GOMA, DR Congo, April 18 (Xinhua) — The United Nations (UN) human rights chief on Wednesday called for international attention to the ongoing war in North Kivu province in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk visited an internally displaced camp on the outskirts of Goma, capital of North Kivu, where he met with victims displaced by attacks carried out by rebels of the March 23 Movement (M23).
“We must work extremely hard for peace to be achieved,” he said, stressing the need to work on the underlying causes of conflicts.
Turk is on an official visit to the DRC at the invitation of the Congolese government. He is due to meet with President Felix Tshisekedi and senior officials in the capital of Kinshasa.
Since January, the M23 group has intensified attacks against positions belonging to the DRC military and their allies, resulting in the expansion of the group’s zone of influence through the capture of major towns and villages in the North Kivu province.
The escalation has led to a proliferation of armed individuals, bringing DRC military positions closer to displacement sites near Goma, exacerbating criminal activities and massive displacement of vulnerable populations.
The Rutshuru and Masisi territories are currently suffering the most serious consequences of the conflict.
