BUKAVU, Congo — The trial of 84 Congolese soldiers accused of serious offenses, including murder and sexual violence against civilians, commenced on Monday. These soldiers are alleged to have invaded homes in several villages within the Kabare and Kalehe territories of South Kivu over the weekend. Reports indicate that multiple women were sexually assaulted and at least 12 individuals were killed, according to Pascal Mupenda, a lawyer representing the victims.
Mupenda criticized the soldiers’ actions, stating, “They turned their weapons against the civilian population that they were supposed to protect, while the enemy was at our doors.” He also mentioned that more soldiers are expected to face trial soon. The accused were presented to a military court in Bukavu, which is the provincial capital of South Kivu. The civilian plaintiffs have requested the death penalty for all those implicated. This demand comes in the wake of Congo lifting a moratorium on the death penalty in March, a move that has drawn criticism from human rights advocates. The last execution in the country happened in 2003.
Zawadi Chapo Ombeni, a resident of Kavumu, recounted his experience of being beaten and robbed by soldiers while attempting to escape from advancing rebels. “We were robbed by military personnel known by the state, that are serving the state,” Ombeni expressed in a phone interview, urging the government to provide compensation for the losses he suffered.
This trial unfolds as the M23 rebels, allegedly backed by Rwanda, have been making alarming territorial gains in South Kivu, particularly after seizing the strategic city of Goma in the neighboring North Kivu province. Since late January, around 3,000 individuals have lost their lives, with nearly as many left injured due to the ongoing conflict.
The rebels recently declared a unilateral ceasefire to allow for the delivery of humanitarian aid; however, the Congolese government dismissed this move as a “false communication.” According to U.N. experts, the M23 rebels have the support of approximately 4,000 Rwandan troops and represent the most formidable of over 100 armed groups operating in eastern Congo, which is rich in minerals crucial to global technology supplies.
In response to the violence, the United Nations Human Rights Council has initiated a commission to investigate atrocities occurring in eastern Congo since the start of the year, which include instances of sexual violence and extrajudicial killings by both the Congolese army and the M23 group.
