Human Rights Watch has
repeatedly condemned the atrocities committed by a group involved in the fighting in Eastern Congo, Human Rights Watch said today, responding to a statement made by the UN envoy to the Democratic
Republic of Congo.
The UN special representative of the secretary-general, Alan Doss, made the statement in a news release on April 30, 2009, that Human Rights Watch had not condemned the
atrocities of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).
"Human Rights Watch has repeatedly and vigorously denounced the war crimes being committed by FDLR combatants in no
fewer than four recent news releases," said Georgette Gagnon, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "We urge those concerned by the situation in the Congo to read these detailed and
disturbing reports."
Human Rights Watch was one of the first organizations to denounce publicly the tactic of reprisal attacks against civilians by the FDLR in North and South Kivu
provinces. In news releases on February 13, April 8, April 23, and April 29, Human Rights Watch documented the brutal and widespread killing of civilians, including children, and the rape of dozens of
women and girls by FDLR combatants.
In its February 13 news release, Human Rights Watch said that these killings were of "ghastly proportions" and, in this and subsequent releases, the
organization condemned the attacks as war crimes, calling on those responsible to be held to account.
Children wear protective masks as they wait for a flight in Lima's airport May 1, 2009. Peru's health minister pulled back on Thursday from a diagnosis of influenza A (H1N1), formerly ...
