Amnesty International welcomes the arrest by the German authorities of Ignace Murwanashyaka, President of the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR), and his deputy, Straton Musoni, on 17 November 2009 as an important step forward in addressing impunity and establishing accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in eastern DRC.

"The FDLR has been responsible for innumerable killings of civilians, rape, abductions of women and girls for sexual slavery, recruitment of children, destruction of villages and other human rights abuses in the eastern provinces of the DRC. These crimes have been amply documented by Amnesty International and other organizations."

"These are the first arrests of senior leaders of armed groups or forces on charges relating to war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the Kivu provinces of eastern DRC," the organization said. "After more than 15 years of repeated violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in the Kivus, this a shameful record on the part of the international community and of regional states in particular".

Pointing to the obligation of all states to prosecute or extradite persons allegedly responsible for crimes under international law,Amnesty International called on other states, including the DRC and Rwanda, to mount investigations, arrests and prosecutions against other suspected war criminals in eastern DRC or to extradite them to countries where fair trial rights can be guaranteed.

"It is not acceptable that the DRC government resists calls for the arrest of Bosco Ntaganda, for whom an arrest warrant has been issued by the International Criminal Court. We urge the DRC government to arrest Bosco Ntaganda immediately and transfer him to the ICC, as they are required to do under international law."

"Rwanda and the DRC must also urgently clarify what judicial action they will take against former armed group leader Laurent Nkunda, who has been held by the Rwandan authorities since January 2009, and of Jules Mutebutsi, present in Rwanda since 2004, despite credible accusations that both men were responsible for war crimes in eastern DRC."

"The DRC government must also remove all suspected perpetrators of war crimes and other serious human rights violations from the ranks of its army. Some of these individuals are believed to be involved in the ongoing Kimia 2 army offensive against the FDLR in the two Kivu provinces -- an operation that is supported by the UN".

1. • UN mission speaks out after human rights defender is kidnapped (August 31, 2010)
2. • Key excerpts from UN report on Rwandan army genocide in DR Congo (August 27, 2010)
3. • UN report says Rwandan army committed genocide in DR Congo (August 26, 2010)
4. • UN Security Council calls for urgent action over mass DR Congo rape (August 26, 2010)
5. • UN Defends Inaction on Mass Rapes in Eastern Congo, Government Missing in Action (August 26, 2010)
6. • FDLR Rebels Continue Campaign of Terror in Eastern Congo (August 23, 2010)
7. • Two Suspects Arrested in Attack on MONUSCO Base (August 20, 2010)
8. • Ban Ki-moon deplores deadly attack against blue helmets in North Kivu (August 18, 2010)
9. • Report: Uganda LRA rebels 'on massive forced recruitment drive' (August 12, 2010)
10. • Congo Army Killed Ugandan Rebels Commander in North Kivu - Government (August 4, 2010)
11. • ICC suspends release of Thomas Lubanga (July 23, 2010)
12. • Huge DR Congo gold mine to open, displacing 15,000 (July 22, 2010)
13. • Rights Group Says Arms Transport Needs Regulation (July 19, 2010)
14. • ICC orders the release of Thomas Lubanga (July 15, 2010)
15. • ICC rejects Germain Katanga's motion to suspend trial (July 12, 2010)
16. • ICC suspends Thomas Lubanga trial (July 8, 2010)
17. • ICC: Jean-Pierre Bemba trial postponed (July 7, 2010)
18. • President Kabila Pays Respects to Sange Victims (July 5, 2010)
19. • Two Days of Mourning Declared after 235 Die from Oil Tanker Explosion (July 4, 2010)
20. • Oil tanker blaze 'kills 200' in eastern Congo (July 3, 2010)
21. • Congo Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Independence (June 30, 2010)
22. • Leading Human Rights Activist Found Dead in Congo (June 2, 2010)
23. • The ICC signs enforcement agreements with Belgium, Denmark, and Finland (June 1, 2010)
24. • Security Council agrees to convert UN mission in DR Congo into stabilization force (May 28, 2010)
25. • U.S. Official Sees Improvement in Africa's Great Lakes Region (May 26, 2010)
26. • Great Lakes regional body calls for free, fair elections in member states (May 23, 2010)
27. • Great Lakes states meet in Uganda over conflict minerals (May 23, 2010)
28. • African Leaders Discuss Nile River Dispute (May 23, 2010)
29. • Leader of Enyele Rebels Arrested in Equateur (May 5, 2010)
30. • 54 FDLR Rebels Relocated from North Kivu to Katanga (May 4, 2010)

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