Letter to MONUC (UN Organization Mission in Democratic Republic of Congo)
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An Open Letter to MONUC about Bosco Ntaganda | |
« United Nations Organization in the Democratic Republic of the Congo » | |
| | Dear MONUC
The Mobilization for Justice and Peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MJPC) recognizes your invaluable humanitarian aid to the people of Congo, especially in East Congo with all problems brought on by endless wars. However, we also note with great sadness that you have not taken steps to enforce the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against Bosco Ntaganda wanted in the Hague for war crimes.
You have missed a much bigger opportunity to seriously help the Congolese government restore accountability and ensure that those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity are held to account. Despite current encouraging progress, your mission in Congo will fail without clear manifestation of commitment to promoting peace with justice. Please use every reasonable means to enforce this arrest warrant against Ntaganda. It is important for Congo and for international justice worldwide. If you don't enforce an ICC arrest warrant, what message does that send?
We urge you to not to leave Congo without enforcing the ICC arrest warrant against Bosco Ntaganda. It is time to take immediate steps to arrest him. This will help address some of the missing elements in efforts to restore peace and stability that the Congolese people deserve. The arrest and fair trial of Ntaganda, Nkunda and other perpetrators is the only way to restore peace and justice in Congo while sending a strong message to other war criminals everywhere else that they are not free or immune from prosecution.
We would have preferred that you remember the words of warning of the late Pope John Paul II; "no peace without justice" . Congo remains a perfect example of this. It is only with promotion of justice that you can leave the Congo with an enormous sense of pride that your courageous sacrifice was not in vain. Sincerely,
8 April 2010 |
Makuba T. Sekombo is the director of community affairs of the Mobilization for Justice and Peace in the Congo (MJPC), a nonprofit organization that works to defend and promote justice and peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly in the east where thousands of innocent civilians, including children and women continue to be victims of gross violations of human rights while the armed groups responsible for these crimes remain unpunished |
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