DR Congo Forms Council for War Crimes Accountability

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has formed a new advisory council aimed at pursuing accountability for war crimes in the eastern part of the country, which has been plagued by conflict for decades. This council, known as the Council to Examine Atrocities in the DRC, will advise two Congolese state institutions in their efforts to secure international recognition of crimes committed during the conflict and to pursue reparations for victims.

The establishment of this council comes as the Congolese government intensifies its campaign for international justice, particularly in light of the violence involving various armed groups competing for control over the country's vast mineral resources. The DRC has recently filed a case with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Rwanda, accusing it of violating international conventions related to genocide and racial discrimination.

The council is co-chaired by Congolese human rights activist Julien Lusenge and British lawyer Howard Morrison, a former judge at the International Criminal Court (ICC). Other notable members include Stephen Rapp, a former U.S. ambassador for war crimes issues, and Pascal Turlan, a former senior ICC official.