Amnesty International on Wednesday called for an investigation into three senior officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for their alleged involvement in possible crimes against humanity during a violent crackdown on a demonstration in Goma city last year.

The report, titled “Operation Keba: Massacre by the Army in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Goma City,” detailed how the Congolese army executed a premeditated attack on unarmed demonstrators in Goma on August 30, 2023, under the command of then-military governor of North Kivu province, Constant Ndima Kongba. According to the report, the protesters were primarily followers of the Natural Messianic Judaic Faith Towards the Nations (FNJMN) and were advocating for peace and accountability from the UN Stabilisation Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO). The incident resulted in the deaths of at least 56 individuals and left over 80 injured. Amnesty International also identified Colonel Mike Kalamba Mikombe and Major Peter Kabwe Nganda as individuals who should be investigated in relation to the incident.

Amnesty International’s regional director for East and Southern Africa Tigere Chagutah emphasized that President Félix Tshisekedi must suspend the three individuals pending investigation. Chagutah also called for an independent inquiry into MONUSCO’s role during the events leading to the massacre, further emphasizing that such actions violate international human rights standards.

The DRC has a long history of conflict and human rights abuses. There is currently a severe food crisis, with more than 25 million civilians requiring humanitarian assistance. Moreover, 5.8 million people are internally displaced in the DRC, representing the highest number in Africa. Since gaining independence in 1960, the country has struggled with political instability, armed conflicts involving various militia groups, and widespread poverty. There are currently over 100 active armed groups in the DRC, with a number of them being local militias seeking to protect their communities after over three decades of unrest.

Rights groups have further claimed that the ongoing “state of siege” declared in the North Kivu and Ituri provinces since May 2021 has further exacerbated human rights violations by militarizing civilian life and limiting accountability for state-sponsored violence. Freedom House gave the DRC 19 out of 100 points in its Freedom in the World 2024 Report, stating that the country was “not free.”