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DR Congo

DRC: Children and armed conflict - Update report No. 2

Attachments

Expected Council Action

The Council will consider this month the recommendations of its Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict regarding children affected by armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It is expected to refer specific cases to the Sanctions Committee on the DRC for consideration of targeted sanctions.

Key Recent Developments

At its 6 September meeting the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict agreed on a set of recommendations relating to the DRC covering both cooperative measures and targeted sanctions on individuals. The Working Group singled out a specific group (the Movement Revolutionaire Congolais or MRC) and a specific individual, General Laurent Nkunda as targets for the sanctions.

The Council on 31 July, in resolution 1698, extended the scope of possible sanctions in the DRC to "political and military leaders recruiting and using children in armed conflict in violation of applicable law" and to "individuals committing serious violations of international law involving the targeting of children in situations of armed conflict, including killing and maiming, sexual violence, abduction and forced displacement." Resolution 1698 also empowered the Sanctions Committee on the DRC to include named individuals responsible for such violations on the list of persons subject to targeted sanctions. (Under resolution 1596 such sanctions include travel bans and asset freeze.)

Among the other recommendations the Working Group has made to the Council are:

  • that it consider and forward to the Sanctions Committee on the DRC grave concerns about repeated violations by leaders of the MRC;
  • that the Council President make representation to the government of Rwanda to stop any movements of dissident General Laurent Nkunda in and out of Rwanda; and
  • that the Council, in re-establishing the mandate of UN Mission in the DRC (MONUC), preserve and strengthen the framework of protection for children.

In addition it was agreed that the chair of the Working Group will undertake the following activities:

  • urge the DRC to take appropriate legal action against members of the Congolese army known as the Forces Armées de la République démocratique du Congo (FARDC), responsible for recruiting child soldiers and other grave crimes against children;
  • write to UN agencies and donor governments for technical assistance to the DRC; and
  • remind the Secretary-General of the responsibility of MONUC to assist the DRC government in apprehending and bringing to justice child abusers, particularly General Nkunda and asking MONUC to update the Working Group on the status of General Nkunda every two months.

Background

The Working Group was established in July 2005 pursuant to resolution 1612. It consists of all members of the Council and is chaired by the French Permanent Representative. Since November 2005, it has held five meetings and is expected to meet in November to consider Côte d'Ivoire and Burundi and in December for Somalia and Sri Lanka. It considered a report on children and armed conflict in Sudan at the 6 September meeting and is expected to give its recommendations on this situation in November.

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