Violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Tabled by Isabelle Durant, Raül Romeva, Bart Staes and Barbara Lochbihler
On behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolution in particular that of October 2008

– having regard to its resolution on the illegal exploitation of DRC's natural resources

– having regard to its resolution on the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo and rape as a war crime, adopted on 17 January 2008, 

– having regard to Council declaration of 27 October 2009 on the Great Lakes Region.

– having regard to UN Security Council resolution 1856 (2008) on MONUC's mandate

1. Whereas the war and unrest in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has resulted in widespread and alarming scale of killings, population displacement and sexual violence against women committed by armed rebel groups as well as by government army and police forces,

2. Whereas the conflict affecting the DRC has claimed the lives of 5 400 000 people since 1998 and is still causing, either directly or indirectly, as many as 45,000 deaths every month,

3. Whereas MONUC has been in DRC since 1999 to protect the civilian population, to build peace process in the countryr, and help the government to re-establish control over the regions, which are under fighting factions,  

4. Whereas the issue of illegal exploitation of the country's natural resources some of which finds their way in other countries including in the EU is one of the factor in fuelling and exacerbating the conflict in RDC,

5. Whereas according to some information that the UN Nation is preparing an exit strategy for MONUC, which is the biggest UN peace keeping mission in the world, 

6. Whereas according to ambassador Atoki Ileka to UN, his government would like to discuss an exit strategy and favored the idea of setting specific benchmarks to a phased withdrawal of UN troops,

7. Whereas the Congolese Army continues to have insufficient human, technical and financial resources necessary to carry out its tasks in the eastern provinces of the DRC, coupled with a lack of discipline amongst its ranks, which continues to hamper its role in protecting the population and in re-establishing peace,

8. Whereas the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs(OCHA) reported that a total of 108 attacks against humanitarian workers including murders, abductions, theft of vehicles and other assets have taken place in 2009 - a marked increase on 2008.

9. Whereas several humanitarian organisations have been forced to suspend their activities and aid workers in North Kivu are unable to reach at least 70 per cent of those in need.
   
   

1. Calls for an immediate end to the violence and human rights abuses in eastern DRC. Stresses the need for further efforts to put an end to the activity of foreign-armed groups in the east of the DRC, in particular the FDLR; calls on the governments of the DRC and of other countries in the region to take the necessary steps to achieve this.
2. Remains extremely concerned by the worsening humanitarian situation in eastern DRC, following atrocities carried out by the FDLR, LRA and also the Congolese army against the local population.
3. Is extremely concerned by recent reports of deliberate killings by Congolese soldiers of at least 270 civilians in the towns of Nyabiondo and Pinga in North Kivu and recent fighting which has driven 21,800 people from their homes in and around Dongo in the west.
4. Expresses particular concern about MONUC's involvement with the Congolese army in operation Kimia II and recent reports implicating some MONUC members  in atrocities, calls on the ONU to investigate and to take the necessary measures aginst those who committed atrocities,

5. Takes note that the UN Group of experts, unpublished report, states that the anti rebel offensive, under Kima II operation, had not only failed but had worsened the plight of the civilian population,
6. Deplores in the strongest possible terms, massacres, crimes against humanity and acts of sexual violence against women and girls, which continue in the eastern provinces. In this context calls on all relevant authorities to take immediate action to bring the perpetrators to justice, and once again calls on the UN Security Council, as a matter of urgency, to take all measures capable of genuinely preventing any further attacks on the civilian population of the eastern provinces of the DRC.
7. Calls on all actors to step up the fight against impunity and uphold the rule of law in particular in fighting rape of women and girls and the recruitment of child soldiers. Calls on the Government of the DRC to ensure that those responsible for breaching human rights and international humanitarian law are held to account and that it co-operates fully with the International Criminal Court.
8. Welcomes the arrest by German authorities of Ignace Murrwanashyaka, President of the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR) and his deputy, Straton Musoni, which constitutes an important step towards addressing impunity; calls on Belgium and France to follow the German example,
9. Underlines the importance of stringent vetting of commanders and soldiers into the Congolese army; in this context welcomes the Council's recent decision on a joint action to provide advice and assistance for security sector reform (EUSEC RD Congo). Reiterates that training and payment of decent salaries are required in order to reform the Congolese army and improve discipline.
10. considers that the presence of MONUC  remains necessary and calls for every effort to be made to allow it to carry out its mandate in full to protect those under threat; in this respect, calls on the Council, to play a leading role in ensuring that the United Nations Security Council supports MONUC by strengthening its operational capacities and better defining its priorities of which there are currently 41.

11. Encourages all governments of the Great Lakes region and the international community to initiate a dialogue with the aim of coordinating efforts to stop the violence in the eastern parts of the DRC paying attention to reconciliation, human security, better judicial accountability, refugee and IDP return and integration.

12. Welcomes progress made in the Region by improved bilateral diplomatic relations between the DRC and Rwanda - calls upon the DRC and Rwanda to fully implement the Nairobi and Goma peace agreements as well as the Ihusi agreement of 23 March 2009.

13. Deplores the increasing acts of violence against aid workers, which has grave repercussions on the humanitarian situation on the ground. Urges the authorities of North Kivu to launch thorough investigations into each and every incident and for protection to be immediately stepped up. 

14. Condemns the illegal exploitation of the DRC's natural resources by its neighbours and by multinational companies, and deplores that no have been taken so far despite abundant evidence of their activities, which contributes to keeping armed groups alive; calls therefore to put on UN sanction list those involved mineral resources trading or processing,

15. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the High Representative for the CFSP, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the institutions of the African Union, the Secretary-General of the United Nations,