Garreton condemns upsurge of violence

The UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the DRC, Roberto Garreton, has condemned the upsurge of violence in the Kivus. In a statement issued in Geneva yesterday (Thursday), he urged all sides fighting in the area to respect international humanitarian law and spare civilian victims. According to the statement, he condemned specifically the killing of 70 people, reportedly by the rebel Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD) in Rutshuru last month. Garreton also expressed concern over a reported massacre near Bukavu between 19 and 21 March, in which 250 people were allegedly killed. The killings were first reported by the Missionary News Agency, MISNA, which claimed they were perpetrated by Rwandan and RCD forces in retaliation for Mayi-Mayi attacks in the villages of Burhinyi and Ngweshe. The report said however that 200 bodies had “already been buried”. It made no mention of casualties sustained during the Mayi-Mayi attack and there has been no independent confirmation of the report.