burundi: U.N. Congo-Burundi Mission Should Prioritise Civilian Protection

For Immediate Release:

U.N. Congo-Burundi Mission Should Prioritize Civilian Protection

(New York, June 6, 2003) - The U.N. Security Council must focus on
wartime violence against civilians in its upcoming mission to the Great
Lakes region of Africa, Human Rights Watch said today. A Security
Council mission to investigate recent violence will visit the Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burundi beginning tomorrow. Both countries
have at least partial peace agreements in place, but combat continues
with civilians as prime targets.

In an open letter to the Security Council, Human Rights Watch also urged
the Council to raise the need for justice for these abuses with the
leaders in the region.

Human Rights Watch welcomed the recent decision of the Council to
authorize a multinational force for Bunia in northeastern DRC, but
raised fears about tens of thousands of civilians outside the town whose
fate is unknown. In recent days, there has been renewed violence in Aru,
Mongbwalu and Tchomia- all of which are areas outside the current
mandate of the new force. Human Rights Watch called on the Security
Council to urge the interim force to be prepared to respond to such
attacks against civilians.

"Tens of thousands of civilians continue to live in fear for their lives
in both Congo and Burundi," said Alison Des Forges, senior adviser to
the Africa division at Human Rights Watch. "The Security Council must
use its influence to stop abuses against them."

On Burundi, Human Rights Watch urges the Council to ensure the new
Burundian government delivers on its promises to end the war and deliver
justice. In several of the most serious massacres, government soldiers
have escaped meaningful punishment. On the rebel side, both the Forces
for the Defense of Democracy (FDD) and the Front for National Liberation
(FNL) have summarily executed civilians. The Security Council should
call upon the Burundian government and the rebel forces to stop these
abuses and adhere strictly to international humanitarian law.

Both DRC and Burundi are in the midst of a shaky peace process and in
recent months have suffered from renewed fighting with devastating
consequences for the local population. On May 30, the Security Council
authorized an Interim Emergency Multinational Force to bring peace to
the town of Bunia in Ituri. The force is due to arrive in the coming
days. In Burundi, the first-ever peacekeeping mission of the African
Union arrived in April 2003 with troops from South Africa, Mozambique
and Ethiopia to monitor the ceasefire.

The letter to Security Council members is available at
http://hrw.org/press/2003/06/greatlakes060603ltr.htm.

For more information, please contact:
In Washington, Alison Des Forges: +1-202-612-4325
In Washington, Janet Fleischman: +1-202-612-4325
In London, Anneke Van Woudenberg: +44-20-7713-2786/ +44-77-1166-4960

--
Jeff Scott, Ph. D.
Africa Division
Human Rights Watch
Phone: +1-212-216-1834
Fax: +1-212-736-1300
http://www.hrw.org/africa/index.php
en français, http://www.hrw.org/french/africa/