Democratic Republic of the Congo.

On 13 July, the Security Council condemned the massacres, other atrocities and violations of international humanitarian law committed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and especially its eastern provinces, including crimes against humanity and other violations described in a 29 June report of the Secretary-General.

In a statement read out by Council President Sergey V. Lavrov of the Russian Federation, it recognized the necessity to investigate these further and prosecute those responsible, while deploring the delay in the administration of justice, and called on the Governments of the DRC and Rwanda to investigate immediately allegations contained in the report of the Secretary-General's Investigative Team, and to bring to justice anyone found to have been involved in those crimes.

Taking note of the stated willingness of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to try any of its nationals implicated in the alleged massacres, the Council urged Member States to cooperate with the Governments of the DRC and Rwanda in the investigation and prosecution of those persons. It encouraged the Governments concerned to seek international assistance and invited them to consider the inclusion of international observers. The Governments were requested to report to the Secretory-General by 15 October on steps being taken to investigate those responsible.

The Council had considered the report of the Investigative Team set up to look into allegations of massacres and other violations of human rights which arose from the situation that prevailed in eastern Zaire since September 1996. However, as the Secretary-General noted, the period under investigation was extended back to 1 March 1993 to take into account concerns of the DRC Government. The Secretary-General expressed regret that the Team was not allowed to carry out its mission fully and without hindrance. Despite the difficulties encountered, he said the Team was able to reach a number of conclusions that were supported by strong evidence.

The report also stated that two of those conclusions stood out: that the parties to the violence in Zaire, and especially its eastern provinces, during the period under consideration had committed serious violations of human rights or international humanitarian law; and that the killings by the Alliance of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of the Congo (AFDL) and its allies, including elements of the Rwandan Patriotic Army, constituted crimes against humanity, as did the denial of humanitarian assistance to Rwandan Hutu refugees. The members of the Team believed that some of the killings might constitute genocide, depending on their intent, and called for further investigation of those crimes and their motivation.

"Although it is not possible to confirm or disprove most of the allegations that have been made concerning serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law during the period covered by its mandate", the Team was able to confirm that certain types of serious violations did occur, and that they occurred in certain regions and during certain periods.

Before issuing its presidential statement, the Council had also considered the DRC Government's reply to the allegations. The Government protested against what it described as the failure of the mission to respect the agreed space and time period of the investigation; interference in the internal political affairs of the Congo; failure to respect the cultural values of the region being investigated; and a deliberate attempt to instigate incidents inimical to the Government.

It considered the report to be "a dangerous document that ... exacerbates the ethnic hatred between Hutu and Tutsi by oversimplifying the complex problems which plague the Great Lakes region".

In its brief response to the report, the Government of Rwanda stated that the report was incomplete and inconclusive, as admitted by the Team. It regretted that the Team decided to seek out testimonies from the former Rwandan Government soldiers, Interahamwe militia and former Zairian soldiers and their political leaders who fled to some of the neighbouring countries - the same people who were at the root of the tragedies, it said.

RELATED ARTICLE: Angolan Refugees Flee to DRC

As a result of renewed fighting between the parties to the conflict in Angola, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in mid-July reported that the situation int he south-eastern portion of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where thousands of Angolan refugees began arriving since mid-June, was worsening with new arrivals. There were an estimated 22,000 refugees in the area, after another 7,000 people fled the fighting between UNITA and government forces by crossing into the neighboring country. The Humanitarian Coordinator's Unit in Angola meanwhile said the number of newly displaced people inside the country now stood at more than 75,000.

On 23 June, the UNHCR had estimated the number of Angolan refugees crossing the border into the Democratic Republic of the Congo at around 10,000. On 19 June, the agency reported that 5,000 Angolan refugees had arrived in the Democratic Republic following an outbreak of fighting between UNITA and government forces in the Moxico province of eastern Angola.

The fighting has severely damaged infrastructure in northern Uige and eastern Moxico provinces which border Zaire. UNHCR staff reported that health posts, warehouses and hospitals have been looted or destroyed, and that large quantities of food and medicine destined for returning Angolans have also been lost.