Report of the international research mission into
crimes under international law committed against the Bambuti Pygmies in the
eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

Published by Minority Rights Group International.
(http://www.minorityrights.org)

Publication date: July
2004.

War crimes and crimes against humanity, including persecution, murder,
forcible population transfer, torture, rape and extermination, have been
committed against the Bambuti Pygmies in the eastern Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC). These crimes have taken place since the start of the second war
in 1998 and continue up to the present. Bambuti communities remain at grave
risk.
The atrocities have been committed in the context of a war which has cost
over 3.3 million lives through violence and conflict-related starvation and
disease. Over 60,000 people have been killed in the north-eastern district
of Ituri alone, according to United Nations estimates. The involvement of
neighbouring states in the conflict, including Rwanda and Uganda, has been
justified by them on security grounds, but is also directed towards the
large-scale plunder of the DRC�fs natural resources, including gold,
diamonds and other minerals.

This report details evidence of crimes committed against the Bambuti and
makes a series of recommendations for advancing justice and preventing
further violence.

This report is also available in French.

download:

http://www.minorityrights.org/admin/Download/Pdf/MRG_ICC_TwaReport.pdf