RWANDA-USA:UNSC Press Statement on Surrender of Bosco Ntaganda to ICC

Department of Public Information • News and Media Division • New York.
The following statement to the press was issued today by Security Council President Vitaly Churkin (Russian Federation): The members of the Security Council welcomed the surrender of Bosco Ntaganda to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, on 22 March 2013.

The members of the Security Council paid tribute to all victims of serious crimes of international concern in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They expressed their appreciation to the Governments of Rwanda, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as to the International Criminal Court, for facilitating the surrender of Mr. Ntaganda to the International Criminal Court. They emphasized that their cooperation was essential in order to bring Mr. Ntaganda to justice.
The members of the Security Council view Mr. Ntaganda’s surrender to the International Criminal Court as a positive step for international criminal justice as well as towards the restoration of peace and security in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The members of the Security Council remain deeply concerned about abuses and violations of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and recall that those responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, as well as for violence against children and acts of sexual and gender-based violence, must be held accountable.
They recalled that Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) Commander Sylvestre Mudacumura is still at large in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The members of the Security Council remain deeply disturbed by the worsening security and humanitarian situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and reiterate their demand that the Mouvement du 23 Mars (M23), the FDLR, and all other armed groups cease immediately all forms of violence and destabilizing activities, permanently disband, and lay down their arms.
The members of the Security Council take note that hundreds of M23 combatants, including individuals designated by the Security Council, fled from the Democratic Republic of the Congo into Rwanda on 18 March, and encourage the Government of Rwanda, with the assistance of relevant United Nations and international organizations, to continue to ensure that these combatants are permanently demobilized and are dealt with according to relevant international law, including special attention to children and women among them.
They recalled Member States’ obligations under the 1533 sanctions regime, as renewed by resolution 2078 (2012).