President Felix Tshisekedi Seeks International Help to End Unrest in Eastern DRC.

Democratic Republic of Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi has appealed to the UN Human Rights Council for international help in ending the war in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo and enforcing the respect for human rights in that part of the country.

Speaking during the 52nd regular session of the UN Human Rights Council, president Tshisekedi said it is time for the international community in particular the United Nations to sanction the perpetrators of crimes and violations of international law in the DRC and to force them to implement the peace plan agreed in Nairobi and Luanda.

"For thirty years, the DRC has been the scene of the most abominable human rights atrocities. Serious human rights violations, war crimes, and crimes against humanity are committed with total impunity" president Tshisekedi stated. He also highlighted that the DRC has become infamous for "recruitment of child soldiers, violence against women and systematic rape of women as a weapon of war".

The assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ilze Brands Kehris, during her visit to the DRC had expressed 'alarm' at the deteriorating security situation in the east of the country where M23, as well as other armed groups ADF and CODECO, continue to carry out brutal attacks against civilians. She said victims of these attacks urged the UN and the International community to help them and the government ends the conflict and their suffering.

President Tshisekedi has therefore called for the creation of an international criminal court for the DRC, to investigate over 600 incidents documented in the Mapping Report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and recalled the report of the UN group of experts submitted to the UN Security Council in January documenting evidence of war crimes by Rwandan military forces in North Kivu, and the "solid evidence" of Rwandan support for M23 activities.