Evaluating the Role and Effectiveness of International Mechanisms, Particularly the International Criminal Court (ICC), in Addressing M23’s Criminal Responsibility: A Case Study of Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
Abstract
This article examines the resurgence of the Mouvement du 23 Mars (M23) in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and evaluates the effectiveness of international and regional mechanisms, particularly the International Criminal Court (ICC), in addressing the group’s criminal responsibility. Although the DRC is a State Party to the Rome Statute and has enacted domestic legislation criminalising war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, accountability for atrocities committed by M23 remains limited. Using a doctrinal and policy-oriented methodology, the study draws on treaty law, jurisprudence, UN investigations, and regional political practice to analyse the gap between legal obligations and practical enforcement. The article traces M23’s evolution from its emergence in 2012 through its renewed offensives from 2021, highlighting grave violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, including killings, sexual violence, torture, forced displacement, pillage, and the recruitment of child soldiers, all of which meet the thresholds of international crimes under the Rome Statute. Despite extensive documentation of these violations, prosecutions at domestic and international levels have been sporadic due to weak judicial capacity, corruption, political interference, insecurity, and the reluctance of some regional actors to cooperate with accountability processes. To interpret these enforcement challenges, the study applies theoretical perspectives including International Legal Accountability, Deterrence Theory, Transitional Justice, Command Responsibility, and Legal Pluralism, demonstrating how structural and political constraints undermine justice in non-international armed conflicts. The article argues that meaningful accountability requires coordinated action between the ICC, regional bodies, and domestic institutions, grounded in victim-centred reforms and stronger political guarantees. It concludes by proposing a practical roadmap that includes enhanced ICC regional cooperation, targeted sanctions, a Great Lakes hybrid tribunal, and institutional reforms aimed at closing the persistent gap between legal frameworks and accountability in practice.
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