Geneva, Feb 7 (IANS) The United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on Friday warned that the escalating violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) could lead to a further deterioration of the situation if no action is taken.
“I am deeply disturbed to see the violence escalate once again,” Turk said at a special session of the UN Human Rights Council.
He cautioned that if the current situation continues unchecked, “the worst may be yet to come,” with consequences not only for the people of the eastern DRC, but also for the wider region.
“The risk of violence escalating throughout the sub-region has never been higher,” Turk said, urging all parties with influence, including state and non-state actors, to intensify efforts to prevent further conflict and support peace processes.
He called on all parties to lay down their arms and resume dialogue and stressed the importance of upholding international human rights and humanitarian laws, Xinhua news agency reported.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has also urged for more efforts to end the crisis in the eastern DRC.
During a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York, Guterres described the situation in DRC as “deeply concerning.”
Fighting between the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group and Congolese government forces escalated in January. The rebels claimed they had taken control of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province and a key regional hub, before heading south toward Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province.
The conflict in the eastern region “is having an enormous human toll,” with thousands of people killed, and hundreds of thousands forced from their homes in the eastern country, he said.
The humanitarian situation in and around Goma is perilous, Guterres said. “Meanwhile, the conflict continues to rage in South Kivu and risks are engulfing the entire region.”
“My message is clear: Silence the guns. Stop the escalation. Respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Uphold international human rights law and international humanitarian law,” Guterres said.
Highlighting there is no military solution to the crisis, the UN chief said, “It is time for mediation. It is time to end this crisis. It is time for peace.”
He urged all players, including neighbouring countries, subregional organisations, the African Union and the United Nations, to play an active and constructive role toward an end of the conflict.
Guterres made the appeal for peace ahead of the African Union summit on the DRC situation in Addis Ababa, which he is expected to take part in next week.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that more than 900 people had been killed, with nearly 3,000 injured.
Thousands have been displaced, many fleeing to neighbouring Rwanda, including staff from international organisations such as the UN and the World Bank.
The M23 declared a unilateral ceasefire after fighting the Congolese army for control of Goma.
–IANS
int/jk/
Disclaimer
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by TodayIndia.news and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.
Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of TodayIndia.news We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
Every effort is made to keep the website up and running smoothly. However, TodayIndia.news takes no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control.
For any legal details or query please visit original source link given with news or click on Go to Source.
Our translation service aims to offer the most accurate translation possible and we rarely experience any issues with news post. However, as the translation is carried out by third part tool there is a possibility for error to cause the occasional inaccuracy. We therefore require you to accept this disclaimer before confirming any translation news with us.
If you are not willing to accept this disclaimer then we recommend reading news post in its original language.
