Since 27 January, fighting has erupted between the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) and the March 23 Movement (M23) rebellion in Goma, the main city in Eastern DRC. These new clashes have resulted in 2,900 deaths, according to a report from the UN. 2,000 bodies have already been buried, while 900 others remain in the city’s morgues. 

In addition, many injured individuals require urgent medical care, while medical infrastructures are overwhelmed. Thousands of civilians are still deprived of vital assistance in a context where access to drinking water has been interrupted for days. This situation has led to the re-emergence of diseases such as cholera, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. On the ground, humanitarian workers are managing to provide minimal service, as reported by several Gomatracians who are members of our pan-African network. 

The latest clashes occurred on 6 February in the town of Nyabibwe in South Kivu. This resumption of hostilities breaks the unilateral ceasefire declared by the M23 rebellion. 

In addition to this grim tally, rapes have been used as a weapon of war by both sides since the beginning of the conflict. According to an internal UN document, over 100 women were raped and then burned alive during an escape from the Munzenze prison in the Congolese city of Goma when the M23 began to seize the city at the end of January. 

In respect of Article 8 of the DRC constitution, which states that “ the human person is sacred and has the right to life…” and our commitment to human rights, we strongly condemn the acts of violence and killings perpetrated, and demand that all individuals found guilty of these crimes be brought to justice. 

AfricTivistes also reaffirms its commitment to dialogue and peace in Africa. In this regard, we encourage mediation efforts seeking a diplomatic resolution to the conflict that is tearing apart North Kivu and South Kivu. 

We welcome the joint summit taking place from this Friday, 7 February, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, which will see the presence of all belligerents. Our advocacy has always focused on finding endogenous solutions to African problems. 

We also serve as the voice for engaged youth, web activists, journalists, and human rights defenders who have been constrained by the restrictions on social networks like TikTok and X in the DRC since 1 February. Limiting access to these platforms not only adds fear and uncertainty among the population but is also counterproductive in a crisis context conducive to misinformation and the circulation of all sorts of rumours. 

These restrictions violate the freedom of expression and the right to information guaranteed by Articles 23 and 24 of the DRC Constitution, as well as by international conventions that guarantee these rights, such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 10 December 1948. 

AfricTivistes, as a network committed to defending fundamental freedoms, deplores this situation and calls on the Congolese authorities to restore these communication platforms that allow citizens to diversify their sources of information. 

We stand alongside civil society and the Congolese people and once again urge the African and international community to spare no effort to ensure that peace is no longer an exception in Eastern DR Congo. We bow in memory of the many victims.