U.N.: 'Grave' human rights issues in DRC

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KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo, May 11 (UPI) -- The human rights situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a grave concern for the United Nations, a visiting diplomat said from Kinshasa.

U.N. Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovic expressed concern about the violence in the region attributed to the Lord's Resistance Army, the Mai Mai militia and other rebel groups.

"The human rights situation in the DRC is of grave concern," Simonovic said in a statement at the end of his nine-day tour of the country.

He said violence attributed to defected members of the Congolese military was appalling, noting more than 40,000 people were displaced by conflict since April.

Heaving fighting was reported in eastern DRC as a deadline for fighters loyal to defected Gen. Bosco Ntaganda, a war crimes suspect, to surrender approaches, the BBC reports. The Congolese government during the weekend gave the rebels a week to lay down their weapons.

Simonovic said restoring the government's authority and establishing a professional security force were required for peace.

"It will require a coordinated and integrated approach to security sector reform with the support of all relevant actors," he said.