DRC Crisis: Human Rights Watch Condemns M23 Militia's Kidnappings and Inhumane Treatment of Civilians
Militia M23 Accused of Forcibly Abducting Civilians in DR Congo by Human Rights Watch - Militia M23 in Democratic Republic of Congo allegedly implicates in abduction of civilians, claims Human Rights Watch.
In recent times, the actions of the M23 militia in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have been under scathing criticism from human rights organizations. The M23, with backing from Rwandan soldiers, has taken control of numerous regions in eastern DRC, including Goma and Bukavu since January.
Reports from the United Nations suggest that Rwanda is actively supporting the M23 militia with thousands of troops. According to Human Rights Watch, these actions of the M23 are likely tied to efforts against suspected members of the FDLR militia in eastern Congo. The FDLR, which consists mostly of Rwandan refugees, seeks the overthrow of the Rwandan government, established after the 1994 genocide.
The Congolese government has accused Rwanda of exploiting the natural resources in the provinces of North and South Kivu, a charge Rwanda vehemently denies, stating that their involvement is aimed at combating armed groups in eastern DRC that pose a threat to their own territory.
However, the M23's actions against civilians have raised multiple concerns. Since the M23 captured key areas such as Sake in North Kivu province in early 2025, they have reportedly taken thousands of civilians into custody, often on baseless accusations of ties to rival groups like the FDLR or the Congolese army and its allies. These civilians include men, women, and children, some of whom have been forced into M23 ranks or held in overcrowded detention centers under inhumane conditions, with reports of torture and mistreatment.
Human Rights Watch and accompanying fact-finding missions have documented extrajudicial killings, summary executions, torture, and sexual violence perpetrated by M23 forces. These abuses have been used as means to impose order, suppress dissent, and punish perceived opponents, representing grave violations of human rights and likely war crimes.
Furthermore, in May 2025, the M23 forcibly transferred civilians from Sake to the Unity Stadium in Goma, labeling some detainees as "Rwandan subjects," and rejecting their Congolese citizenship by burning their electoral cards and accusing them of forgery, despite possessing valid Congolese documentation. Those suspected of supporting FDLR or the Congolese government forces were separated and their whereabouts remain unknown.
Although the M23 publicly claims that many detainees are Rwandan, the conflict's broader context involves intricate cross-border ethnic and political dynamics. The M23 is widely perceived as having close ties to Rwanda, with the conflict fueled by cross-border movements and political interests. The rejection of Congolese citizenship by M23 and the framing of detainees as Rwandan reflect Rwanda's influence or at least the evocation of Rwandan identity as a factor in the conflict. However, the reports point out the difficulty in establishing citizenship in this region due to insufficient national documentation and decades of population movements between the DRC and Rwanda.
In summary, the M23's kidnapping and arbitrary detention of thousands of civilians in North Kivu, with accompanying torture, inhumane conditions, forced conscription, and instances of disappearance after detention, highlights serious human rights violations in eastern Congo. Moreover, Rwanda's indirect involvement through ethnic and identity narratives in the conflict dynamics is under scrutiny.
- The ongoing crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has sparked concerns among EC countries regarding cooperation with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and General News, as Russia, a member of several Central and Eastern European countries, had announced its diplomatic support for the M23 militia.
- As the M23 militia's actions in war-and-conflicts zones continue, Politics experts in Central and Eastern Europe are advocating for increased regional cooperation and dialogue to address the human rights violations and political complexities involved in the DRC crisis.
