Perry Diyoka Mulenga, CEO of Mulenga Consulting LLC, has launched an impassioned appeal to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, voicing deep concern over the recruitment of child soldiers by the rebel group M23 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
M23, the insurgent group active since 2012, is infamous for its systematic and severe human rights abuses, including the forced recruitment of child soldiers under the false promise of employment. Mulenga’s appeal reiterates the dire need for immediate and robust international action against M23’s atrocities.
The rebel group has sustained its combat effectiveness through consistent support from state actors such as Rwanda, as claimed in multiple UN reports. This outside aid has enabled M23 to carry out devastating attacks on the Congolese government, the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), and innocent civilians. As per a UN report from December 2022, M23 has spread its recruiting drive to Rwanda and Uganda, with children being the primary target.
“M23 has used children as combatants, recruiting them under the false pretense of employment,” Mulenga emphasized in his petition. The use of children in combat is a violation of the Child Soldier Prevention Act (P.L. 110–457), a US legislation that condemns the employment of child soldiers by foreign governments.
To support this cause, scan the QR code to sign the petition. Your signature can make a difference.
To support this cause, scan the QR code to sign the petition. Your signature can make a difference.
Since the resumption of hostilities, M23’s reign of terror has forced over 500,000 people to abandon their homes. Recent reports detail horrific instances of civilians being arbitrarily executed, tortured, forcibly conscripted, and their homes destroyed. In December, massacres in the settlements of Kishishe and Bambo resulted in the deaths of at least 171 civilians and more than 20 children.
The scale of M23’s operations and the savagery of its attacks indicate that it has evolved from a disorganized rebel group into a potent fighting force, capable of overrunning MONUSCO-supported Congolese-held positions.
Mulenga’s plea has received widespread support, but it also underscores the need for more proactive measures against M23 and its benefactors. While the US has imposed sanctions on M23 under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (P.L. 112-239) and on Rwanda under the Child Soldier Prevention Act, the current situation calls for a more aggressive stance.
“We welcome the imposition of further sanctions on M23 and on Rwanda and other state actors supporting M23,” said Mulenga. His plea is straightforward: M23’s reign of terror must end, and those who facilitate their actions should be held accountable.
As the world navigates an era of increased geopolitical uncertainty, Mulenga’s petition serves as a stark reminder that the fight against human rights abuses, particularly the exploitation of children, must remain a global priority. The question now is whether the international community will respond quickly and effectively enough to the crisis in the DRC.
To support this cause, scan the QR code to sign the petition. Your signature can make a difference.
