Regional Tensions Bring Legal Battle Over Rebel Support

By Sarah Holmes

On Thursday, September 26th, the regional East African Court of Justice located in Arusha, Tanzania opened a case filed by Congo against Rwanda. The case set forth by the Democratic Republic of the Congo accuses Rwanda of violating its sovereignty and territorial integrity by supporting rebel troops in the Eastern Congo. This region of the Congo has faced the struggle of more than 120 armed rebel groups fighting for power, land and mineral resources. Other groups just try to defend their communities from the mass killings, rapes and other human rights atrocities committed by armed groups. The violence in this region has displaced around 6 million people. 

As of July, a U.N. report has estimated that around 3,000-4,000 Rwandan troops are deployed in Eastern Congo, alongside the M23 rebel group. The M23 rebel military group is made up of ethnic Tutsis that broke apart from the Congolese army just over 10 years ago. In the report released on Thursday, it was brought to light that Rwanda’s army and M23 rebel group have also shelled camps where tens of thousands of Congolese are seeking refuge. 

The court proceedings came just a day after Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi addressed Rwanda’s support for M23 rebels in the country, and called for sanctions against Rwanda. This case will now be seen by the East African Court of Justice, a regional court made up of Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, and Tanzania. The Congo hopes to not only hold Rwanda accountable for human rights violations, and breaches of international law, but to also secure reparations for victims.