Amnesty calls for civilian protection ahead of EAC-SADC summit

Amnesty International has condemned the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), calling on all parties to uphold human rights and prioritise civilian safety.

The organisation’s Secretary-General Agnes Callamard, warned of a worsening humanitarian crisis as residents flee Goma, the capital of North Kivu province.

“Women, children, and men are desperately trying to stay alive. Amnesty International calls on all parties to the conflict to respect international law and in particular to prioritise the protection of civilians in the context of this devastating violence,” she said.

The Sec-Gen urged the M23 rebels and the Rwandan government to create safe passage for civilians escaping the violence.

Callamard also called on states and intergovernmental organisations mediating between the DRC and Rwanda to act urgently and decisively.

“Mediators must condemn those responsible for the ongoing atrocities and make it clear that they will be held to account.”

Her remarks come hours before a planned peace summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where leaders from the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) will discuss solutions to the crisis.

The summit follows an agreement between EAC chairperson, Kenyan President William Ruto, and SADC chair, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Ruto confirmed that DRC President Félix Tshisekedi, Rwanda President Paul Kagame, South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud will attend the meeting.

The summit aims to address the escalating conflict, where M23 rebels have seized  key territories in eastern DR Congo.