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HRW urges DR Congo govt. to protect civilians in Katanga

Tuesday, 11 August 2015 4:37 PM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 11 August 2015 4:37 PM ]

This file photo shows a group of Pygmies seeking shelter from the rain in Mubambiro village, near Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo. (AFP Photo)

Human Rights Watch urges authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to protect civilians in the southeastern province of Katanga from conflict between rival tribes, which has left hundreds dead since 2013.

"The widespread killing and displacement of civilians ... show the urgent need" for government protection, the New York-based organization said in a report published on Tuesday.

Since two years ago, a Bantu tribe named Luba, who are in majority, has been in a deadly conflict with members of the Batwa tribe, who are Pygmies and complain that they have been a downtrodden minority group exploited for a long time by the other group.

"Simmering tensions between Batwa and Luba in Katanga erupted in major fighting in mid-2013 in Manono territory, after Batwa started demanding respect for their basic rights, including access to land and an end to alleged forced labor or a form of slavery," the HRW said.

Clashes between the opposing forces have led to frequent deadly incidents including mass killings, looting and burning of villages.

The UN mission in the DR Congo, MONUSCO, has reported hundreds of civilians slain, tens of thousands displaced and dozens of villages razed.

The Pygmies have lived for generations mainly in the jungles and tropical forests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, Cameroon and Gabon.

However, the group's traditional existence is being threatened by deforestation, resulting from modernization and developing industries.

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