UN Special Adviser on Genocide Finds Massive Violations

Francis Deng, the UN's special adviser on genocide, says that massive violations of international human rights and humanitarian law are being committed on the basis of ethnicity and national origin in the DRC. Deng visited the great lakes region from 23 November to 4 December 2008.

The key finding:

The Special Adviser met with some of the leaders of the major armed groups and community leaders in the eastern part of DRC. They all claimed that their groups have been victims of recurrent genocides in the history of the country... All these allegations and counter-allegations were made with conviction and emotive fervor, that can incite followers into genocidal violence. The Special Adviser was also informed that messages fomenting ethnic hatred were being broadcast by some local radios and used by leaders of political parties.

Deng urged all parties to the conflict to end all atrocities and work urgently towards a political solution that will bring comprehensive and sustainable peace to the DRC by addressing the root causes, in particular their legitimate concerns respect to sharing political power and the benefits of national development and resource allocation. Deng also urged all leaders, in the DRC and beyond, to work towards ethnic reconciliation and end activities that result in the stigmatization of ethnic groups and may encourage genocide.

Note that this statement is entirely distinct from the other UN report issued today.