Nine people and an “entity” apparently involved in “sustaining armed conflict, instability and insecurity” in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) find themselves on a European Union (EU) restrictive measures – also known as sanctions – list as of last Friday (26 July).
This is not the first time the European bloc has taken this type of action against people and groupings in the troubled central African country where the latest attempt at ending ongoing violence in particularly eastern DRC is a three-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission. Troop and materiel contributing countries to SAMIDRC (SADC Mission in DRC) are Malawi, South Africa and Tanzania. An advance party was reported as arriving in Goma in December with MONUSCO Head, Bintou Keita, earlier this month telling the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) operationalisation was expected in July.
Two people, said to be leaders of the March 23 Movement (M23)/Congolese Revolutionary Army (ARC) – Brigadier General Justin Gacheri Musanga and Executive Secretary Benjamin Mbonimpa – are numbers one and two on the EU sanctions list.
The Commander (Gustave Kubwayo) and Deputy Commander (Pierre Celestin Rurakabijem) of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda – Forces Combattantes Abacunguzi (FDLR-FOCA) are also on the list as is Amigo Kiribige, an Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) commander.
M23/ARC and FDLR-FOCA, as per an EU statement, sustain armed conflict, instability and insecurity in the DRC, in particular through inciting violence. Additionally, they are responsible for human rights abuses including killings, sexual violence and attacks on civilians, as well as child recruitment.
Spokesperson for and a commander of Collectif des Mouvements pour le Changement-Forces de Défense du Peuple’ (CMC-FDP), an armed group active in the eastern DRC and part of the so-called ‘Wazalendo’ or ‘Volontaires pour la Défense de la Patrie’ (VDP), are also sanctioned. VDP combatants, according to the EU statement, are systematically engaged in kidnapping for ransom, arbitrary detentions and executions, the use of child combatants, illegal taxes and logging. Colonel Augustin Migado of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) is also listed.
The Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), a politico-military movement created in Kenya, operating in eastern DRC and “openly associated with several non-governmental armed groups”, including M23/ARC, is the sanctioned entity, as well as its political leader, Corneille Nangaa Yobelu.
Restrictive measures/sanctions most frequently implemented as financial ones. They can include freezing funds in accounts or any dealing with funds and economic resources; restrictions on arms import and export are also common. Travel restrictions, for instance a ban on the entry of specific persons into a country and their transit through its territory are another form of sanction.
