Enhanced Interactive Dialogue on Report of HC and Experts on the Democratic Republic of Congo
Human Rights Council – 54th Session
Statement by the Delegation of the United States of America
As delivered by Taylor Westfall
Thank you, Mr. President and thank you Madam High Commissioner and to all speakers for your updates.
The United States remains deeply concerned about ongoing violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and in Kwamouth. We condemn and demand accountability for human rights violations and abuses perpetrated by state and non-state actors.
We call on Rwanda to stop its support to M23 and on all states to end any cooperation with non-state armed groups.
We condemn attacks on Congolese civilians by non-state armed groups.
The United States also remains concerned about the use of hate speech, which can fuel mistrust and conflict. We appreciate the DRC government’s prior condemnations of hate speech and call on all parties to prevent violence including ethnically targeted violence.
We call on the government to respect freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly, and association, and to commit to opening political and civic space, including free and fair elections.
How can the international community support efforts to find a political solution to the conflict in eastern DRC?
I thank you.
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