Kinshasa Sues Kigali at EACJ Over Eastern DRC Conflict

SATURDAY MARCH 16 2024

Congolese people carry their belongings as they flee from their villages around Sake in Masisi territory, following clashes between M23 rebels and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC); towards Goma, North Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo on February 7, 2024.

By LUKE ANAMI

The conflict in eastern Congo is taking a legal turn after Kinshasa sued Kigali at the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) in Arusha.

The application is actually dated September 2023 but was amended early this year. And the Democratic republic of Congo accuses Rwanda of abetting war as well as violating its territorial integrity.

“Over the past 25 years, Rwanda has on innumerable occasions violated the DRC’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence,” the application reads in part.

The application details what it calls a list of atrocities committed allegedly by the DRC against Rwanda going back more than 25 years ago.

“States and Regional organizations have undertaken several bilateral and multilateral diplomatic initiatives to end the conflict. These initiatives include the International Conference on the Great Lakes and the EAC led by former Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta as African Union’s peace envoy and EAC’s facilitator.”

The DRC has sought orders to bar Rwanda from infringing on its territory and has asked Rwanda to withdraw its troops it claims are based on its soil.

 “A declaration be and is hereby issued that Rwanda’s action of violating the DRC’s territorial integrity through the deployment of its RDF’s troops within the DRC’s territory has violated the EAC Treaty,” reads part of the prayers in the application by the DRC’s Minister for Justice Hon Mutombo Kiese Rose.

“A declaration is hereby issued that Rwanda’s material, financial and logistical support of the M23 has led to numerous violations of human rights that violate the EAC Treaty.”