS USE THE RAPE
OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN AS
A COMMON WEAPON OF WAR
APPROXIMATELY 30,000
CHILDREN HAVE BEEN RECRUITED
INTO ARMED GROUPS
For many decades, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been home to horrific human rights violations, during conflicts related to the exploitation of the country’s minerals. Few people in the DRC have not been affected by crimes against humanity, war crimes and other serious human rights violations. Crimes of sexual violence have also been committed on a massive scale. Children have been recruited to serve in the armed forces and armed opposition groups.
Only five public arrest warrants have been issued by the International Criminal Court to date for those responsible for these crimes.
DRC authorities continue to ignore a warrant issued in 2006 for Bosco Ntaganda, who is charged with enlisting, conscripting and using child soldiers under the age of 15 in 2002 and 2003.
Today civilians continue to be targeted by armed groups and Congolese soldiers in eastern DRC who commit extrajudicial executions, rapes and arbitrary detentions on a daily basis. Men, women and children continue to be attacked, killed and displaced.
Impunity for these crimes is unacceptable. Demand the arrest of Bosco Ntaganda. Demand the DRC government take immediate action to implement a long-term comprehensive plan of action to end impunity.
More information on this topic is available at amnesty.org
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