US Urges War Against Rwandan Militia in East Congo

Feingold: Lack of War Would Lead to Human Rights Abuses

US Special Envoy Russ Feingold today demanded that the United Nations and African nations launch a war against Rwandan Hutu rebels in eastern Congo, insisting that any delay of the war would lead to human rights abuses.

The group, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (DFLR), is facing a demand to unconditionally surrender by January 2. Feingold says that on that day, military action needs to be launched without delay.

The DFLR says it intends to comply with the demands, and notes it has moved a number of fighters and their families into the “disarmament camps,” but that the sheer number of people to move meant they couldn’t meet the deadline.

Feingold insisted granting them more time to surrender was unacceptable, and that “a purely voluntary surrender process will not work,” insisting only a military offensive could force the group’s disarmament.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.