DR Congo Petitions International Court of Justice Over Long-Standing Conflict With Rwanda

The Democratic Republic of Congo has initiated legal proceedings against Rwanda at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), alleging that its neighbor has violated multiple international treaties.

In an official statement, DR Congo asserted that Rwanda has deployed military forces and provided support to armed groups to execute illegal operations within Congolese territory, a pattern of aggression persisting since the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

Congolese Justice Minister Guillaume Andali stated on Friday that the legal action seeks accountability for alleged breaches of conventions concerning the prevention of genocide, racial discrimination, torture, and the protection of women’s rights.

While Rwanda has not yet formally responded to the filing, the Rwandan government has consistently denied accusations that it supports rebel factions within the DRC.

However, Western governments and UN experts have frequently cited evidence suggesting that Rwanda provides support to the M23, a prominent armed group operating in the eastern region of the DRC.

The application requests that the Hague-based ICJ order Rwanda to cease these alleged activities and provide reparations to the Congolese government and the victims of the violence.

This marks the third attempt by DR Congo to seek justice through the ICJ. A previous case was withdrawn by Congolese authorities in 2001, and a second attempt in 2006 was dismissed after the court determined it lacked jurisdiction because Rwanda had not recognized its authority.

The deep-seated conflict is rooted in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, during which Hutu extremists slaughtered approximately 800,000 people, primarily from the Tutsi community.

In the wake of the massacre, an estimated one million Hutus fled into the neighboring DRC to avoid reprisals. This migration intensified ethnic tensions, particularly for the Banyamulenge—a marginalized Tutsi group in the east—who felt increasingly threatened.

The Rwandan army subsequently invaded the DRC twice, claiming the missions were necessary to pursue perpetrators of the genocide, often collaborating with the Banyamulenge and other local armed factions.

One such group, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), which includes former genocide perpetrators, remains active in eastern DRC.

Rwanda labels the FDLR a “genocidal militia” and argues that its presence poses a direct security threat to Rwandan territory. Consequently, Rwanda accuses the Congolese government of collaborating with the FDLR, a claim that DR Congo denies.

Violence escalated last January when the M23 seized significant portions of the mineral-rich eastern region, including the regional hub of Goma.

Hostilities have persisted despite a US-brokered peace agreement signed by both nations in December.

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