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Hillary Clinton was speaking in Goma, one of the cities where Congolese government forces are engaged in a battle with fighters from the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR).
"We are very concerned about civilian casualties, both deaths and rapes, and other injuries from the military action," she told a news conference in the city on Tuesday.
Aid organisations have said that Goma, the capital of
DR Congo’s government, which is led by President Joseph Kabila, has said that its operation against the rebels, who are accused of killing hundreds of civilians, has been successful so far.
But the United Nations has accused government forces and the rebels of committing human rights abuses in DR Congo, including mass killings, rape and lootings.
‘Evil’ abuses
Clinton, who met victims of sexual violence during her visit to Goma, said that Kinshasha and 17,000 UN peacekeepers in the east of the country must do more to punish those who attack civilians.
The atrocities that so many have suffered distils evil into its most basic form," she said.
"Those who attack civilian populations using systematic rape are guilty of crimes against humanity."
"I told President Kabila we want to help end the violence so that you can go home," she told Chantal Mapendo, head of a women’s group in the camp.
The
Proceeds from the sales of those minerals often go to fund rebel groups.
"The international community must start looking at steps we can take to try to prevent the mineral wealth from the DRC ending up in the hands of those who fund the violence," she said.
Source: Aljazeera.com