By Spy Uganda
The European Union Council has imposed restrictive measures on nine individuals and one entity for their roles in serious human rights violations and sustaining the armed conflict, instability, and insecurity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The Council’s decision targets leaders and commanders from various armed groups operating in the eastern DRC.
”Today, the Council imposed restrictive measures on nine individuals and one entity responsible for acts that constitute serious human rights violations and abuses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and for sustaining the armed conflict, instability and insecurity in the Eastern DRC” EU Council said in a statement.
Among those listed are Benjamin Mbonimpa, executive secretary, and Brigadier-General Justin Gacheri Musanga of the March 23 Movement/Congolese Revolutionary Army (M23/ARC).
The EU Council also sanctioned Pierre Celestin Rurakabijem and Commander Gustave Kubwayo of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda – Forces Combattantes Abacunguzi (FDLR-FOCA), for their roles in inciting violence and committing serious human rights abuses, including killings, sexual violence, attacks on civilians, and child recruitment.
The Council further listed Amigo Kiribige, a commander of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), for extreme violence against civilians. Sanctions were also placed on the spokesperson and a commander of the Collectif des Mouvements pour le Changement-Forces de Défense du Peuple (CMC-FDP), an armed group active in the eastern DRC known for kidnappings, arbitrary detentions, executions, use of child combatants, illegal taxes, and logging. Colonel Augustin Migabo of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) was included in the list as well.
Additionally, the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), a politico-military movement created in Kenya but operating in the eastern DRC, was sanctioned along with its political leader, Corneille Nangaa Yobeluo, for its association with non-governmental armed groups like M23/ARC.
These sanctions include a travel ban and asset freeze. EU citizens and companies are prohibited from making funds available to the designated individuals and entity.
This brings the total number of individuals and entities under EU restrictive measures related to human rights violations and electoral obstruction in the DRC to 31 individuals and one entity. The relevant legal acts have been published in the Official Journal of the EU.
The EU initially adopted autonomous individual restrictive measures concerning the DRC in 2016, responding to serious human rights violations and the obstruction of the electoral process.
On December 5, 2022, the Council amended the designation criteria to allow for sanctions against those sustaining, supporting, or benefiting from the armed conflict, instability, or insecurity in the DRC, including those exploiting the situation through the illicit exploitation and trade of natural resources.
