Dozens of runaway Congo soldiers face trial on violence charges

KINSHASA, DR Congo

DR Congo authorities will put at least 75 soldiers on trial on Monday for fleeing the advance of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels into the eastern province of South Kivu and for violence against civilians, including murder and looting, the military prosecutor’s office said on Sunday.

The United Nations has reported mass violations including summary executions, gang rape and sexual slavery in the wake of a major M23 advance in late January that lead to the capture of east Democratic Republic of Congo’s largest city of Goma.

M23 fighters, Congolese soldiers and pro-government militias were all implicated, the U.N. human rights office found.

Congo has not commented on reports concerning its troops, but called on the U.N. to investigate violations it blames on M23 rebels and Rwanda.

Rwanda, which denies backing the group, has rejected any responsibility. M23 rebels have not responded to requests for comment.

Despite announcing a unilateral ceasefire, the Tutsi-led rebels have continued to march south towards the capital of South Kivu, Bukavu.

Last week, they seized control of the town of Nyabibwe, some 70 km (40 miles) north of the provincial capital.

The 75 soldiers facing trial were arrested for fleeing the frontline after Nyabibwe’s capture. They are accused of rape, murder, looting and revolt, the military prosecutor’s office told Reuters.

Others have been arrested further south on the same charges are expected to join them in the dock, the office said.

A civil society source in Kavumu, a town 35 km north of Bukavu and home to the city’s airport, said deserting soldiers had killed 10 people, including seven sitting in a bar on Friday evening.

“Acts of looting by our uncontrolled soldiers who have fled in the face of the enemy are still being recorded,” said another civil society leader in the area, Leonidas Tabaro.

Provincial army spokesman Nestor Mavudisa said the rogue soldiers would be punished and called on the population to remain calm.

There did not appear to be a significant escalation in fighting over the weekend. Clashes were reported in a national park around 30 km from Bukavu, along with other sporadic exchanges of fire in the area.

The well-equipped M23 is the latest in a long line of ethnic Tutsi-led rebel movements to emerge in Congo’s volatile east. Congo’s government says it is a Rwandan proxy, which the rebel group and Rwanda deny.

In an attempt to diffuse the crisis, African leaders held an unprecedented joint summit of Eastern and Southern African blocs last week and urged all parties to hold direct talks.

Congo’s government said on Sunday that it had taken note of the decisions adopted during the summit.