{"id":45755,"date":"2025-02-28T09:08:25","date_gmt":"2025-02-28T08:08:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/osazuwaakonedo.news\/?p=45755"},"modified":"2025-02-28T09:19:18","modified_gmt":"2025-02-28T08:19:18","slug":"icc-prosecutor-visits-congo-gives-warlord-notice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osazuwaakonedo.news\/icc-prosecutor-visits-congo-gives-warlord-notice\/","title":{"rendered":"ICC Prosecutor Visits Congo, Gives Warlord Notice"},"content":{"rendered":"
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International Criminal Court, ICC Prosecutor, Karim Khan has visited the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC and issued notice to any warlord, militia leader including the leader of the Congo River Alliance, AFC that included the M23 rebels, Corneille Nangaa that the ICC is developing\u00a0 new ways for all parties in the ongoing conflict to partner with DRC and end the war either by establishing a special court in Congo, or through the independent work of the ICC Prosecutor’s Office, adding that, justice is a right for all and the President of Congo, Felix Tshisekedi told the ICC that he has made plans to hold International Conference in Kinshasa in April 2025 to find sustainable solutions to the conflict, with ICC calling on any armed group, any armed forces, any allies of armed groups or armed forces that they don\u2019t have a blank cheque; and they must comply with international humanitarian law which ICC through the effective application of the law, must show that the life of people in the DRC has equal value as those in all other situations addressed by the ICC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Details of the two days visit are presented below as reported as published in the ICC website:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Statement: 27 February 2025,
ICC Prosecutor Karim A A Khan KC concludes visit to the DRC: Effective justice must be at the heart of our response to this crisis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

“I have concluded my second mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), held from 24 to 26 February 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This visit underlined my commitment to further intensify the work of my Office in delivering justice and accountability in the DRC, particularly in the East. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is something we cannot do alone. It will be delivered together with the victims, civil society, affected communities, and national authorities of the DRC that I have met with in the last two days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Upon arrival, I recalled the reactivation of my Office\u2019s investigations in the DRC as announced in October 2024, and sent a clear message to those on the ground: Any armed group, any armed forces, any allies of armed groups or armed forces don\u2019t have a blank cheque. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They must comply with international humanitarian law. Through the effective application of the law, we must show that the lives of those in the DRC have equal value as those in all other situations addressed by the ICC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During my visit, I had the honour of meeting with His Excellency President F\u00e9lix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo. Our discussions were candid and focused on the urgent need to address the grave situation in the eastern DRC, where violence has escalated alarmingly. We reaffirmed our shared commitment to combating impunity and ensuring justice for victims of the most serious crimes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We agreed that to deliver lasting accountability, we must find a new way of doing things. In this spirit, the President reaffirmed his engagement to convene an international conference to be held in April in Kinshasa aimed at delivering a holistic, sustainable and comprehensive solution for justice in the DRC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Any warlord, any militia leader in any part of the DRC should be on notice that we are looking at new ways to forge a stronger partnership with the DRC. Whether it is the special court that is to be established here, or whether it is the independent work of my Office, justice is a right for all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was also pleased to again have the opportunity to engage with the Prosecutor of the Cassation Court, the Auditor General of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and the First President of the High Military Court, my Office\u2019s judicial partners in the DRC, to further explore avenues for enhancing judicial cooperation and building stronger collaboration to reinforce the trust in the process in order to achieve an impact that will be felt by victims and populations afflicted by these serious ongoing crimes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The meeting with the President of the Constitutional Court and President of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary was another productive exchange focusing on the need for a robust national judicial process, in parallel with my Office\u2019s ongoing investigations to end the long-lasting cycle of violence and impunity in the DRC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My delegation and I met with a group of victims of sexual violence, whose testimonies underscored the urgent need for justice and reparations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my meeting with H E Ir\u00e8ne Esambo, Minister of Persons with Disabilities and other Vulnerable Persons, we discussed the importance of addressing the rights and protections for persons with disabilities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I emphasised my Office\u2019s commitment, in line with our corresponding policies published in December 2023, to seek accountability for gender-based crimes and crimes against and affecting children wherever they may arise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During my dialogue with representatives from various NGOs and CSOs, I reiterated my Office\u2019s support to their call for empowerment in fulfilling their mandate, including through the hosting of two thematic roundtables and the development and publication of guidance materials for non-governmental organisations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My mission to the DRC would not have been possible without the support of MoNUSCO and the personal engagement of Ms Bintou Keita, Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the DRC and Head of MoNUSCO, who once again, with her excellent team, provided to me a very insightful overview of the situation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am also grateful to Professor Taylor Lubanga, Charg\u00e9 de mission of the Head of the State in charge of the cooperation with the ICC, and to all authorities for the valuable support provided during my stay. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we move forward, my Office remains steadfast in its mandate to uphold justice and accountability. We call upon all stakeholders\u2014victims, witnesses, national and international organisations, civil society groups, and State authorities\u2014to continue their cooperation and support in our collective pursuit of justice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This mission has reaffirmed our collective determination to pursue justice for the victims of atrocities and to hold perpetrators accountable. I am grateful for the warm welcome and the constructive dialogues that have taken place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Together, through the investigations of my Office and through our collective work to establish a firmer basis for domestic action in the DRC, we will now accelerate our work towards a future where justice prevails, and the rights of all individuals are upheld”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On February 27, 2025, we had reported that Corneille Nangaa, the leader of the Congo River Alliance, AFC which includes the M23 Rebels has confirmed the death of 11 persons and 65 others sustaining injuries when multiple bombs were detonated in the Congo city of Bukavu when mammoth crowds of Congolese residents gathered at a rally organised by the rebel groups after they took over the town earlier in February 2025 with the Congolese President, Felix Tshisekedi describing the bombings as a terrorist attack committed by a foreign army currently on Congolese soil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We had reported that the M23 rebels have announced the takeover of South Kivu city of Bukavu in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC and now in control of another major airport in the Kivu region, the Kavumu Airport after the secessionist armed fighters sacked Congolese soldiers and foreign mercenaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We had reported that the United Nations, UN says dozens of inmates with more than 150 female prisoners alongside their babies were burnt alive on January 27, 2025 when some detainees at Munzenze prison in Goma set fire on the facility to escape after M23 advanced to takeover the city, forcing prison guards to flee and shot dead many inmates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It would be recalled we had reported that; in a bitter reaction to the statement credited to South Africa President, Cyril Ramaphosa over the killing of 13 SA soldiers in Goma by M23 rebels, Rwanda President, Paul Kagame has talked tough over President Ramaphosa description of Rwanda Defence Force, RDF as a militia group working with M23 and the SA President’s threat: reshared and commented on President Cyril Ramaphosa X social media post published: accused South Africa of being a party in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo who always launch offensive operations against M23 rebels, only trying to manipulate the public by thus falsely claiming to be a peacekeeper in a war the SA has joined hands to escalate, this, as hundreds of Romania mercenaries contracted to fight against M23 rebels ceded or surrendered to M23 rebels in the present of the rebels spokesperson, Willy Ngoma in Goma who was seen in videos warning and cautioning the Romanians never to come to Congo to fight against them before the Romanians were transported to Rwanda for further assistance to their country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We had reported that over 1,200 men of the Armed Forces of Democratic Republic of Congo have ceded or surrendered Goma, the country’s largest city to M23 rebels with DRC military uniforms flooding the streets after they pulled off the army attires and took refuge at UN Peacekeeping military base leaving South Africa soldiers to continue to fight on, but South Africa military formation in Congo in a statement denying that its men did not surrender to M23 rebels, insisting that the White flag hoisted by one of his soldiers during heavy gun battle with the rebels was normal military tradition for both sides to ceasefire to enable the South Africa troops passage to receive medical supply and as well give room to the M23 rebels the opportunity to rescue their men injured in front of the South Africa military base near Goma Airport, this, as thousands of pro government protesters attacked and burnt some portions of US, French, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and other foreign embassies in Kinshasa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We previously had reported that thousands of prisoners at Munzenze Prison facility in Goma, the capital city of North Kivu Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo may have set themselves free after M23 rebels took control of Goma early morning hours with videos posted online showing civilians flooding back to Goma and welcoming the M23 rebels in a rousing manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier same day, we also reported that one of the most troubled countries in Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo government  begged civilian residents in the country to flood streets on Monday, 27 January 2025 just as M23 rebels are now in control of Goma, after killing the Congolese military commander, over nine South Africa soldiers, a total of 12 UN Peacekeepers, forcing other Congolese soldiers to surrender their weapons before the 3:00am Monday 27, 2025 deadline set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We had earlier in January 2025 reported that M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo early this year advanced and seized the town of Masisi, same period the Congolese government sent 172 death row prisoners to executioners with 102 already confirmed executed while the government kept mum on the third batch of 70 prisoners including the May 19, 2024 37 coup plotters who were convicted and sentenced to death in September, 2024 just as the country Minister of Justice, Constant Mutamba threatened journalists with death penalty if they relayed the activities of armed group he described as Rwanda army and its M23 auxiliaries. <\/p>\n

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