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United Nations Human Rights Council
6th Session of the Working Group on Universal Periodic Review
30 November – 11 December 2009

ICJ Submission to the Universal Periodic Review of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

April 2009

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) welcomes this opportunity to contribute to the Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which is of key importance given the persistent renewal of violence and the deteriorating human rights and humanitarian situation mainly due to the repeated and large-scale armed conflicts in the country.

It is important that the Human Rights Council’s Working Group on UPR (Working Group) and the Human Rights Council (Council) emphasize the gravity of the conflict situation,  condemn grave breaches of international humanitarian law and gross violations of human rights, call for urgent measures to establish the rule of law, curb impunity and ensure the protection of civilians and internally displaced persons (IDPs) and full enjoyment of human rights for the population.

Urging respect for international law, including human rights law and international humanitarian law, is essential as lack thereof continues to fuel armed conflicts and remains a major source of long-standing human rights and humanitarian challenges in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Council must also ensure that the human rights dimension is fully incorporated into the peace-building process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

http://www.icj.org/news.php3?id_art...;=en