World calls for global acknowledgment of the "Genocost" linked to decades of resource conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is actively campaigning for international recognition of the "Genocost", a term the country uses to describe the prolonged genocidal killings linked to resource wars that have claimed over 10 million lives and displaced millions in recent decades.
President Félix Tshisekedi recently called on the DRC's parliament to adopt a resolution recognizing the violence in eastern Congo as genocide. He plans to raise this issue at the United Nations General Assembly in September.
However, no formal international recognition or an established dedicated international criminal tribunal specifically for the Genocost currently exists. The DRC has established a national day of remembrance for this "Genocost" and is leveraging documented UN reports and research by credible organizations to call for sanctions and international action.
Legal and Political Challenges
The Genocost has not yet been formally recognized as genocide at the international level, complicating the establishment of legal frameworks or tribunals specifically addressing these crimes. Establishing an international criminal tribunal would require significant political consensus, legal groundwork, and cooperation from international bodies like the United Nations and the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Differentiating the complex mix of atrocities underlying Genocost from other crimes under international law requires rigorous interdisciplinary research and legal argumentation. The international community’s silence and inertia on the issue have been criticized by the DRC, indicating political reluctance or competing interests obstructing recognition and actionable steps.
Foreign military occupations and involvement of various armed groups in Eastern DRC complicate political willingness, given geopolitical and economic stakes tied to resource exploitation. Securing reparations and sanctions faces opposition from countries implicated or those with vested interests in the region’s natural resources. Internal displacement and ongoing violence pose further challenges to achieving peace and stability necessary to pursue justice effectively.
A new memorial was opened near the National Museum in Kinshasa for the Genocost commemoration this year. The UN's Mapping Report, which documented large-scale crimes in eastern Congo dating back to 1996, contributed to the use of the term "Genocost". The role of Congolese leaders and military officials in the conflict is a significant issue, with some members of the government named in UN reports as being involved in crimes committed in the country. Several neighboring countries, including Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi, shared responsibility for the crimes documented in the UN's Mapping Report.
The DRC's push for recognition of the Genocost is a significant step towards securing justice for the millions affected by these atrocities. The country's efforts to establish legal frameworks and tribunals, raise awareness, and seek international action will be crucial in bringing those responsible to account and preventing future atrocities.
- The international recognition of the "Genocost" in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as genocide is yet to be achieved, thus complicating the establishment of legal frameworks and tribunals specifically dealing with these crimes.
- Establishing an international criminal tribunal for the Genocost requires significant political consensus, extensive legal groundwork, and cooperation from international bodies such as the United Nations and the International Criminal Court (ICC).
- The international community's silence and inaction on the Genocost have been criticized by the DRC, indicating potential political reluctance or competing interests preventing recognition and decisive action.
- Foreign military occupations, involvement of armed groups, geopolitical and economic stakes tied to resource exploitation, internal displacement, and ongoing violence pose considerable challenges in achieving peace, stability, and justice for the victims of the Genocost.
