By Jennifer M. Haralambides
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo – Due to accusations that the Congolese army killed 62 civilians, the United Nations (UN) has withdrawn its support to the soldiers operating in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

“[C]ivilians have been clearly targeted in attacks by certain elements of the FARDC (the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo),” said UN peacekeeping chief Alain Leroy.

Human Rights activists have persistently said that ethnic Hutus were being killed by the Congolese army.  They have also accused the UN of doing little to stop the killings.

Leroy stated that the peacekeeping mission (Monuc) will “immediately suspend” its logistical and operational support to the army units who are implicated in the killings.

Source say that at least 62 civilians, including women and children, were killed between May and September 2009 in the Nord-Kivu province.

There is currently a UN joint inquiry in the killings being carried out with the Congolese army.  The UN is awaiting the results of the inquiry before any further action.

Human Rights groups have estimated that hundreds of civilians have been killed and thousands of women have been raped by rebels and soldiers since DR Congo and Rwanda launched the joint offensive in January.

The Hutu rebel group has been at the heart of the years of unrest in the region.  They have participated in the massacres of more than 500,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus.  The UN has been providing logistical assistance to the FARDC since March in their efforts to tackle Rwandan Hutu rebels.

For more information, please see:

AFP – UN Suspends Support for DR Congo Army Over Killings – 2 November 2009

AP – UN: Congolese Army Killed 62 Civilians in E. Congo – 2 November 2009

BBC – UN Drops Congo Army Over Killings – 2 November 2009

Xinhua – DR Congo in Better Situation But Still in Aftermath of Insecurity – 2 November 2009

Reuters –  Lack of U.N. Air Power Endangers Congo Civilians – 1 November 2009

By Jennifer M. Haralambides
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

HARARE, Zimbabwe – Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and President Robert Mugabe continue to verbally combat one another amidst their efforts to work together.

This past Saturday, Mugabe took a “sharp dig” at Tsvangirai and criticized his decision to boycott the country’s Unity Cabinet.  On October 16, Tsvangirai temporarily withdrew from the Cabinet citing a lack of co-operation and human rights abuses by Mugabe and his party as the reason why.

“Even if some person is not mentally stable he is still your partner . . . . We bound ourselves to work together even though we had disparate positions.  We will continue talking, no matter what,” continued Mugabe.

Mugabe, 85 years-old, has ruled Zimbabwe since its independence from Britain in 1980.  Mugabe said that although he disagrees with his former coalition partner, he remains committed to working with his party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), to reform the power-sharing agreement.

While speaking at the funeral of one of his party’s senate members, Mugabe said the MDC party has “one leg in, and one leg out” of the government.

“The requirement is that we indeed continue step-by-step to move together and whatever are the difficulties, become our difficulties together,” he continued.

Mugabe criticizes any external involvement regarding the disengagement of the MDC party from the cabinet.  He says that it is not for outsiders to resolve.  Mugabe also slammed Western countries for misusing their economic power to impose sanctions on his country.  And he announced that Zimbabwe would consider taking the fight against the sanctions tot he international fora.

Political unrest and violence both hover in the horizon as these two leaders try to re-forge a unity government.  In February of this year, the leaders combined to form a unity government.  This occurred after two violence-plagued elections left the country at a political standstill and in economic ruin.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Mugabe Criticises MDC Boycott – 31 October 2009

AP – Zimbabwe Pres.: Opposition “Not Mentally Stable” – 31 October 2009

AP – Zimbabwe: Mugabe Takes Sharp Dig at Tsvangirai – 31 October 2009

Xinhua – Zimbabwe’s Political Problems for Zimbabweans to Solve: Mugabe – 31 October 2009

By Kylie M Tsudama
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone – Eight men found guilty by the United Nations-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) of war crimes and crimes against humanity have been transferred from Sierra Leone to a prison in Rwanda to serve their sentences.

The prisoners were sent from the SCSL detention facilities in Freetown, Sierra Leone to Rwanda because there are currently no prisons in Sierra Leone that meet international standards.

“Amid tight security, the eight men were flown by helicopter from the Special Court compound to Lungi International Airport, where they boarded a U.N.-chartered plane for Kigali, Rwanda,” said the Court in a statement.

According to spokesman Peter Andersen, they “left shortly after 0400 GMT.”

Of the men transferred, three were from the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) who were convicted in February on charges of terrorism, murder, rape, sexual slavery, and use of child soldiers among others.  For the first time in history, these men were convicted of forced marriage and attacks against peacekeepers.

Last week, SCSL upheld former RUF Interim Leader Issa Hassan Sesay’s sentence of 52 years, RUF Commander Morris Kallon’s sentence of 40 years, and former RUF Chief of Security Augustine Gbao’s sentence of 25 years.  Three former leaders of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), Alex Tamba Brima, Ibrahim Bazzy Kamara, and Santigie Borbor Kanu and two former leaders of the Civil Defense Forces (CDF), Moinina Fofana and Allieu Kondewa complete the list of prisoners.

The eight prisoners have been transferred to Mpanga Prison in Rwanda where they will be held in the part of the prison originally built to house prisoners convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).  Their incarceration at this facility was facilitated by an agreement made between SCSL and the Rwandan government.

Time served while held by the SCSL will be given to the prisoners as credit toward their sentences.

Former Liberian President Charles Taylor’s trial, the last remaining defendant for the SCSL, is being held in The Hague, where it was moved for security reasons.  He is accused of controlling the RUF.

For more information, please see:

AFP – Sierra Leone Ex-rebels Leave to be Jailed in Rwanda: Court – 31 October 2009

Cocorioko – Special Court Prisoners Sent to Rwanda to Serve Their Sentences – 31 October 2009

Reuters – Sierra Leone Court Sends Convicts to Rwandan Prison – 31 October 2009

UN News Centre – Sierra Leone: Eight Men Found Guilty of War Crimes Transferred to Rwanda – 31 October 2009