Annie Kithima

DRC and Rwanda: We have released a report detailing horrific human rights abuses by Rwanda-backed M23 fighters against artisanal miners in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) while facilitating the trafficking of gold and coltan to neighbouring Rwanda with the help of Rwandan authorities. Rwanda has continued to profit from the exploitation of DRC’s mineral wealth. The abuses against miners include summary killings, torture and ill-treatment, arbitrary detention, forced labour and forced recruitment and may amount to war crimes. @Amnesty also believes that the plunder by M23 and Rwanda of DRC’s gold and coltan may amount to the war crime of pillage. Rwandans may bear international criminal responsibility for facilitating the trafficking of pillaged minerals to Rwanda. Rwanda may also bear state responsibility for the horrific abuses against miners if Rwandans in the mines are acting under the direction or control of Rwanda, even if they are not employees of the government. Our recommendations: ✔️@Amnesty is calling for all countries and companies to cease the purchase of coltan and gold from Rwanda – or processors and refineries from third countries that buy these minerals from suppliers in Rwanda – until the Rwandan government provides concrete evidence that it has ended the receipt of coltan and gold trafficked from DRC. ✔️Rwanda’s authorities must also ensure that armed or other Rwandans are not present at and play no role in abuses at the Lomera and Rubaya mining sites. ✔️The weight of evidence from Amnesty International and others means that corporations cannot claim ignorance. Their purchase of minerals out of Rwanda – and from the smelters that buy from Rwanda – is likely to contribute to human rights abuses by M23 in Rubaya and Lomera. Corporations could be held criminally responsible for complicity in war crimes.” amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2…