Updates of the deteriorating situation of Human Rights Defenders in Goma DRCongo under M23 backed by Rwnada
Updates about the situation of Human Rights Defenders in Goma, the Democratic Republic of Congo which is under the control of M23/RDF Rwanda: We want to leave Goma and we humbly ask for support in order to move out. As we publish these updates we are still receiving more alerts about other human rights defenders in difficult situations who are calling us for help.
Human Rights Defenders in Goma are not even also spared by the DRC Government, this was during a demonstration in Goma before the city was captured.
These updates focuses on 30 human rights defenders in Goma we managed to talk, who were engaged in activities against M23/RDF because it massive violations of human rights and who are still determined to continue the activism. These human rights defenders have refused to cohabit with M23/RDF which is at center various human rights violations, they believe that the end of M23 will create a ground on which they can advocate for the observance of human rights. In this way, we did not focus so much attention to those human rights defenders who think they can live together with M23.
As Goma was already hit by a humanitarian crisis some among these Human Rights Defenders did not have a clear source of income in order to survive before Goma was captured, but they managed to survive anyway, others who had some income generating activities in Goma, were informed that their activities were looted.
The situation of human rights defenders in Goma is deteriorating and may need urgent interventions. Through the United Nations Declaration on the situation of human rights defenders in 1998 which also helped the United Nations to put in place a Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights Defenders in the World. This should be the basis of a special protection of human rights defenders, in the process we have various organizations globally that are specialized and particularly focused on the protection of human rights defenders in the world. On paper with all these previsions, it may look encouraging that human rights defenders in the Democratic Republic of Congo may not be left alone. However on ground the reality is different, because many do not access the needed support in order to continue their work.
The most at risks are those who are vocal on controversial issues especially who opposed the war and other human rights violations caused by the M23 backed by Rwanda, and those who are working on forced migrants. Despite credible information about the situation in Goma up to now these human rights defenders who are in difficult situations have not been supported in order to manage the security risks.
As per now, we are in contact with 23 human rights defenders among them members of pro-democracy pressure groups, Civil Society Organizations, refugee leaders and IDP representatives. All of them left their homes and are hiding somewhere where they are not known staying generally with friends and relatives. However as per two major problems are indicated they have challenges to get food, and to pay for the house rent, on top of that they are also affected by the communication challenges which affect all people in Goma. All of them do not move out of the houses where they are hiding, 19 among them have indicated that they are being tracked by M23/RDF especially on phones, 3 have been visited at their homes by M23 soldiers who came to look for them and one is compelled now to support M23 and unfortunately he has no other option because he was captured by M23 and they are guiding him much as he is free and he is the only one at his house.
On top of that 7 HRDs have already left Goma towards other places which we shall not disclose for security purposes. Leaving Goma is highly risky but they had to take that risks, however they are now living in difficult conditions, they are all living with friends or other actors of the Civil Society but they lack almost everything such as basic needs. Three things are main priorities Food, Shelter and Access to Internet so that they can be informed and continue with activism on social media.
We do not have a clear information about HRDs who were killed in Goma, but we are still making inquiry as we have some sources indicating that at least 5 HRDs were deliberately assassinated in Goma.
Threats from M23/RDF
The M23 and the Rwandan forces that captured Goma have as per now used three strategies in order to track vocal human rights defenders. The first is the phone calls sometimes used numbers which are from outside mainly in Uganda and Kenya among others, the second is the house visit at night, M23/RDF have gone to houses where they were informed human rights defenders are living in order to look for them, and the last is threats. In various messages the population is asked to disclose to M23/RDF persons they are hiding in their houses and in this process local leaders have now been instructed to identify those in their areas and know those came and residing there who are not from the area. This is making now the situation more complicated and puts HRDs at risk.
Efforts to seek for protection
The United Nations Special Rapporteur for human rights defenders is totally silent, and MONUSCO could have been the first option in order ensure their safety. However no information has been offered to them about services they can get from MONUSCO especially that some were opposed to MONUSCO staying in DRC and actually some received threats and intimidations from MONUSCO Staffs.
Human Rights Defenders
In Goma the Synergie Ukingo Wetu (SUWE) which works for the protection of Human Rights Defenders has been saying “ colleagues, we do not have money, not even a single coin, we finished our funds last year and as per now donors have not yet given us anything, so there is nothing we can do. We have asked MONUSCO to help but they are also quiet, so we are sorry that we cannot help, even us we are in the similar situations here in Goma”.
Some human rights defenders have contacted the following organizations in order to seek for support: FrontLine Human Rights Defenders, Protect Defenders, Defend Defenders, Freedom House, Civil Rights Defenders, European Human Rights Defenders, the United Nations Human Rights, and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of HRD but they did not receive any response.
Quick responses
Both in Goma and in places where these human rights defenders are living now, it should be a priority to engage with Humanitarian Organizations to put in place a special package for them, focusing on food, shelter and communication. In case this is given a priority it may be done in less a week,
Temporal solution
This should focus at the relocation alternatives and to put in place a special fund to support human rights defenders who are persecuted by M23/RDF,
This would come up with programs looking at the security risk management, and alternatives in order to survive and continue with life,
At this stage the United Nations Human Rights Office should have put in place a special team to work on the situation of HRDs in North Kivu,