Renson Mwakandana
Sanctions have been placed on some participants in the violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo by the European Union. The list of persons includes Willy Ngoma, a spokesperson for the M23 rebel faction who has remained silent on the matter.
The M23 is held accountable for spreading unrest and insecurity in the country’s east and committing human rights violations, including sexual assault. More than 130 people were allegedly killed by the gang last week, according to the UN. The M23 refuted the assertion, attributing all but eight fatalities to “stray bullets.”
A senior member of the Congolese army is one of individuals whose assets have been frozen and who is also prohibited from traveling. According to reports, between June and December of last year, the soldiers under his leadership committed assaults on civilians, including rapes.
A Ugandan man suspected of being a key ADF militia leader involved in arming rebels, recruiting them, and collaborating with the extremist Islamic State organization is also named on the list. Numerous armed factions are active in eastern DR Congo, many of which are vying for control of the area’s mineral wealth.
Alain Goetz, a businessman of Belgian descent, has also received sanctions from the EU. He is charged with taking advantage of the unrest to engage in illegal commerce in natural resources. However, according to the Reuters news agency, Mr. Goetz has left the firm that was reportedly involved in the sale and has never dealt with gold from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
