LONDON, 12 Nov. - (ANA) - Ahead of the trial that begins on 12 November in Paris of Roger Lumbala Tshitenga, a Congolese armed group leader accused of complicity in crimes against humanity, including killings, torture and rape, that were committed in North Kivu province in 2002 and 2003, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for East and Southern Africa’s regional office, Vongai Chikwanda said:

 

“Survivors of these crimes have waited for over two decades for justice. This historic trial is an opportunity to send a clear signal that those suspected of criminal responsibility of mass atrocities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are mistaken if they believe they can hide in other countries away from scrutiny. All those committing crimes under international law and grave human rights violations in the DRC should be held individually accountable.

 

“This trial is the first to use the principle of universal jurisdiction for crimes under international law committed in DRC by a Congolese national during the Second Congo War and a rare case against an official who once held the rank of minister. That the DRC has been unable or unwilling to investigate and hold domestic trials for past crimes is no longer an excuse for the international community to continue looking the other way. In fact, it is an opportunity for other countries where armed group leaders suspected of serious crimes live to assume their responsibility under the universal jurisdiction principle and open investigations into them.  

 

“DRC should not escape its obligations to investigate and, if enough admissible evidence is found, to prosecute in fair trials those suspected of criminal responsibility for the serious crimes committed in the country for over 30 years, including those perpetrated during the six-day war in Kisangani in 2000.”  

 

 

 

 

Roger Lumbala Tshitenga led the armed group Rassemblement Congolais pour la démocratie – National (RCD-N) active in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) during the Second Congo War (1998–2003). He also served as Minister of Commerce (2003-2005) and ran for president of DRC in 2006. He is accused of complicity in crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, rape, enslavement, and pillage, committed in 2002 and 2003 during Operation “Effacer le Tableau” (Erase the Board) in North Kivu and Ituri provinces. The operation became infamous for the crimes under international law committed against civilians, particularly the Mbuti and Nande ethnic groups, including killings, acts of torture, rapes and other sexual crimes, and forced cannibalism.   - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/12 November 2025 - - -