In June the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, Navi Pillay, identified five of the M23’s leaders as “among the worst perpetrators of human rights violations in the DRC, or in the world.” They include Gen. The group’s senior commanders have a well-known history of serious abuses against civilians. The M23 armed group consists of soldiers who participated in a mutiny from the Congolese national army in April and May 2012. “M23 commanders should be held accountable for these crimes, and the Rwandan officials supporting these abusive commanders could face justice for aiding and abetting the crimes.” “The M23 rebels are committing a horrific trail of new atrocities in eastern Congo,” said Anneke Van Woudenberg, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. Human Rights Watch based its findings on interviews with 190 Congolese and Rwandan victims, family members, witnesses, local authorities, and current or former M23 fighters between May and September. The Rwandan army has deployed its troops to eastern Congo to directly support the M23 rebels in military operations. Rwandan officials may be complicit in war crimes through their continued military assistance to M23 forces, Human Rights Watch said.
Thirty-three of those executed were young men and boys who tried to escape the rebels’ ranks. (Goma) – M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are responsible for widespread war crimes, including summary executions, rapes, and forced recruitment.
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