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Congolese
rebel Bosco Ntganda
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The trial of the
Congolese rebel Bosco Ntganda has begun in at the International Criminal Court
in The Hague. He denies the 18 charges of war crimes and crimes against
humanity for acts carried out in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo
between 2002 and 2003. He is alleged to have killed at least 800 civilians during
separate attacks on a number of villages.
BBC report continues:
The 18 charges that Bosco Ntaganda is
facing are detailed on the International Criminal Court website. These include:
· murder and attempted murder
· attacking civilians
· rape
· conscription of child soldiers
Gen
Ntaganda denies all the charges
Ntaganda Trial 'Sends Signal That
Justice Will Catch Up'
The
trial of Congolese warlord Bosco Ntaganda starts on Wednesday at the
International Criminal Court in The Hague. He faces charges of war crimes and
crimes against humanity. Former child soldiers will give evidence.
Geraldine
Mattioli-Zeltner is the International Justice Advocacy Director at Human Rights
Watch (HRW). DW spoke to her on the eve of the long-awaited trial in The Hague
of Bosco Ntaganda. He faces 18 charges, including the rape of child soldiers by
his rebel army. Ntaganda turned himself in in March 2013. Prosecutors say he
played a central role in ethnic attacks on civilians in 2002 - 2003, in a
conflict which civil rights groups believe cost some 60,000 lives since 1999.
DW: Why is this trial so
important?
Geraldine Mattioli
Zeltner: I think this trial is very significant because it has taken a very
long time for Bosco Ntaganda to arrive in The Hague, actually more than 10
years. Human Rights Watch documented very serious crimes committed by the
troops under Ntaganda's orders since the beginning of the year 2000 in eastern
Congo, first in Ituri and then in the Kivu provinces. So it has taken a long
time but we hope that the opening of this trial on Wednesday and seeing him in
The Hague facing justice will send a signal to others involved in serious
crimes in Congo that justice will catch up with them one day.
There have been claims
that DRC neighbors, especially Uganda and Rwanda, have been fuelling the
conflict in eastern DRC. How true is this and, if so, how come no one from
these countries has been implicated?
It's a reality that in
eastern Congo many rebel groups have received support - arms and training -
from military and political officials in Rwanda and Uganda but also in the
capital of Congo, Kinshasa. There has been a lot of interest of course in the
wealth of the country, in eastern Congo, in the minerals that are there. And
that has led these officials to support the militias battling in eastern Congo.
At Human Rights Watch we have documented such support, both in Ituri and Kivu,
and we believe that, to stop the cycle of violence in eastern Congo, it is very
important that the ICC prosecutor investigates the role of those who support,
arm and train the militias there.
Mr Ntaganda is being
prosecuted for alleged crimes committed between 2002 and 2003 when he was a
member of the Union of Congolese Patriots. What about other crimes committed by
the M23 under his supervision?
This is a regret we have,
that he is not being prosecuted for more alleged crimes committed by his
troops. As I said, HRW has documented crimes since the beginning of the year
2000, throughout 2003, when he was involved with his latest armed group, the
M23. When he left Ituri in 2006, he became involved with another rebel group,
the National Congress for the Defense of the People, and after that he was
integrated into the Congolese army. Throughout that entire time, Human Rights
Watch documented very serious crimes against civilians committed by his troops
and we have called on the ICC prosecutor to add charges. In 2012 and 2013 the
ICC prosecutor added charges for other crimes committed in Ituri because he was
initially only prosecuted for the recruitment of child soldiers and he is now
prosecuted for a wider range of crimes. But it has not been possible for the
ICC prosecutor to add crimes committed in the Kivus. So we hope that other
commanders of the M23 will be prosecuted, maybe in Congo or maybe in
neighboring countries where they find refuge.
What does this trial mean
for the victims back in Congo?
Bosco Ntaganda used to
roam the streets of Goma enjoying impunity, despite the ICC arrest warrant
against him. I think for the victims it will be the signal that justice will be
done for their suffering.
Geraldine
Mattioli-Zeltner is the International Justice Advocacy Director at Human Rights
Watch
Interview: Jane
Ayeko-Kümmeth
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