FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The United States has recently been made aware of new reports of the Congolese government engaging in severe human rights violations in the Kasai regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The latest report accuses the Congolese military of actively engaging in increased human rights violations, including summary executions of women and children and mass rape.

“Reports of the Congolese government’s campaign of murder and rape of women and children should shock us into action. These allegations must be investigated and those responsible held accountable. It is past time for the Human Rights Council to take decisive action and launch an independent investigation into the human rights violations and abuses in the DRC. This is the core mission of the HRC. If they can’t act in a situation this horrifying, why bother having one,” said Ambassador Haley.

Over the last year, the Human Rights Council has failed to take any serious action against the human rights violations and abuses committed by the DRC and armed groups in the Kasais.