The International Court of Justice should take suo moto cognizance of this heinous crime
Dr Abraham Mathai Chairman of the Harmony Foundation and Former Vice Chairman of the Minorities Commission expressed his concerns towards the massacre of 70 Christians in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This incident is terribly shocking and equally terrifying is that the violence deliberately targets the Christian community with an intention to decimate churches. The Alliance for Democratic Forces (ADF), an African terrorist organization aligned with the jihadist ISIS, stands out for its brutal tactics and explicit animosity towards the Christian community.
Why is such heinous violence of religious genocide allowed to be perpetrated with impunity, where almost no one is held accountable? Despite the scale of the atrocity, the massacre has received little international media attention, yet reported by Islamic State (IS, ISIS, ISIL, Daesh) social media channels, tracked by the Terrorism Research and Analysis Consortium. He also stated that “Hence, the deafening silence by the international media in the face of religious genocide, a crime violating international law, is a genuine cause of concern!
It is strongly suggested that the civil societies locally and globally, along with governments and international organizations, should rally together in solidarity and condemn these barbaric atrocities committed by this anarchic Islamic terrorist outfit blatantly disregarding human rights, so that the cries of the victims be heard.
Dr Mathai has consistently raised his voice against the targeted persecution of Christians and religious minorities worldwide. He emphasizes that such acts of religious genocide must not be ignored by the international community and that justice must be served. According to Dr Mathai, “The impunity with which such crimes are carried out reflects the moral failure of the global leadership in protecting innocent lives.” He strongly stressed saying “We cannot allow religious terrorism to continue unchecked, especially when it threatens the fundamental principles of human rights and religious freedom.”
Noteworthy of attention is also the deafening silence of the Islamic fraternity worldwide. Should their deafening silence be construed to imply their tacit approval of these inhumane murders and brutal killings? He further stated It should be demanded that their stand be known on these murderous acts carried out with impunity. Sadly, the violence takes place in a context of such impunity, where almost no one is held accountable. This massacre is a clear indicator of widespread human rights violations against civilians and vulnerable communities, often targeting Christians, perpetrated by ADF – an [Islamic State] affiliate.
The United Nations Security Council must not merely acknowledge these atrocities but take decisive action. Silence and inaction will only embolden the perpetrators. The international community must come together to bring justice to the victims and ensure accountability for such genocide.
Dr Abraham Mathai concluded that the United Nations Security Council should immediately launch investigations to ensure that the perpetrators of these atrocious acts of religious genocide against the Christian community, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, along with their financiers, are charged by the International Criminal Court at The Hague.
