The international criminal court’s (ICC) conviction of the Congolese rebel leader Bosco Ntaganda send a strong message that justice may await those responsible for grave crimes in the Democratic Republic of Congo, human rights watch said today.
Today July 08 2019, a panel of three judges unanimously found Ntaganda guilty of 13 counts of war crimes and five counts of crimes against humanity committed in Ituri, eastern Congo, in 2002 and 2003. The charges include murder and attempted murder, rape, sexual slavery, attacking civilians, pillaging, and displacement of civilians, attacking protected objects, and recruiting and using child soldiers. The judges found that Ntaganda and others agreed on a common plan to attack and drive the ethnic Lendu population out of Ituri through the commission of crimes. Human Rights Watch issued a question-and-answer document on Ntaganda’s trial.
“The long-awaited judgement provides an important measure of justice for Bosco Ntaganda’s victims and puts others responsible for grave crimes on notice,” said Maria Elena Vignoli, international justice counsel at Human Rights Watch.
“But renewed violence in eastern Congo highlights the need to address the impunity for other abusive leaders.”
The resurgence of violence in Ituri since early June has left scores dead and displaced more than 300 000 people.
During earlier fighting in Ituri Ntaganda was chief of military operations of the Union of Congolese Patriots (Union of Congolese, UPC), a predominantly ethnic Hemma armed group, the UPC was led by Thomas Lubanga, who was convicted by the ICC in 2012 for using child soldiers. Between 2002 and 2005, forces under Ntaganda’s command were implicated in many serious crimes, including ethnic massacres, torture, rape and the widespread recruitment of children, some as young as seven. The ICC issued two arrest warrants against Ntaganda, one in 2006 and one in 2012. Ntaganda surrendered to the United States embassy in Kigali, Rwanda in March 2013.
If upheld on appeal, the case could become the first final conviction at the ICC for crimes of sexual violence, including against men.
The courts will schedule hearings in the coming weeks to determine Ntaganda’s sentence and reparations for victim. It should take all necessary steps to ensure that affected communities in Congo learn about the judgment and next steps, including participating in the reparations proceedings, Human Rights Watch said.
“The verdict against Ntaganda is important, but thousands of victims of atrocity crimes in Congo still await justice,” Vignoli said. “The ICC and Congolese authorities should work together to bring trial many more of those responsible for grave crimes, including senior officials.”
For more Human Rights watch reporting on Bosco Ntaganda, visit: https://www.hrw.org/topic/international-justice/bosco-ntaganda
