Pressure mounts on U.N. in Congo (MONUC) to arrest war criminal Nkunda

Sacramento, California, December 23, 2008: The Mobilization for Justice and Peace in Congo (MPJC) reiterated its call for the UN in Congo (MONUC) to immediately arrest the notorious war criminal Nkunda in order to at least give some meaning to their own recent findings which revealed that at least 150 people were killed innocently in early November by Nkunda's troops in the village of Kiwanja. Incontestably, the UN report offers a light showing that Nkunda continues to commit war crimes. According to the Director of Community Affairs of the MPJC, Makuba SEKOMBO, the MPJC invites community organizations, religious organizations, trade unions, and other members of the community to join in calling for MONUC to carry out its international obligations by immediately arresting the war criminal who seems to be finding pleasure in continuing to inflict unacceptable and intolerable suffering to the most vulnerable groups of the civil society in eastern DR Congo.

MPJC believes that the failure of MONUC to take measures to arrest this war criminal has served to encourage him to commit more war crimes against civilians. According to Mr. SEKOMBO, the tragic humanitarian crisis in North Kivu for example could have been avoided if the United Nations had taken seriously the warnings from Human Rights Watch since 2006 that as long as Nkunda is at large, the civilian population remains in great danger. Instead of taking these warnings seriously, the MONUC decided to make this notorious war criminal a partner ignoring even that in 2005, the Government of Congo has issued an international arrest warrant against him for his involvement in many war crimes and other serious violations of human rights. "Without mentioning that the most prestigious organizations in the world such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and others begun to document war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by troops under the direct command of NKUNDA since 2002, why it remains unpunished? " Mr. SEKOMBO asked him self.

"It is both ironic and tragic; MONUC which is in Congo to help promote peace, is now engaged in promoting a culture of rewarding war criminals by helping them to be appointed to high level government posts instead of ensuring that these war criminals are duly punished for war crimes they commit, "said SEKOMBO. He also denounced the failure of MONUC to take appropriate measures to arrest NKUNDA despite new evidence that his troops continue to commit heinous crimes against innocent civilians, including repeated massacres of civilians, forced recruitment of children as fighters and then use them to attack civilian comunities and sexual violence against women and children. "We also believe that it is not too late for the United Nations to help transform the situation in Congo, but peace and justice must go hand in hand" said SEKOMBO


MPJC recently launched a petition to collect signatures of concerned citizens around the world to demand the United Nations Mission in Congo (MONUC) to immediately arrest the notorious war criminal Nkunda. Citizens of the world are signing the petition, including those of Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, the United States, Kenya, Sweden, Rwanda, France, Germany, Denmark, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, the Philippines, South Africa, Malawi, Burundi, Senegal, Nigeria, Spain, Japan, United Kingdom Venezuela, China, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Uganda. The online petition can be signed at http://www.gopetition.com/online/23604.html.
About the MJPC.

MJPC (www.mjpcongo.org) aims to add a voice in the promotion of justice and peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in particular in the east where thousands of innocent civilians, including children and women continue to be victims of massive human rights violations while the armed groups responsible for these crimes remain unpunished. Visit the online museum of victims of war in Congo at http://www.yoursilenceoncongo.org to see the unacceptable barbarity that you could help stop by signing the petition. For more information on MJPC and their activities, visit the wbsite www.mjpcongo.org. or call 916 753 5717. The online petition can be signed at http://www.gopetition.com/online/23604.html.