On January 4, 2021, French anti-terror prosecutors announced the arrest of Roger Lumbala, 62, a former Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) rebel leader, for complicity in crimes against humanity.
Lumbala, who led the Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie-National (RCD-N) during the Second Congo War (1998–2003), faces charges for his role in 2002 atrocities in the Ituri region, primarily against Nande and Twa ethnic groups.
Allegations of Atrocities
A 2003 UN Security Council report accused RCD-N, backed by the Ugandan military, of extrajudicial killings, rapes, and cannibalism during the “Effacer le Tableau” (Erasing the Board) operation in Ituri and North Kivu.
The campaign, from October 2002 to January 2003, targeted civilians, killing 173 in 17 days, with widespread torture, mutilation, and sexual violence, displacing over 100,000 people. Lumbala denies the allegations.
French Jurisdiction and Arrest
French authorities arrested Lumbala in Paris on December 29, 2020, following a police investigation launched in December 2016.
France’s universal jurisdiction allows prosecution of crimes against humanity committed abroad if the suspect resides in France. Lumbala, a long-time French resident, faces charges of complicity and participation in a group formed to commit war crimes.
Lumbala’s Political History
Lumbala led RCD-N during the DRC’s civil war, became Foreign Trade Minister in the 2004–2005 transitional government, and ran unsuccessfully for president in 2006.
His parliamentary mandate ended in 2013 due to repeated absences, linked to time spent in Uganda and Rwanda. DRC authorities accused him of high treason for alleged M23 rebel ties in 2013, but he returned from exile in 2017 after a peace deal, later supporting President Felix Tshisekedi.
UN and NGO Documentation
The UN’s 2010 Mapping Report detailed 617 war crimes and crimes against humanity in the DRC from 1993–2003, including RCD-N’s actions.
NGOs like Minority Rights Group and the Clooney Foundation for Justice, representing survivors, support the case, noting its significance as the first universal jurisdiction trial for DRC atrocities by a Congolese national. The trial, expected in 2025, offers hope for justice after two decades.
Broader Context
The Second Congo War killed over one million people, yet DRC has taken few steps to address these atrocities. Lumbala’s case, backed by groups like Justice Plus and TRIAL International, highlights France’s role in pursuing accountability for international crimes, especially for Ituri’s Bambuti, Nande, and Twa communities.
