Congo Brings Suit in ICJ against Rwanda for International Humanitarian Law Violations

On May 28, 200, the Democratic Republic of Congo (hereafter DRC or Congo) filed an application in the International Court of Justice alleging Rwanda has committed acts are armed aggression on the territory of Congo in violation of its sovereignty and territory integrity and in violation of human rights and international humanitarian law. The DRC alleged Rwanda has committed ?armed aggression? since August 1998, resulting in ?large-scale human slaughter? in South Kivu, Katango Province and the Eastern Province, ?rape and sexual assault of women?, ?assassinations and kidnaping of political figures and human rights activists?, ?arrests, arbitrary detentions, belonging to civilians?, ?human rights violations committed by the fauna and flora? of the DRC. The ICJ set hearings for June 13, 2002 on the indication of provisional measures. The hearings focused in large part on a dispute over the facts, the jurisdiction of the ICJ, and over its ability to take the type of provisional measured requested by the DRC.