COUR INTERNATIONALE DE JUS'ICE
RECUEIL DESARRÊTS,
AVIS CONSULTATIFS ET ORDONNANCES
AFFAIRIE DES ACTIVITÉS ARMÉES
SUR LE TERRITOIRE DU CONGO
(NOUVELLE REQUÊTE: 2002)
(RÉPUBLIQUE DÉMOCRATIQUE DU CONGO c. RWANDA)
DEMANDE EN INDICATION DE hlESURES
CONSERVATOIRES
ORDONNANCE DU 10 JUILLET 2002
INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
REPORTS OF JUDGMENTS,
ADVISORY OPINIONS AND ORDERS
CASE CONCERNING ARMED ACTIVITIES
ON THE TERRITORY OF THE CONGO
(NE'WAPPLICATION :2002)
(DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO v. RWANDA)
REQUEST FOR THE INDICATION OF I'ROVISIONAL
MEASURES
ORDER OF 10JULY2002 Mode officiel de citation:
Activitks urrnkes sur le teLIUCongo (nouvelle requête:2002)
(Rkpuhliy~~edk~.nzocraeu Congo c. Rivundu), mesure5 coizseri~utoire.~,
ordonrzurzcedu IOjuillet 2002, C.I.J. Recup. 21902,
Officia1citation
Arrned Activities on the Terofthe Congo (New Applic~ltion: 2002)
(Dernocrutic Repuhlic qf' the Congo v. Rivundu), Provi.siona1Meusures,
Order qIO Juk 2002, 1.C.J. Reports 2p. 219
No de vente:
ISSN 0074-4441 Sales number 848 1
ISBN 92-1-070952-7 10JUILLET 2002
ORDONNANCE
ACTIVI-rÉs ARMÉES SUR LE TEF~RITOIRE
DU COIVGO (NOUVELLE REQUETE: 2002)
(RÉPUBLIQUE DÉMOCRATIQUE DU CONGO c. RWANDA)
DEMANDE EN INDICATION DE MESURES
CONSERVATOIRES
ARMEDI ACTIVITIES ON THE TERRITORY
OF THE CONGO (NEW APPLICATION: 2002)
(DEMOCRATIC' REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO v.RWANDA)
REQUEST FOR THE INDIC.4TION OF PROVISIONAL
MEASURES
10JULY 2002
ORDER INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
YEAR 2002 2002
10 July
10July 2002 GNo. 126List
CASE CONCERNING ARMED ACTIVITIES
ON THE TERRITORY OF THE CONGO
(NEW APPLICATION :2002)
(DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO r. RWANDA)
REQUEST FlOR THE INDICATION OF PROVISIONAL
MEASURES
ORDER
Present: President GUILLACIMb;'ice-Pr~~i~lentSHI; Judge~ RANJEVA,
HERCZEGHF,LEISCHHAUEK IZ,KOMA\,'ERESHCHETIHNI,GGINS,
PARRA-AA.ANGUREN K,OOIJMANS,RFZEK, AL-KHASAWNEH,
BUERGENTHAE LL,ARABY;Judges ad hclc DUGARD, AVUNGU;
Registrur COUVREUR.
The International Court of Justice,
Composed as above,
After deliberatiori,
Having regard to Articles 41 and the Statute of the Court and to
Articles 73 and 74 of thes of Court,
1.Whereas, by an Application iiled in the Rcgistry of the Court on
28 May 2002, the Democratic Republic of the (:ongo (hereinafter "the
Congo") instituted proceedings against the Rwa idese Republic (herein- ARMED ACTlVlTlES (ORDER10 VI1 02)
220
after "Rwanda") in respect of a dispute concernirig "massive, serious and
flagrant violations of human rights and of international humanitarian
law" alleged to have been committed "in breach of the 'International Bill
of Human Rights', other relevant international instruments and manda-
tory resolutions of the United Nations Security Council"; and whereas in
the Application the Congo states that "[the] flai;rant and serious viola-
tions [of human riglhtsand of international hum; nitarian law]" of which
itcomplains "result from acts of armed aggression perpetrated by Rwanda
on the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in flagrant
breach of the sovereignty and territorial integritl [of the latter], as guar-
anteed by the United Nations and OAU Charters";
2. Whereas in this Application the Congo retalls that it has made a
declaration recognizing the compulsory jurisdiction of the Court in
accordance with Article 36, paragraph 2, of the Siatute of the Court; and
whereas it states tha~tthe Rwandan Government 'has made no such dec-
laration of any sort"; whereas in the Application the Congo, referring to
Article 36, paragraph 1, of the Statute, relies, in order to found the juris-
diction of the Court, on Article 22 of the Interriational Convention on
the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination of 7 March 1966
(hereinafter the "Convention on Racial Discrimination"), Article 29,
paragraph 1, of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Dis-
crimination against Women of 18 December 1970 (hereinafter the "Con-
vention on Discrimination against Women"), Article 1X of the Conven-
tion on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide of
9 December 1948 (hereinafter the "Genocide Convention"), Article 75 of
the Constitution of i.heWorld Health Organizaticn of 22 July 1946(here-
inafter the "WHO Constitution"), Article XIV, piragraph 2,of the Con-
stitution of the United Nations Educational, icientific and Cultural
Organization of 16 November 1945 (hereinafter the "Unesco Constitu-
tion") (as well as ,Article 9 of the Convention on the Privileges and
Immunities of the Specialized Agencies of 21 November 1947, which is
"also applicable to lJnescon), Article 30, paragraph 1, of the Convention
against Torture andl Other Cruel, lnhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment of 10 December 1984 (hereinafter tlie "Convention against
Torture"), and Article 14, paragraph 1, of the Montreal Convention for
the Suppression of 1Jnlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation of
23 September 1971 (hereinafter the "Montreal Ct~nvention");
3. Whereas in its Application the Congo furtliermore maintains that
the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties ol'23 May 1969 gives the
Court jurisdiction to settle disputes arising from the violation of peremp-
tory norms (jus cogens) in the area of human rights, as those norms are
reflected in a numbcr of international instruments;
4. Whereas in its Application the Congo coniends that Rwanda has
been guilty of "armed aggression" from August 1998 up to the present;
and whereas it mairitains that the occupation by Rwandan troops of "asignificant part of the eastern [territory]" of tl-ie Congo has involved
"large-scale massaci-es" in Sud-Kivu, in the province of Katanga and in
Orientale Province, "rape and sexual assault of .womenm,"murders and
abductions of poliiical figures and human rigi1ts activists", "arrests,
arbitrary detention:;, inhuman and degrading treatment", "systematic
looting of public and private institutions [and] theft of property of the
civilian population", "human rights violations cornmitted by the invading
Rwandan troops and their 'rebel' allies inthe m21jorcities in the eastern
[territory]" of the Congo. as well as "destruction of fauna and flora"
of the country; and whereas in this Application the Congo refers to
breaches of international law that Rwanda is allcged to have committed
in respect of the various treaties, conventions 2nd rules of customary
law which it cites;
5.Whereas the Congo adds that, by its Application, it
"seeks to secure the earliest possible cessation of the acts of which it
is a victim involving serious human rights violations in respect of its
people, which constitute a grave threat to pe ice and security in cen-
tral Africa generally and in the Great Lakes region in particular",
and "also seeks reparation for acts of intentional tlestruction and looting,
and the restitution of national property and rescburcesappropriated for
the benefit of Rwanda";
6. Whereas at the close of its Application the Ccngo submits as follows:
"Accordingly, while reserving the right to supplement and elabo-
rate upon this request in the course of the proceedings, the Demo-
cratic Republic of the Congo requests the C~~urtto:
(a) Rwanda has violated and is violating the United Nations Charter
(Article2,paragraphs 3and 4) by violatinirthe human rights which
are the goa.1pursued by the United Nations through the mainte-
nance of international peace and securi y, as well as Articles 3
and 4 of the Charter of the Organization of African Unity;
(hl Rwanda has violated the International Bill of Human Rights,
as well as the main instruments protecting human rights, includ-
ing, inter uliu, the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimi-
nation aga.inst Women. the Internatioiial Convention on the
Elimination of Al1 Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Con-
vention against Torture and Other Cruel. Inhuman or Degrad-
ing Treatnient or Punishment, the Con qention on the Preven-
tion and Punishment of the Crime of Gvnocide of 9 December
1948,theConstitution of the WHO. the (:onstitution of Unesco;
(c) by shooting down a Boeiilg 727 owned by Congo Airlines on
9 October 1998in Kindu, thereby causirig the death of 40 civil-
ians, Rwanda also violated the Unitec Nations Charter, the Convention on International Civil Aviation of 7 December
1944signed at Chicago, the Hague Con./ention for the Suppres-
sion of Urilawful Seizure of Aircraft of 16 December 1970 and
the Montreal Convention for the Suppri:ssion of Unlawful Acts
against the Safety of Civil Aviation of 13 September 1971 ;
(d) by engagiing in killing, massacring, rape, throat-slitting, and
crucifying, Rwanda is guilty of genocide against more than
3,500,000 Congolese, including the victims of the recent
massacres in the city of Kisangani, and has violated the sacred
right to life provided for in the Universa Declaration of Human
Rights ancl in the International Covenaiit on Civil and Political
Rights, the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of
the Crime of Genocide and other relel~ant international legal
instruments.
In con.sequeilce, and in accordunce 1vit/1the internafional legal
obligations referred to above, to acijudgeam' declure that:
(1) al1 Rwandan armed forces at the root of the aggression shall
forthwith quit the territory of the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, so as to enable the Congolese people to enjoy in full
their rights to peace, to security, to their resources and to devel-
opnlent ;
(2) Rwanda is under an obligation to procure the immediate,
unconditiorial withdrawal of its armed fi~rcesand the like from
Congolese iterritory ;
(3) the Democi-atic Republic of the Congo is entitled to compensa-
tion from Rwanda for al1acts of looting destruction, slaughter,
removal of property or persons and other acts of wrongdoing
imputable to Rwanda, in respect of #hich the Democratic
Republic of the Congo reserves the right to establish a precise
assessment of the prejudice at a later date. in addition to resti-
tution of the property removed.
It also reserves the right in the course of tlie proceedings to claim
other injury suffered by it and its people";
7. Whereas on 28 May 2002, after filing its Application, the Agent of
the Congo submitteti a request for the indication of provisional measures
relying on Article 41 of the Statute of the Court aiid Articles73 and 74 of
itsRules;
8. Whereas, in support of its request for the indication of provisional
measures, the Congo notes
"continuing grave, flagrant, large-scale acts of torture, cruel, inhuman
or degrading punishment or treatment, genocide, massacre, war
crimes and crimes against humanity, discrimination, violation of the
rights of women and children. and the plundering of resources,
committed on the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo following the armed aggression against and on its territory and
the illegal occulpation of a large part of that territory by Rwandan
regular forces" :
whereas according to the Congo "[tlhe above-mentioned acts are due to
the continuation ancl aggravation of the armed aggression against and on
the territory of the DRC"; and whereas according to the Congo, the
request for the indication of provisional measure:;
"is justified by the fact that, in addition tc the flagrant, massive,
grave violations and breaches set out in the Application instituting
proceedings, further acts of wrongdoing have been committed by
Rwanda, aggravating the violations of the lawful rights of the DRC
and of its popiilation and constituting grave violations of specific
international legal instruments concerning human rights and inter-
national humanitarian law";
9. Whereas in this request for the indication of provisional measures
the Congo relies on the grounds for the jurisdiction of the Court cited in
its Application (see paragraphs 2 and 3 above);
10. Whereas in its request for the indication cf provisional measures
the Congo notes,
"[iln addition to the numerous heinous crimes perpetrated by
Rwanda as set out in the Application instituting proceedings . . .
[that] the massacres (begun in August 1998)have continued since
January 2002 up to the present time, despite r umerous resolutions of
the Security Council of the United Nations and of its Commission
on Human Rights";
whereas it refers to the "flagrant violation of the Lusaka Ceasefire Agree-
ment", "mass killings", "massive grave and flagrant violations of human
rights", "abductions", as well as "the infliction of cruel, inhuman and
degrading treatment on the population"; wherea:, it observes that "[tlhe
decimation is likely to become total, following fresh deployments of
Rwandan troops since 22 May 2002 for the purpose of achieving a
further genocide"; and whereas it refers to
"[n]umerous sources, including churches, human rights NGOs and
MONUC[, reporting] the grave human right:, violations perpetrated
by the rebeltro~opsof the RCD [and] by the ~ccupying forces of the
RPA in the course of these incidents";
Il. Whereas in the request for the indication of provisional measures
the Congo contends that "to fail to make an inimediate order for the
measures sought would have humanitarian consequences which could
never be made goocl again . . . in the short terrr or in the long term";
whereas it adds that
"recent pleas, reports and resolutions by the principal organs of the
United Nation:;, which show how the continuing conflict in the ARMED ACTIVlTIES (ORDER 10 VI[ 02) 224
Democratic Republic of the Congo is causinp, massive human rights
violations, insist on the urgency of secuiing the departure of
Rwandan forceis from Congolese territory aiid the cessation of the
massacres, killirigs and acts of oppression a€ainst the population" :
whereas in this connection it cites United Nations Security Council reso-
lution 1304 (2000) of 16 June 2000;
12. Whereas the Congo adds that
"the Court is accordingly requested to ordei appropriate measures
with a view, int6.ruliu,to permitting the implcmentation of. ..reso-
lution [2000/14] of the United Nations Commission on Human
Rights[, adopted on 19April2002,l to taking account of the urgency
of the situatiori and to preventing it beconing both irreparable
(which, in many respects, it already has) and irreversible";
13. Whereas at the close of its request the Congo States:
"In consequence of the continuation and aggravation of the fla-
grant massive violations by Rwanda of gener;tl and customary inter-
national law, in particular of the above-ment oned Conventions and
Charters, and pending the Court's decision on the merits and in
order to prevent irreparable harm being caused to its lawful rights
and to those of litspopulation as a result of the occupation of part of
its territory by Rwandan forces, the Demoxatic Republic of the
Congo, with a view to putting an end to present evils and averting
the worst, requests the Court to order the following provisional
measures :
1. TlztrtR\r.mzdu, ~tslzgents and uuxiliarie i he required fortlzii.ith
to ceuse und desist jrom:
The war of agression in and against the DRC and the occupation
of its territory, ithesaid war being the source and cause of al1of the
massive, grave and flagrant violations of hunian rights and of inter-
national humanitarian law :
- al1 violations of the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political
independence of the Democratic Republic: of the Congo, includ-
ing al1intervention, direct and indirect, iii the interna1 affairs of
the Democratic Republic of the Congo:
al1 use of force, direct or indirect, overt or covert, against the
Democratic Republic of the Congo and al1threats of use of force
against the Democratic Republic of the (Iongo and its peoples;
- the continuing siege of centres of civil population, in particular
Kisangani (demilitarization demanded b!, numerous resolutions
of the United Nations Security Council), and of other towns
invaded by Rwandan forces:
- acts which result in the civil population of the Democratic Republic of the Congo being deprived cf foodstuffs and having
difficult and inhuman living conditions inflicted upon them;
- the indiscriminate and savage devastatio 1 . ..of towns, districts,
villages and religious institutions in the Democratic Republic of
the Congo, above al1in territory occupii:d by their forces;
- murder, summary execution, torture, rape and the detention of
the Congolese peoples, the plundering of the resources of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo.
2. Tlzut tlzc Court recognize tlzut the Denzocratic Republic oj the
Congo has an inalienable Jovrreign right:
- to demancl that its territorial integrity be guaranteed and
respected ;
- to demand of the United Nations that Rlvandan forces forthwith
unconditionally vacate its territory, iri accordance with the
Charter and with the relevant resolutioni of the United Nations
Security Council, in order to enable its population to have full
enjoyment of its rights;
- to enjoy its natural resources in accordarice with resolution 1803
(XVII) of 14 December 1962 of the L nited Nations General
Assembly ;
- to defend itself and to defend its people, n exercise of its right of
self-defence pursuant to Article 51 of th<:United Nations Char-
ter and to customary international law, for so long as it shall
continue to suffer aggression at the hancls inter ulia of Rwanda,
the cost of which in human lives is increasing daily.
3. In order to prevent irrcpurable lzarnî, tiie Derîzocratic Republic
of the Congo u~ksthe Court to (~djudgeund declare thut:
- Rwanda has violated, and is violating, gravely, flagrantly and on
a massive scale, the Convention against Tortureand Other Cruel,
Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Piinishment, in particular
by intentioiially inflicting torture and atute suffering and pain,
both physical and mental, on a major part of the Congolese
people; the United Nations Charter, ~he OAU Charter, the
International Bill of Human Rights antl al1 the other relevant
legal instruments relating to human rights and international
humanitarian law ;
- Rwanda must put an end to acts prohibited by the Convention
on the Prevention and Punishment of thr: Crime of Genocide, in
particular the destruction, in whole or in part, of Congolese
national or ethnic groups; the murde- and assassination of
members oif such groups, the grave ~iol~ltionsof their physical
or mental iritegrity, the intentional inflict on on members of such
groups of conditions of life calculated to bring about their physi-
cal destruction in whole or in part; the tleportation of children,the systematic use of rape and the deliberate spread of HIV
among Corigolese women;
Rwanda must put an end to acts prohibited by the International
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimi-
nation, and in particular the restrictions aimed at persons belong-
ing to national or ethnic groups specific tOthe DRC; [to] acts of
non-recognition or nullification of their f lndamental rights, such
as the right to life, the right to physical and mental integrity, the
right to education, etc. ;
Rwanda must put an end to acts covered by the terms of the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women, in partic~ilar the right to life, to physical and
mental integrity, to dignity, to health, . ..;
Rwanda must put an end to acts con rary to its obligations
deriving from its membership of the WHO and to attacks on the
physical an'dmental health of the Congcllese people;
Rwanda must put an end to al1acts of direct and indirect aggres-
sion against the DRC; to al1 use of force, direct or indirect,
against the DRC, the fundamental cause of al1the flagrant, mas-
sive and grave violations of the above-inentioned Conventions
being linketl to the persistent grave breazhes of the sovereignty,
territorial integrity and independence of the DRC;
Rwanda must pay to the DRC, in the Izitter'sown right and as
parens patriae of its citizens, fair and just reparation on account
of the injur:yto persons, property, the economy and the environ-
ment as a result of the above-mentiored violations of inter-
national law, the amount of which shall be determined by the
Court. The Democratic Republic of the (Iongo reserves the right
to submit to the Court a precise estimatc: of the damage caused
by Rwanda.
May it please the Court, in order to pr:serve the lawful rights
and resources of the Congo and its people: - to order an
embargo 011the delivery of arms to Rwanda, a freeze on al1
military assistance and other aid and an embargo on gold,
diamonds, coltan and other resources and assets derived from
the systema.tic plunder and illegal exploitation of the wealth of
the DRC lying within its occupied part;
the rapid inistallation of a force tosepar ite the combatants and
impose peaire along the frontiers of the I>RC with Rwanda and
with the other belligerent parties;
in addition to the above-mentioned provisional measures, to
indicate also, pursuant to Article 41 of it: Statute and Articles73
to 75 of its Rules, such other measures ai.the circumstancesmay
require in order to preserve the lawful rights of the DRC and its
people and to prevent the aggravation or extension of the dis-
pute" : 14. Whereas, imniediately after the filing of the Application and the
request for the indication of provisional measiires, the Registrar. in
accordance with Article 38,paragraph 4, and Art cle 73,paragraph 2, of
the Rules of Court, transmitted certified copies tliereof to the Rwandan
Government ;and whereas the Registrar also inforrned the United Nations
Secretary-General thiereof;
15. Whereas by letters dated 28 May 2002, the Registrar informed the
Parties that the President had fixed 13June 2002 as the date for the open-
ing of the oral proceedings provided for in Article 74, paragraph3,of the
Rules of Court, during which they could preseni their observations on
the request for the indication of provisionalmeazures;
16. Whereas, pending the notification under Article 40, paragraph 3,
of the Statute and Article 42 of the Rules of Court, by transmittal of the
printed text of the Application, in the twofficial anguages of the Court,
to al1States entitled to appear before the Court, the Registrar, on 30 May
2002. informed those States of the filing of the Application and of its sub-
ject-matter, and of tlie request for the indication ot^provisional measures;
17. Whereas, since the Court includes upon the Bench no judge of the
nationality of the Parties, each of them proceeded in exercise of the right
conferred upon it bq Article 31, paragraph 3,of the Statute, to choose a
judge ad hoc in the case; for this purpose the C'ongo chose Mr. Jean-
Pierre Mavungu. aind Rwanda chose Mr. Christopher John Robert
Dugard ;
18. Whereas at the public hearings held on 13 and 14 June 2002 oral
observations were submitted on the request for the indication of provi-
sional measures :
On hellcrloJ tie Congo:
by H.E. Mr. Jacques Masangu-a-Mwanza, A<:erzt,
H.E. Mr. Alphonse Ntumba Luaba Lumu,
Mr. Lwamba Katansi,
Mr. Pierre Akele Adau;
On hehalf' of'Rii,andu:
by H.E. Mr. Gérard Gahima, Agent,
Mr. Christopher Greenwood;
19. Whereas at the hearings the Congo for the inost part reiterated the
arguments set out in its Application and its request for the indication
of provisional measures; whereas it stated, specifically referring to
"massacres" having affected "civilian populations in the city of Kisan-
gani", that the recent acts "constituting seriou; violations of human
rights and internatlional humanitarian law . . . are such that their
repetition . . . is.. likely to aggravate the irreparableharm"; whereas
it asserted that, in consequence, "in the light of the two criteria of the urgencJr of the measures to be
decided upon and the irreparable nature of tlie consequences of the
repetition of the criminal acts committed by Rwanda, the jurisdic-
tion of the Court should be established on tlie basis, in addition to
the fundamental provisions of Article 41 of it ;Statute, of the rule of
'due diligence' vvith respect to Rwanda's conduct vis-A-visits inter-
national undertakings";
and whereas it stressed the "pressing necessity for the Court to declare
that it has jurisdiction and to indicate provisional ineasures as a matter of
urgency" ;
20. Whereas at the hearings the Congo observeci that the Court's juris-
diction over the merits of the case "cannot be esiablished either on the
basis of a special agreement . . ., or on acceptailce of the compulsory
jurisdiction of the Court", since Rwanda has not made any declaration
under Article 36, paragraph 2, of the Statute, but rather "on the basis of
the international conventions and treaties to whic1.1the Applicant and the
Respondent are parties";
21. Whereas at thie hearings the Congo maint~ined that the Court's
jurisdiction could be founded on Article IX of the Genocide Convention,
to which the Congo and Rwanda are parties; whereas it asserted that
Rwandan troops, "either directly or through their intermediaries, have
committed and conhue to commit acts of genocide covered . . . in
Articles II and III" 'ofthat Convention and that those provisions cover
"not only genocide but also conspiracy to commit genocide, direct and
public incitement to commit genocide, attempt tc commit genocide and
complicity in genocide"; whereas it stated in this connection that "as
a result of the war and the occupation of its territory, the Congolese
national group has lost at least 5 per cent of its population" and that
"particular ethnic groups have beeri the object of systematic massacres
following their resisi;anceW;whereas it alleged, for purposes of proving
"Rwanda's genocidal intent", the "perpetration of (Iramatic mass killings",
the "practice of selective massacres", the "systematic spread of
the AIDS virus among the female population", "attacks on the moral
resources of the population" and the "infliction of difficult conditions
of life"; and whereas, referring to the Order handed down by the
Court on 2 June 19'99in the case concerning Lepality qf'Use of Force
( YU~OS~UI ~~FLIUH(.CJ i),which Article IX of the Genocide Convention
was invoked as a basis for the Court's jurisdiction, it stated that the
acts of which it accuses Rwanda, "far from bein,: of the kind relied on
by Yugoslavia . . ., in the event 'bombings', . . .3dindeed faIl within the
definition of genocidle";
22. Whereas at tlle hearings the Congo referred to the reservation
wherein Rwanda stated at the time it acceded to the Genocide Conven-
tion that it did not consider itself bound by Article IX; whereas the
Congo stated that it "object[ed] to [that] reserv: tion", on the grounds
that the Convention contains "norms of jus coge~zs,in other words, . . .peremptory rules under the terms of the 1969Vielina Convention on the
Law of Treaties [which,] as such, . . . apply erga c,nzne.s";whereas it also
asserted that the reservation was "incompatible with the object and pur-
pose of the . . . Convention", since its effect was "to exclude Rwanda
from any mechanisrn for the monitoring and prssecution of genocide,
whereas the object and purpose of the Convention are the abolition of
impunity for this serious violation of internatilmal law"; whereas it
added, referring to the Court's Advisory Opinior of 28 May 1951 con-
cerning Re.serrurionsto the Conveizrion on tlle Preiention ~~n/uni.slzment
of'tlie Crirlleof'G~nocide, that as far as reservations to the Genocide
Convention are concerned, international law has evolved and "has now
led to the formulation of Article 120of the Statute of Rome on the Inter-
national Criminal Court, which provides: '[nlo res:rvations may be made
to this Statute'". that "that Statute deals in particular with genocide" and
that Rwanda's reservation should therefore be co~isidered"inoperative";
and whereas at the h'earingsthe Congo maintainecl that if the Court were
to reject its argument based on "the peremptory iiature of the norms of
the Genocide Convention", it should neverthekss declare that it has
jurisdiction given that Rwanda "called for the creatioi-i of an interna-
tional criminal tribunal to try crimes of genocide" committed against a
part of its people, and that it would therefore 1)e"necess[ary] for the
Respondent to . . . adopt . . . a consistent approach", Rwanda being pre-
cluded "[iln the presi:nt case . . . [from] reject[ing] the jurisdiction of the
International Court of Justice";
23. Whereas at tl-iehearings the Co~igo contended that the Court's
jurisdiction could be founded on Article 29, paragraph 1.of the Conven-
tion on Discrimination against Wornen; whereas it stated that Rwanda
had violated its obligations under Article 1 of that Convention; whereas,
quoting the preamble to that Convention, it observed that "the state of
war and . . . occupation by foreign troops can hardly promote respect for
women's rights"; and whereas it 1-eferredin this connection to the "ter-
rible suffering endured by women and children [as a result of the presence
of] Rwandan troops", to "rapes and various acts of oppression", to
"mutilations", to the "spread of AII>SWand to "other forms of violence,
including the burial of women alive"; whereas it cited resolution 2002/14,
adopted on 19 April 2002, pursuant to which the United Nations Com-
mission on Human IRights deplored "the widespread use of sexual vio-
lence against women and children, including as a means of warfare";
24. Whereas at the hearings the Congo argued that the Court's juris-
diction could be fourided on Article 22 of the Convention on Racial Dis-
crimination. to which the Congo and Rwanda are parties; whereas it
claimed that Rwancla has engaged in acts of racial discrimination as
defined in Article 1 of that Convention;
25. Whereas at the hearings the Congo refer-ed to the reservation
wherein Rwanda stated at the time it acceded o the Convention on
Racial Discrimination that it did not consider itself bound by Article 22; ARMED ACTIVITIES (ORDER 10 VI I 02) 230
whereas the Congo asserted that said reservation was "unacceptable,
because it would amount to granting Rwanda tfie right to commit the
acts prohibited by the Convention with complete iinpunity"; and whereas
it concluded that such a reservation cannot but "prevent the attainment
of the very purposes and object of the treaty";
26. Whereas at the hearings the Congo maintrined that the Court's
jurisdiction could be founded on the Convention against Torture; whereas
it quoted the definition of torture given in Article 1 of that Convention;
whereas it also referred in this connection to the provisions of Article 17
of the first 1949 Gerieva Convention and Article 20 of the second; and
whereas it contended that "burying people alive", in this case "women,
for whom conventiorial international human rightt; law and international
humanitarian law show particular concern", falls v~ithinthe provisions of
Article 1 of the Convention against Torture;
27. Whereas at the hearings the Congo pointed out that it and Rwanda
"have both acceded to the statutes of the Unitcd Nations specialized
agencies, which do not exclude the judicial settlement of disputes"
and contended that the Court's jurisdiction could thus be founded on
Article 75 of the WHO Constitution; whereas it stated that
"[flor the four years during which the war of 2ggression and occupa-
tion of a good part of its territory has continiied, the right to physi-
cal and mental well-being, guaranteed by Ariicle 1 of the Constitu-
tion of the World Health Organization . . .,has been seriously
ignored, flouted and encroached upon to the detriment of the
Congolese people" ;
and whereas it stated that the "occupying forces lave gone so far as to
prevent and impede vaccination campaigns [and, at] Goma, . . .during
the volcanic eruption of Mount Nyiragongo, . . . did not allow the
Congolese Government to provide humanitarian aid to its stricken popu-
lation" ;
28. Whereas at the hearings the Congo argued that the jurisdiction of
the Court could be founded on Article 14, paragrxph 1, of the Montreal
Convention ;
29. Whereas at the hearings the Congo referrcd to Article 9 of the
1947United Nations Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the
Specialized Agencies, providing for the jurisdicti~n of the Court; and
whereas it quoted the statement of 5 June 2002 in which tlie President of
the Security Council stated that the latter "deman~l[ed]that RCD-Goma
[Rassemblement congolais pour la démocratie-Goma] immediately cease
its harassment of United Nations officials" and "call[ed] upon Rwanda to
exert its influence" to have RCD-Goma meet "al1iti obligations"; whereas
the Congo asserted lhat in areas under the control of the RCD-Goma
"personnel of the United Nations and its specializ:d agencies [have been
prevented] from the normal enjoyment of their privileges and immuni-
ties"; 30. Whereas at the hearings the Congo notec that a number of the
international converitions which it cited
"allow the parties to a dispute, or one of theni, where appropriate, to
bring the case before the International Court of Justice, provided the
machinery for peaceful settlement laid down I>ythe conventions con-
cerned has first been used and exhausted";
whereas it explained that the machinery in question "is . . . 'negotiation',
the 'procedures expiresslyprovided for' in the convention or any 'other
mode' of settlement to be agreed between the parties"; whereas it cited
in this regard the miachinery provided for in the Convention on Racial
Discrimination, the Montreal Convention and the Convention against
Torture; whereas it maintained that Rwanda opposes "a general nzotfz(s
vivendi which would permit a peaceful settlenient"; and whereas it
stated as follows:
"if bringing the matter before the International Court of Justice by
means of a cornpromissory clause requires exhaustion of the rem-
edies interna1 ta1the Convention, each time ti-e Democratic Republic
of the Congo approaches Rwanda with a view to a legal settlement,
Rwanda can siinply plead that . . . the conditions required by the
relevant provisions of these Conventions [are not met] . . . [Tlhe
Court should aijk itself how the Democratic Republic of the Congo
could first 'exhaust' the negotiation or any other procedures . . .,
when Rwanda does not even accept the niinimum conditions of
peace permitting recourse to the machinery peculiar to those con-
ventions" ;
31. Whereas at the hearings the Congo, relying on "the most widely
accepted scholarly opinion . . . and the settled case law of the Court",
claimed "the existence of the international obligation to respect human
rights, founded upon a general customary principle, whose effect er-ga
onznes postulates and supposes the collective guarantee of States and of
the international community as a whole"; and ivhereas it cited in this
regard Article 55, paragraph (c), of the United Nations Charter;
32. Whereas at ti-iehearings the Congo stated that, "in respect of the
injurious consequenlres of the acts which have bt:en committed", it was
confining itself, at the current stage in the proceedings, "to maintaining,
in accordance with both the doctrine and unanimous, settled interna-
tional jurisprudence., that . . . Rwanda is under a 1 obligation to provide
full reparation for them" ;
33. Whereas at the close of its first round of oral argument the Congo
presented the following request:
"In the light of the circumstances, the Derrocratic Republic of the
Congo, in order to avert irreparable harm - in reality, the aggrava-
tion of irreparable harm - requests the follolving urgent provisional
measures : the cessation by Rwanda of al1 violatims of the sovereignty,
territorial integrity or political independence of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, including al1 intervention, direct and
indirect, in the interna1 affairs of the Deriocratic Republic of the
Congo;
the cessation of al1 use of force, direct or indirect, overt or
covert, against the Democratic Republi: of the Congo and al1
threats of use of force against the Democratic Republic of the
Congo and its peoples;
the cessaticln of the continuing siege of centres of civil popula-
tion. in particular by ensuring the demilitarization of Kisangani,
as demanded by numerous resolutions of the Security Council.
and of other towns (Coma, Bukavu, Kindu, Pweto, . ..) invaded
by Rwandan forces;
the cessaticin of acts which result in the Congolese civil popu-
lation being deprived of foodstuffs and having difficult and
inhuman living conditions inflicted upon them;
the cessation of the indiscriminate and savage devastation of
villages, towns, districts, and religious institutions in the Demo-
cratic Republic of the Congo;
the cessation of murder, summary execuiion, torture, rape, arbi-
trary detention and the plundering of the resources of the Demo-
cratic Republic of the Congo.
In order to prevent irreparable harm, the Ilemocratic Republic of
the Congo asks the Court to adjudge and declare that Rwanda must
put an end to the acts constituting grave, flagrant and massive vio-
lations, to the detriment of the Congolese p?ople, of the provisions
of the normative instruments protecting human rights. Those are the
following conv<:ntioilsinter rrliu:the Conveiition on the Prevention
and Punishmenit of the Crime of Genocide, the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discriminaticn against Women, the
Convention on the Eliminatiori of All Forms of Racial Discrimina-
tion, the Constitution of the World Health Organization, the Con-
stitution of Unesco, the Convention against l'orture and other Cruel,
Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punisliment.
May it pleasi: the Court, in order to presvrve the lawful interests
and the resources of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its
population :
- to demand that its territorial integrily be guaranteed and
respected ;
- to demand that Rwandan forces forthwitliunconditionally vacate
Congolese territory in accordance with tlie Charter and with the
relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, in
order to eriable its population to have full enjoyment of its
rights, and to ask the Security Council to ensure respect for its
own resolutions ; - to enable the Congolese people to enjoy its natural resources in
accordance kvithinternational law;
- to reaffirm the Democratic Republic of the Congo's right to
defend itself and to defend its people, in exercise of its right of
self-defence pursuant to Article 51 of the United Nations Char-
ter and to customary international law, or so long as it shall
continue to suffer aggression at the hands inter crli ocfRwanda,
the cost of which in human lives is increajing daily;
- to order an embargo on the delivery of arnis to Rwanda, a freeze
on al1military assistance and other aid anti an embargo on gold,
diamonds. coltan, and other resources an rtassets deriving from
the systematic plunder and illegal exploit.ition of the wealth of
the Democratic Republic of the Congo lying within its occupied
part;
- the rapid installation of a force to separaie the combatants and
impose peace along the frontiers of the D:mocratic Republic of
the Congo with Rwanda and with the otlier belligerent parties.
While pointing out that Rwanda must p;ly to the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, in the latter's own right and as purens
putriue of its ciizizens,fair and just reparation on account of the
injury to person::, property, the economy and the environment, the
Democratic Republic of the Congo requests the Court to indicate
also, pursuant ta1Article 41 of its Statute and Articles 73 to 75 of its
Rules, such oth~crmeasures as the circumstdnces may require in
order to preserve the lawful rights of the Democratic Republic of the
Congo and its people and to prevent the aggravation of the dis-
pute";
34. Whereas at tht: hearings Rwanda contended that the Court was
being called upon by the Congo "to give what wculd amount to a final
judgment on the merits under the guise of prokisional measures", to
"impose provisional Ineasures directed to States wllich are not parties to
[the] proceedings, and to international organizations which cannot be
party" to them, and "to usurp the authority of other institutions by
creating its own international peacekeeping force" and whereas it stated
that such measures "manifestly fall outside any -urisdiction which the
Court might possess in any case between two Stat:sV;
35. Whereas at the hearings Rwanda, referring to the criteria that
govern the indication of provisional measures, asserted:
"[Tlhe extent of the jurisdiction which can be founded upon the
provisions invoked by an applicant will de ermine which of theConvention was "idlentical" to that made by Spain and "identical in its
effect" to that macle by the United States; whzreas it referred to the
Court's consideration of the reservations by tliese two States in the
Orders which it made on 2 June 1999 in the case: concerriing Legulitj, of'
Use 9f'Force ( Yz~go.rlu~~vi.aSpain) and Legality of'Use qf'Force (Yugo-
sluvia v. United States oj'Americu) ; whereas it pointed out that in these
cases the Court had taken the view that Article IX of the Genocide Con-
vention "manifestly does not constitute a basis of jurisdiction . . . even
prima facie" ;
40. Whereas at the hearings, in reply to the a:-gument by the Congo,
Rwanda maintained that while the Genocide Convention did indeed state
norms of jus cogc!ns, only "the substantive provisions prohibiting
genocide . . . have the status ofjus cogerîs,not the:jurisdictional clause in
Article IX"; whereas it argued that while the prohibition of genocide was
also a norm creatirig obligations crgu ornnes, "that does not alter the
jurisdictional position"; whereas it pointed out thdt, contrary to what the
Congo had implied at the hearings, the Congo had "said nothing what-
ever about the Rwandese reservation"; whereas it added that the Advi-
sory Opinion of the Court concerning Reserv~rtio,~~ to the GenocicieCor?-
vrntion in no way suggested that Rwanda could not rely in the present
case on its reservation; and whereas it rejected tl-e Congo's argument to
the effect that Rwanda, by asking the Security Council to create the
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, hi~d"waived, or become
estopped from any reliance upon its reservation to the GenocideConven-
tion". giving the following explanation :
"The criminal jurisdiction of a tribunal created by the Security
Council and deriving its authority from an exercise of the Council's
powers under Chapter VI1 of the Charter tcbtry individuals for the
crime of genocide has nothing whatever to co with the authority of
the Court to exercise jurisdiction in inter-St ite disputes, which can
be derived only from Article IX : and Article IX, subject as the Court
itself has said, itoreservations";
41. Whereas at the hearings Rwanda, in respect of the Convention on
Racial Discrimination, stated that it had acceded to the Convention
in 1975, coupling the accession with a "reservation which excluded
Article 22 in its eritirety"; whereas it noted that at the hearings the
Congo "may [have] object[ed] . . . to that reservation made by Rwanda,
but it certainly did not object in 1975"; and whereas it contended that the
Convention on Racial Discrimination could not found the jurisdiction
of the Court;
42. Whereas at the hearings Rwanda, on the subject of the Unesco
Constitution, noted that Article XIV. paragraph 2, relied on by the
Congo, referred "orily to disputes concerning thc interprrtution, not the ARMED ACTIVITIES (ORDER 10 02) 237
latter point that the present case could therefort: be distinguished from
the case concerning Questions qf Interpretation und Applicution of tlie
1971 Montreal Convention uvi.singji.om tlie Aerilrl Incident ut Lockerhie
(Lihyan Arub Jumaliiriya v. United Stutes of Anzerica), in which Libya
had written to the CJovernment of the United States proposing arbitra-
tion under a provision very similar to that in t:ie Convention on Dis-
crimination against Women, and where the Cou -t, in the absence of an
answer from the United States, had "rejected the irgument [by the latter]
that the conditions for seising the Court had not been met";
45. Whereas at the hearings Rwanda contentled with regard to the
Montreal Convention that Article 14, paragraph 1, of that Convention
stated "the same preconditions for the jurisdiction of the Court as those
in the Convention [on Discrimination against 'Nomen]" and that the
Congo had made "no attempt to satisfy those conditions although . . . it
has had quite enough opportunity to do so"; and whereas Rwanda main-
tained that the Congo had already invoked the Montreal Convention, on
the ground of the "shooting down of a civil aircraft in October 1998". in
the proceedings that it instituted in 1999 agains Rwanda, that in that
case the Congo had not replied to the arguments made by Rwanda in its
Memorial and that itheCongo, after obtaining ari extension of the time-
limit for filing its Counter-Memorial, had "let nin: months go by" before
abandoning its action in January 2000; whereas it argued that for the
Congo to re-submit the same request to the Court was "the clearest case
of an abuse of proct:ssW;
46. Whereas at the hearings Rwanda, in respect of the WHO Constitu-
tion, referred to Article 75 of that Constitution, relied upon by the Congo
to found the jurisdiction of the Court; whereas it asserted that there was
no dispute between the two States "concerning the interpretation or
application" of the WHO Constitution and that the Congo had not
identified the provisions of the Constitution whic 1 it considered to be at
issue; and whereas il added that the Congo had not made any effort first
to satisfy the "procedural condition [under Art cle 7.51for seising the
Court", nainely that it should "first seek to resol~iethe dispute by nego-
tiation or by the processes of the Health Assemb y" ;
47. Whereas at the hearings, on the subject of tlie 1947 United Nations
Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of tke Specialized Agencies,
Rwanda, after statirig that this Convention had 2een "mentioned th[at]
morning . . . for the first time", and referring tt, the Court's jurispru-
dence, contended that it was "too late for a Statr to invoke ail entirely
fresh ground of jurisdiction as the basis on whic:h it seeks to seise the
Court in a request for provisional measures"; whereas it argued that the
Congo had failed "to identify any dispute whatever between [it] and
Rwanda about [this] Convention"; whereas it stited: "There may per-haps be a dispute . . . between the United Natiocs and the RCD-Goma,
the rebel faction wii.hin the Congo, about the traatment of personnel in
the MONUC United Nations force. But that is not a dispute which
involves either of the two Parties here before [the Court]"; and whereas it
submitted on this point that the Convention in question "forms no basis
for the jurisdiction of the Court";
48. Whereas at the hearings Rwanda, referring to the Court's jurispru-
dence, further contended that the Court could grant provisional meas-
ures "only for the lpurpose of preserving rights which might form the
subject-matter of a decision of the Court on the nierits" and that it could
not order measures other than "those needed to protect rights which
might form the subj'ect-matter of a judgment under the treaty or treaties
which the Court determines afford a prima facie basis for its jurisdic-
tion"; whereas it argued with regard to the Montreal Convention, the
Convention on Discrimination against Women a id the WHO Constitu-
tion that, even if the conditions precedent to such jurisdiction prescribed
by these instruments had been met, in any event tlie provisional measures
sought by the Congo could not be indicated beca~se they fell well outside
the subject-matter of those instruments; whereai it pointed out in the
case of the Montreal Convention that the latte. was "concerned with
crimes against the safety of civil aviation", that the only bearing claimed
concerned an incident four years earlier and thrt the rights conferred
upon the Congo by the Convention had "no point of contact with the
relief which Congo is seeking"; whereas it added lvith regard to the Con-
vention on Discrimination against Women that t 1e
"rights which Congo claims lie at the heart of the present case -
respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence, inalien-
able rights in respect of natural resources - could [not] possibly be
said to constitute rights which might form tlie subject of a decision
in exercise of any jurisdiction conferred by 4rticle 29 of this Con-
vention" ;
and whereas it asserted, in the case of the WHO Constitution, that the
lack of any connection between that Constitution and the present case
was "stark". referriilg in this respect to the Advisory Opinion on the
Legality of'the Use liy a State qf Nuckeur Weapou'sin Armrd Conjlict, in
which "the Court . .. drew a sharp distinction belween the health effects
of warfare and the l~rgalityof the waging of war";
49. Whereas at the hearings Rwanda submittec that none of the juris-
dictional grounds advanced by the Congo "offers any prospect whatever
of jurisdiction on the merits" and that "that woul i be reason enough for
the Court to remove the case from its List"; and rvhereas Rwanda added
specifically that the Congo had already had the "opportunity of having
the issue of jurisdiction tried" in the first proceedings which it had insti-
tuted, but had prefei-red to withdraw; whereas it 1,tatedthat the Congo'snew Application was merely "a replica of its ,)Id Application"; and
whereas it asserted that this was "an abuse of the process of the Court
and that the Court should . .. remove the case from its List";
50. Whereas at the hearings Rwanda presentec the following submis-
sions: "that the request for provisional measures be dismissed, and that
the case be removed from the Court's List forthv ith";
51. Whereas in iits oral reply tlie Congo stated that "contrary to
Rwanda's allegations, the headquarters agreemert between the [Congo-
lese] Government and MONUC was invoked not in support of the argu-
ment on the jurisdiction of the Court", but to indicate that "[MONUC]
officials enjoy diplomatic privileges and immun ties"; whereas it con-
tended, in reply to Rwanda's argument that the Congohad "never made
recourse to interna1 arbitration procedures", that it had "sought to bring
Rwanda to arbitration on a number of occasions ' and that
"there have been many such opportunities or having recourse to
arbitration or amy other procedure laid dolvn by the conventions
concerned :
- in July 2001 at Lusaka, on the occasion of the 37th Conference of
Heads of St,ate of the Organization of African Unity and in the
presence of the United Nations Secretary-General himself, the
President of the Rwandese Republic rejectrd any proposal for the
settlement of certain specific armed confli-ts by arbitration;
- in September 2001, at Durban. in the Rel~ublicof South Africa,
and on the occasion of the World Conference on Racism, Presi-
dent Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Ftepublic of the Congo
made the sa.me proposal for a settlement by arbitration to his
Rwandan counterpart, who declined the sffer;
- in January 2:002,at the Blantyre Summit in Malawi, in the pres-
ence of the President of the Republic, Bal.ili Muluzi, the Congo-
lese President reiterated his offer to his llwandese counterpart,
who turned it down;
- in March 2002, lastly, and on the occasion of the meeting of the
Joint Political Committee of the Lusalta Agreement and of
the Security Council Mission, the Presi~lent of the Rwandese
Republic immediately slammed the door on the proposais for a
settlement by arbitration as soon as they were made to him";
52. Whereas at the close of its oral reply the Cl~ngopresented the fol-
lowing request :
"In the light of the facts and arguments set out during these oral
proceedings, the Government of the Demozratic Republic of the
Congo asks the Court to adjudge and declarl: such that the Congo-
lese people can enjoy its natural resources in accordance with inter- national law: to reaffirm the Democratic Rcpublic of the Congo's
rights to defend itself and to defend its people in exercise of its right
of self-defence pursuant to Article 51 of the IJnited Nations Charter
and to customary international law, for so long as it shall continue
to suffer aggression at the hands inter alia of Rwanda, the cost of
which in human lives is increasing daily; to oider an embargo on the
delivery of [arms] to Rwanda, a freeze on al1military assistance and
other aid, an embargo on gold, diamonds, coltan, and other resources
and assets deriving from the systematic plunder and illegal exploita-
tion of the wealth of the Democratic Reputlic of the Congo lying
within its occupied part (because Rwanda has now become an
exporter of diaimonds and coltan, even thoiigh these do not exist
under its soil); the rapid installation of a for(.e to separate the com-
batants and impose peace along the fronti1:rs of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo with Rwanda and wi h the other belligerent
parties. Above all, we insist that Rwanda vacate Kisangani so that
its demilitarization can take effect and the MONUC forces can
occupy the city - thus, the population will live in peace -, while
pointing out that Rwanda must pay to the Democratic Republic of
the Congo, in the latter's own right and as ptzrelzspatriae of its citi-
zens, fair and just reparation on account of the injury to perçons,
property, the economy and the environment.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo requests the Court to
indicate also. mrsuant to Article 41 of its St2tute and Articles 73 to
75 of its Rules, such other measures as the circumstances may
require in order to preserve the lawful riglits of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo and its people and to prevent the aggravation
of the dispute";
53. Whereas in its oral reply Rwanda requested the Court to take note
that the Congo was not invoking the United Rations Convention on
Privileges and Imm~inities and the headquarters (igreement between the
United Nations and the Congo to found the jur sdiction of the Court:
and whereas at the close of its reply it made the fcllowing requests of the
Court :
"first, . . . the request of the Democratic Republic of the Congo for
the indication of provisional measures should be denied; and
secondly, . . . iinview of the fact that the current proceedings are
really an abuse of the process of court, we pray this Court to exercise
its discretion and strike this case from its Li:tn;
54. Whereas the Court is deeply concerned by the deplorable human
tragedy, loss of life, and enormous suffering in the east of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo resulting from the continiied fighting there; 55. Whereas the Court is mindful of the purposes and principles of the
United Nations Charter and of its own responsibilities in the mainte-
nance of peace ancl security under the Charter and the Statute of the
Court;
56. Whereas the Court finds it necessary to eniphasize that al1parties
to proceedings before it must act in conformit) with their obligations
pursuant to the United Nations Charter and oth:r rules of international
law, including humanitarian law; whereas the Coiirt cannot in the present
case over-emphasize the obligation borne by the Congo and Rwanda to
respect the provisions of the Geneva Convention: of 12August 1949and
of the first Protocol additional to those Conveiitions, of 8 June 1977,
relating to the protection of victims of international armed conflicts, to
which instruments both of them are parties;
57. Whereas the Court, under its Statute, does not automatically have
jurisdiction over leg,aldisputes between States parties to that Statute or
between other States entitled to appear before ihe Court; whereas the
Court has repeatedly stated that one of the fundamental principles of its
Statute is that it cannot decide a dispute between States without the con-
sent of those States to its jurisdiction; and whersas the Court therefore
has jurisdiction only between States parties to 2 dispute who not only
have access to the Court but also have acceptec the jurisdiction of the
Court, either in gei~eral form or for the indiviclual dispute concerned
(Legality oJ Use of Force (Yugosluilicrv. Belgi~n?), Provi.sionu1Mra-
sures, I.C.J. report,^ 1999 (I), p. 132, para. 20);
58. Whereas on a request for provisional measiires the Court need not,
before deciding whether or not to indicate them, finally satisfy itself that
it has jurisdiction on the merits of the case, yet .t ought not to indicate
such measures unless the provisions invoked bj the applicant appear,
prima facie, to afformda basis on which the jurisdiction of the Court might
be established; whereas moreover, once the Court has established the
existence of such a 'basisfor jurisdiction, it should not however indicate
measures for the protection of any disputed rights other than those which
might ultimately form the basis of ajudgment in the exercise of that juris-
diction (Applic~ctionoftlze Convrrztionon the Prevention und Punislzrî~ent
qf the Crane c? f'enocide, Provisional Mcw.szlres,Order of'8 April 1993,
I.C.J. Reports 1993, p. 19, para. 35);
59. Whereas in accordance with Article 36, paragraph 2, of the Statute,
the Congo (then Zaire), by means of a declaration dated 8 February
1989, recognized the compulsory jurisdiction of the Court in relation toany State accepting the same obligation; wherea; Rwanda on the other
hand has not made such a declaration; whereas the Court accordingly
will consider its prima facie jurisdiction solely on the basis of the treaties
and conventions relied upon by the Applicant 1)ursuant to Article 36,
paragraph 1, of the Statute, providing: "The jurisdiction of the Court
comprises al1cases which the parties refer to it and al1 matters specially
provided for in the Charter of the United Nation:, or in treaties and con-
ventions in force":
60. Whereas the Congo claims violations by P wanda of the Conven-
tion against Torture, Article 1of which reads as follows:
"For the purposes of this Convention, the term 'torture' means
any act by whiich severe pain or suffering, whether physical or
mental, is interitionally inflicted on a persoii for such purposes as
obtaining from him or a third person inforrination or a confession,
punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is
suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a
third person, clr for any reason based on discrimination of any
kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation
of or witli the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other
person acting iri an officia1capacity .. .";
and whereas it seeks to found the jurisdiction of 1he Court on the provi-
sions of Article 30, lparagraph 1, of the Convention, pursuant to which:
"Any dispute between two or more States Parties concerning the
interpretation or application of this Conve ition which cannot be
settled through negotiation shall, at the reqiiest of one of them, be
submitted to arbitration. If within six montlis from the date of the
request for arbitration the Parties are unable to agree on the organi-
zation of the arbitration. anv one of those Parties mav refer the dis-
pute to the ~nternational Court of Justice b!~requestdin conforrnity
with the Statute of the Court";
whereas the Congo has been a party to that Con.~ention since 18 March
1996;
61. Whereas Rwanda stated that it is not, and lias never been, party to
the 1984 Convention against Torture; and whereas the Court finds that
such is indeed the case;
62. Whereas the Congo, after referring to th(: 1947 United Nations
Convention on the F'rivilegesand Immunities of the Specialized Agencies,invoked "the headqi~arters agreement between tlie Government of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo and MONLJC" of 4 May 2000;
whereas, in its argurrient as finally stated in the prilsent phase of the case,
itdoes not appear tclclaim to found the juri~dicti~mof the Court on the
former of those two instruments; and whereas, in respect of the latter, the
Congo stated in its oral reply that:
"the headquarters agreement . . . was invokecl not in support of the
argument on the jurisdiction of the Court, bu1 rather to indicate that
the Rwandan ai-med forces are not authoriz,:d to attack MONUC
officials . . .; those officials enjoy diplomatic ~rivilegesand immuni-
ties";
whereas accordingly the Court is not required to take those instruments
into consideration in the present context;
63. Whereas the Congo seeks to found the jurisdiction of the Court on
the compromissory clauses contained in the following instruments, to
which both it and R.wanda are parties: the Conlention on Racial Dis-
crimination, the Genocide Convention, the Vienna Convention on the
Law of Treaties, the Convention on Discrimination against Women. the
WHO Constitution,the Unesco Constitution and the Montreal Conven-
tion; and whereas the Court must now proceed to examine each of those
conventions to determine whether the jurisdictiorial clauses relied upon
can furnish a prima facie basis for jurisdiction on the merits such as
would allow it, sho~~ldit think that the circumst,~nces so warranted, to
indicate provisional measures;
64. Whereas the (Congo first seeks to found the jurisdiction of the
Court on Article 22 of the Convention on Racial Discrimination, which
States:
"Any dispute between two or more States Parties with respect to
the interpretation or application of this Co~ivention, which is not
settled by negotiation or by the procedures elipressly provided for in
this Convention, shall, at the request of any cf the parties to the dis-
pute, be referretl to the International Court of Justice for decision,
unless the disputants agree to another mode of settlement";
and whereas the Congo maintains that Rwanda has committed numerous
acts of racial discrimination within the meaning o 'Article 1of that Con-
vention, which provides inter ulia:
"the term 'racia,l discrimination' shall mean any distinction, exclu-
sion, restriction or preference based on rac:e, colour, descent, or national or ethnie origin which has the purpose or effect of nullify-
ing or impairing the recognition, enjoyment cr exercise, on an equal
footing, of human rights and fundamental frcedoms in the political,
economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life";
65. Whereas both the Congo and Rwanda are parties to the Conven-
tion on Racial Discr.imination; whereas the Congo acceded to that Con-
vention on 21 April 1976 and Rwanda on 16 Apid 1975; whereas how-
ever Rwanda's instrument of accession to the Con~iention, deposited with
the United Nations Isecretary-General, includes a reservation reading as
follows: "The Rwandese Republic does not cons der itself as bound by
article 22 of the Convention";
66. Whereas in th12present proceedings the Co:lgo has challenged the
validity of that reservation (see paragraph 25 above);
67. Whereas the Convention on Racial Diiicrimination prohibits
reservations incomp;atible with its object and purpose; whereas under
Article 20, paragraph 2, of the Convention, "[a] reservation shall be
considered incompatible . . . if at least two-thirds of the States Parties
to this Convention object to it"; whereas such has not been the case
in respect of Rwanda's reservation concerning .he jurisdiction of the
Court; whereas that reservation does not appear incompatible with the
object and purpose of the Convention; whereas the Congo did not
object to that reservation when it acceded to the Convention; and
whereas Rwanda's reservation is prima facie applicable;
68. Whereas the Congo also claims to found the jurisdiction of the
Court on Article IX of the Genocide Convention worded as follows:
"Disputes between the Contracting Parties -elating to the interpre-
tation, applicatilon or fulfilment of the present Convention, including
those relating to the responsibility of a State or genocide or for any
of the other actrienumerated in article III, shall be submitted to the
International Court of Justice at the request 11fany of the parties to
the dispute" ;
and whereas the Coingo maintains that Rwanda lias violated Articles II
and III of the Genocide Convention; whereas Article II prohibits the
carrying out of:
"any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in
whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as
such :
(a) Killing meimbers of the group;
(h) Causing serious bodily or mental harn to members of the
group ; (c) Deliberatel:~inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated
to bring about its physical destruction iri whole or in part;
(di Imposing rrieasures intended to prevent births within the group;
(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group";
and whereas Article III provides:
"The following acts shall be punishable:
(CI) Genocide ;
(h) Conspiracy to commit genocide;
(cj Direct and public incitement to commit genocide;
(d) Attempt to commit genocide;
je) Complicity in genocide" ;
69. Whereas both the Congo and Rwanda are parties to the Genocide
Convention; whereas the Congo acceded to that ('onvention on 31 May
1962 and Rwanda on 16 April 1975; whereas however Rwanda's instru-
ment of accession to the Convention, deposited with the United Nations
Secretary-General. includes a reservation worded as follows: "The Rwan-
dese Republic does not consider itself as bound by article IX of the Con-
vention" :
70. Whereas in the present proceedings the Congo has challenged the
validity of that reservation (see paragraph 22 aboie);
71. Whereas "the priiiciples underlying the [Gerocide] Convention are
principles which are 1-ecognizedby civilized nations as binding on States,
even without any conventional obligation" and whxeas a consequence of
the conce~tion thus ado~ted is "the universal chaiacter both of the con-
demnation of genocide and of the co-operation required 'in order to lib-
erate mankind from such an odious scourge' (Preamble to the Conven-
tion)" (Rescrvcrtio~z.r'othe Convention on the Prev!>ntionund Punish~nent
of'tlîe Crir~icf Geilociclc~A,di~i.sorOpinion, I.C.J Reports 1951, p. 23);
whereas it follows "that the rights and obligations enshrined by the Con-
vention are rights and obligations erga or?lrzes"(Application of the Con-
ilelztio;~on the Pre~,c<nrioa nnd Punishnie~~t of tlle Crinie uf'Genocide,
Prrlirîîinagl Ohjection.~, Jztc/grnerzt,I.C.J. Reports 1996 (II), p. 616,
para. 31); whereas however. as the Court has already had occasion to
point out, "the er,qtlor?znt>csharacter of a norm and the rule of consent
to jurisdiction are taio different thirigs" (Ecist Tiriîor (Portugtrl v. Aus-
trulit~j, Judgr?~er~t,.C.J. Reports 1995, p. 102, para. 29); whereas it does
not follow from the rnere fact that rights and obligations erga otnnes are
at issue in a dispute that the Court has jurisdictil~n to adjudicate upon
that dispute; whereas. as the Court has noted above (paragraph 57), it
has jurisdiction in respect of States only to the extcnt that they have con-
sented thereto: and .whereas. when a compromis:.ory clause in a treaty
provides for the Court's jurisdiction, that jurisiiction exists only in
respect of the partie,^to the treaty who are bouiid by that clause and
within the limits set out in that clause;
72. Whereas the Glenocide Convention does not prohibit reservations; ARMED ACTIVITIES (ORDER10 VI! 02) 246
whereas the Congo did not object to Rwanda's ri:servation when it was
made; whereas that reservation does not bear oii the substance of the
law, but only on the Court's jurisdiction; whereas it therefore does not
appear contrary to the object and purpose of the (:onvention; whereas it
is immaterial that different solutions have been ajopted for courts of a
different character; whereas, specifically. it is imniaterial that the Inter-
national Criminal Tribunal for crimes committed in Rwanda was estab-
lished at Rwanda's request by a mandatory deision of the Security
Council or that Article 120 of the Statute of the international Criminal
Court signed at Rome on 17 July 1998 prohibits (il1reservations to that
Statute;
73. Whereas the Congo further seeks to found the jurisdiction of the
Court directly on Article 66, paragraph (u), of tht 1969Vienna Conven-
tion on the Law of Treaties, in accordance with n hich "[alny one of the
parties to a dispute concerning the application or the interpretation of
article53 or 64", relating to conflicts between tr:aties and peremptory
norms of international law. "may, by a written application, submit it to
the International Cclurt of Justice for a decision unless the parties by
common consent agree to submit the dispute to ,irbitrationfl (see para-
graph 3 above);
74. Whereas Article 66 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of
Treaties must be read in conjunction with Article 05, entitled "Procedure
to be followed with respect to invalidity, termination, withdrawal from
or suspension of the operation of a treaty";
75. Whereas the Congo does not maintain at the present time that
there is a dispute, which could not be resolved under the procedure pre-
scribed in Article 65 of the Vienna Convention, b:tween it and Rwanda
concerning a conflict between a treaty and a peremptory norm of inter-
national law; whereas the object of Article 66 citeclabove is not to allow
for the substitution of the judicial settlement, arbitration and conciliation
procedures under the. Vienna Convention on the 1,aw of Treaties for the
settlement machinery for disputes relating to the interpretation or appli-
cation of specifictrerities. notably when a violation of those treaties has
been alleged ;
76. Whereas the Congo further claims to found the jurisdiction of the
Court on Article 29 of the Convention on Discrimiiiation against Women,
providing :
"Any dispute between two or more States Parties concerning the
interpretation or application of the present C~~nventionwhich is not
settled by negotiation shall, at the request ol'one of them, be sub-
mitted to arbitr.ation. If withiti six months from the date of the request for arbiitration the parties are unable to agree on the organi-
zation of the arbitration, any one of those p2rties may refer the dis-
pute to the International Court of Justice bj request in conformity
with the Statute of the Court":
and whereas the Corigo maintains (see paragraph 23 above) that Rwanda
has violated its obligations under Article 1, whicli reads as follows:
"For the purposes of the present Convent on, the term 'discrimi-
nation against women' shall mean any di;tinction, exclusion or
restriction made on the basis of sex which h;ls the effect or purpose
of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by
women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of
men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the
political, econoinic, social, cultural, civil or kny other field7';
77. Whereas both the Congo and Rwanda are parties to the Conven-
tion on Discrimination against Women; wherea:; Rwanda ratified that
Convention on 2 March 1981; and whereas the Ccbngodid so on 17Octo-
ber 1986;
78. Whereas it falls to the Court to consider whether the preconditions
on the seisin of the International Court of Justice aid out in Article 29 of
the Convention in question have been satisfied;
79. Whereas at this stage in the proceedings th^ Congo has not shown
that its attempts to enter into negotiations or uncertake arbitration pro-
ceedings with Rwan'da (see paragraph 51 above) concerned the applica-
tion of Article 29 of the Convention on Discrimiriation against Women;
whereas nor has the Congo specified which rights protected by that Con-
vention have allegedly been violated by Rwanda and should be the object
of provisional measilres; whereas the preconditicns on the seisin of the
Court set by Article 29 of the Convention therefo -edo not appear prima
facie to have been satisfied;
80. Whereas the Congo seeks moreover to found the jurisdiction of the
Court on Article 75 of the WHO Constitution, worded as follows:
"Any question or dispute concerning the interpretation or applica-
tion of this Constitution which is not settled Elynegotiation or by the
Health Assembly shall be referred to the International Court of Jus-
tice in conformity with the Statute of the C ,urt, unless the parties
concerned agree on another mode of settlemznt";
and whereas the Congo alleges that Rwanda hds infringed the rights
guaranteed to its population by Article 1 of that Constitution (see para-
graph 27 above); 81. Whereas the (Congo has been a party to the WHO Constitution
since 24 February 1961 and Rwanda since 7 November 1962 and both
are thus members of that Organization ;
82. Whereas at this stage in the proceedings the Congo has also not
shown that the preconditions on the seisin of the Court set by Article 75
of the WHO Const.itution have been satisfied; whereas moreover an
initial exaniination of that Constitution shows that Article 2 thereof,
relied on by the Congo, places obligations on th: Organization, not on
the Member States;
83. Whereas the Congo further claims to founct the jurisdiction of the
Court on Article XIV, paragraph 2, of the Unesco Constitution, pur-
suant to which:
"Any question or dispute concerning the interpretation of this
Constitution sh;*llbe referred for determination to the International
Court of Justice or to an arbitral tribunal, ;is the General Confer-
ence may deterrnine under its rules of proceclure";
whereas in its Application the Congo invokes Article 1of the Constitu-
tion and maintains that "[olwing to the war, the 1)emocratic Republic of
the Congo today is iunable to fulfil its missions within Unesco . . .";
84. Whereas both the Congo and Rwanda arc parties to the Unesco
Constitution and have been since 25 November 1960 in the case of the
Congo and 7 Noveniber 1962 in the case of Rwanda;
85. Whereas Article XIV, paragraph 2, providei for the referral, under
the conditions established in that provision, of clisputes concerning the
Unesco Constitutioni only in respect of the interp!.etation of that Consti-
tution; whereas that does not appear to be the object of the Congo's
Application; and whereas the Application does xiot therefore appear to
fall within the scope of that article;
86. Whereas the (Congo lastly seeks to found the jurisdiction of the
Court on Article 14, paragraph 1, of the Montreal Convention, which
reads as follows:
"Any dispute between two or more Contracting States concerning
the interpretation or application of this Convrntion which cannot be
settled through negotiation, shall, at the reqiiest of one of them, be
submitted to arbitration. If within six montlis from the date of the
request for arbitration the Parties are unable to agree on the organi-
zation of the arbitration, any one of those Parties may refer the dis-
pute to the International Court of Justice bj request in conformity
with the Statute of the Court";and whereas at the close of its Application the Congo made the following
submission inter aliu :
"by shooting down a Boeing 727 owned by Congo Airlines on
9 October 1998 in Kindu, thereby causing the death of 40 civilians,
Rwanda .. . violated . . . the Montreal Convention for the Suppres-
sion of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation of 23 Sep-
tember 1971 ";
87. Whereas both the Congo and Rwanda are parties to the Montreal
Convention and have been since 6 July 1977 in the case of the Congo and
3 November 1987 in the case of Rwanda;
88. Whereas the Congo has not however asked the Court to indicate
any provisional measure relating to the preservation of rights which it
believes it holds under the Montreal Convention; whereas accordingly
the Court is not required, at this stage in the proceedings, to rule, even on
a prima facie basis, on its jurisdiction under that Convention nor on the
conditions precedent to the Court's jurisdiction contained thereiil;
89. Whereas it follows from the preceding considerations taken
together that the Court does not in the present case have the prima facie
jurisdiction necessary to indicate those provisional measures requested by
the Congo;
90. Whereas, however, the findings reached by the Court in the present
proceedings in no way prejudge the question of the jurisdiction of the
Court to deal with the merits of the case or any questions relating to the
admissibility of the Application, or relating to the merits themselves; and
whereas they leave unaffected the right of the Governments of the Congo
and of Rwanda to siibmit their arguments in respect of those questions;
91. Whereas in the absence of a manifest lack of jurisdiction, the
Court cannot grant Rwanda's request that the case be removed from the
List;
92. Whereas there is a fundamental distinction between the question
of the acceptance by a State of the Court's jurisdiction and the compati-
bility of particular acts with international law; the former requires con-
sent; the latter question can only be reached when the Court deals with
the merits after having established its jurisdiction and having heard full
legal arguments by both parties;
93. Whereas, whether or not States accept the jurisdiction of the
Court, they remain in any event responsible for acts attributable to them
that violate international law; whereas in particular they are required to
fulfil their obligations under the United Nations Charter; whereas the AKMED ACTlVITlES (ORDER 10 VI1 02) 250
Court cannot but note in this respect that the Security Council has
adopted a great number of resolutions concerning the situation in the
region, in particular resolutions 1234 (1999), 1291 (2000). 1304 (2000),
1316 (2000), 1323 (2000), 1332 (2000), 1341 (2001), 1355 (2001). 1376
(2001), 1399 (2002) and 1417 (2002); whereas the Security Council has
demanded on many occasions that "al1 the parties to the conflict put
an . . . end to violations of human rights and international humanitarian
law"; and whereas it has inter aliareminded "al1 parties of their obliga-
tions with respect to the security of civilian populations under the Fourth
Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time
of War of 12 August 1949", and added that "al1 forces present on the
territory of the Denîocratic Republic of the Congo are responsible for
preventing violations of international humanitarian law in the territory
under their control"; whereas the Court wishes to stress the necessity for
the Parties to these proceedings to use their influence to prevent the
repeated grave violations of human rights and international humani-
tarian law which have been observed even recently;
94. For these reasons,
(1) By fourteen votes to two,
Rgjrcts the request for the indication of provisional measures sub-
mitted by the Democratic Republic of the Congo on 28 May 2002;
IN FAVOUII: President Guillaume ; Vice-Pre.tident Shi; Judges Ranjeva,
Herczegh, Fleischhauer,Koroma, Vereshchetin,Higgins,Parra-Aranguren,
Kooijmans, Rezek, Al-Khasawneh, Buergenthal;Juclgead hoc Dugard;
AGAIIUS JTd:ge Elai-ab; Judge ad hoc Mavungu;
(2) By fifteen votes to one,
Rejects the submissions by the Rwandese Republic seeking the removal
of the case from the Court's List.
IN FAVOUII: President Guillaume ; Vice-Presidenr Shi ; Jucfges Ranjeva,
Herczegh, Fleischhauer,Koroma, Vereshchetin, Higgins,Parra-Aranguren,
Kooijmans, Rezek, Al-Khasawneh, Buergenthal.Elaraby; Judge ad hoc
Mavungu ;
AGAIPISJT u:dge ad hoc Dugard.
Done in French and in English, the French text being authoritative, at
the Peace Palace, The Hague, this tenth day of July, two thousand and
two, in three copies, one of which will be placed in the archives of theCourt and the others transmitted to the Government of the Democratic
Republic of the Corigo and the Government of the Rwandese Republic,
respectively.
(Signed) Gilbert GUILLAUME,
President.
(Signed) Philippe COUVREUR,
Registrar.
Judges KOROMA, HIGGINSB , UERGENTHA aLd ELARABY append decla-
rations to the Order of the Court; JudgelîocDUGARD and MAVUNGU
append separate opinions to the Order of the Court.
(Initiulled) G.G.
lIiîitiulled) Ph.C.
COUR INTERNATIONALE DE JUS'ICE
RECUEIL DESARRÊTS,
AVIS CONSULTATIFS ET ORDONNANCES
AFFAIRIE DES ACTIVITÉS ARMÉES
SUR LE TERRITOIRE DU CONGO
(NOUVELLE REQUÊTE: 2002)
(RÉPUBLIQUE DÉMOCRATIQUE DU CONGO c. RWANDA)
DEMANDE EN INDICATION DE hlESURES
CONSERVATOIRES
ORDONNANCE DU 10 JUILLET 2002
INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
REPORTS OF JUDGMENTS,
ADVISORY OPINIONS AND ORDERS
CASE CONCERNING ARMED ACTIVITIES
ON THE TERRITORY OF THE CONGO
(NE'WAPPLICATION :2002)
(DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO v. RWANDA)
REQUEST FOR THE INDICATION OF I'ROVISIONAL
MEASURES
ORDER OF 10JULY2002 Mode officiel de citation:
Activitks urrnkes sur le teLIUCongo (nouvelle requête:2002)
(Rkpuhliy~~edk~.nzocraeu Congo c. Rivundu), mesure5 coizseri~utoire.~,
ordonrzurzcedu IOjuillet 2002, C.I.J. Recup. 21902,
Officia1citation
Arrned Activities on the Terofthe Congo (New Applic~ltion: 2002)
(Dernocrutic Repuhlic qf' the Congo v. Rivundu), Provi.siona1Meusures,
Order qIO Juk 2002, 1.C.J. Reports 2p. 219
No de vente:
ISSN 0074-4441 Sales number 848 1
ISBN 92-1-070952-7 10JUILLET 2002
ORDONNANCE
ACTIVI-rÉs ARMÉES SUR LE TEF~RITOIRE
DU COIVGO (NOUVELLE REQUETE: 2002)
(RÉPUBLIQUE DÉMOCRATIQUE DU CONGO c. RWANDA)
DEMANDE EN INDICATION DE MESURES
CONSERVATOIRES
ARMEDI ACTIVITIES ON THE TERRITORY
OF THE CONGO (NEW APPLICATION: 2002)
(DEMOCRATIC' REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO v.RWANDA)
REQUEST FOR THE INDIC.4TION OF PROVISIONAL
MEASURES
10JULY 2002
ORDER COUR INTERNATIONALE DE JUSTICE
2002
IOjuillet
Rôno 126éral 10 juill2002
AFFAIRE DES ACTIVITÉS ARMÉES
SUR LE TERRITOIRE DU CONGO
(NOUVELLE REQUÊTE :2002)
(RÉPUBLIQUE DÉMOCRATIQUE DU CONGO c. RWANDA)
DEMANDE EN INDICATION DE MESURES
CONSERVATOIRES
ORDONNANCE
présent.^M. GUILLAUM E,ésidentM. SHI, vice-président;MM. RAN-
JEVA,HERCZEGHF , LEISCHHAUEK R,OROMA,VERESHCHETIN,
M'"" HIGGINS, MM. PARRA-ARANGUREN K,OOIJMANS,
REZEK, AL-KHASAWNEB HU, ERGENTHALE , LARABY uges;
MM. DUC;ARDM , AVUNGU j,ges ad hoc; M. COUVREUR,
greffier.
La Cour internationale de Justice,
Ainsi composée,
Aprèsdélibéréen chambre du conseil,
Vu les articles et 48 du Statut de la Cour et les articles 73 et 74 de
son Règlement,
Rend I'orhnnuizce suivunte:
1. Considérant que,par une requête enregiseu Greffe de la Cour le
28 mai 2002, laRépublique démocratiquedu Congo (dénomméeci-aprés
le «Congo») a introduit une instance contre la République rwandaise INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
YEAR 2002 2002
10 July
10July 2002 GNo. 126List
CASE CONCERNING ARMED ACTIVITIES
ON THE TERRITORY OF THE CONGO
(NEW APPLICATION :2002)
(DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO r. RWANDA)
REQUEST FlOR THE INDICATION OF PROVISIONAL
MEASURES
ORDER
Present: President GUILLACIMb;'ice-Pr~~i~lentSHI; Judge~ RANJEVA,
HERCZEGHF,LEISCHHAUEK IZ,KOMA\,'ERESHCHETIHNI,GGINS,
PARRA-AA.ANGUREN K,OOIJMANS,RFZEK, AL-KHASAWNEH,
BUERGENTHAE LL,ARABY;Judges ad hclc DUGARD, AVUNGU;
Registrur COUVREUR.
The International Court of Justice,
Composed as above,
After deliberatiori,
Having regard to Articles 41 and the Statute of the Court and to
Articles 73 and 74 of thes of Court,
1.Whereas, by an Application iiled in the Rcgistry of the Court on
28 May 2002, the Democratic Republic of the (:ongo (hereinafter "the
Congo") instituted proceedings against the Rwa idese Republic (herein-(dénomméeci-après le «Rwanda») au sujet d'un différend relatifa des
«violations massives, graves et flagrantes des droits de l'homme et du
droit international humanitaire)) qui auraient étécommises ((au mépris
de la «charte internationale des droits de l'homme», d'autres instruments
internationaux pertinents et [de] résolutions impératives du Conseil de
sécuritédes Nations Unies)); et considérant que, dans ladite requête, le
Congo expose que «[l]es atteintes graves et flagrantes [aux droits de
l'homme et au droit international humanitaire])) dont il se plaint «dé-
coulent des actes d'agression arméeperpétréspar le Rwanda sur le terri-
toire de la République démocratique du Congo en violation flagrante de
la souveraineté et de l'intégritéterritoriale [de celle-ci], garantie[s] par
les Chartes des Nations Unies et de l'organisation de l'unitéafricaine));
2. Considérant que, dans cette requête,le Congo rappelle qu'il a fait
une déclaration reconnaissant lajuridiction obligatoire de la Cour confor-
mément au paragraphe 2 de l'article 36 du Statut de la Cour; et qu'il
expose que le Gouvernement rwandais «s'est abstenu de toute déclaration
dans ce sens)); considérant que, dans ladite requête,le Congo, se référant
au paragraphe 1 de l'article 36 du Statut, invoque, pour fonder la compé-
tence de la Cour, l'articl22 de la convention internationale sur l'élimina-
tion de toutes les formes de discrimination raciale du 7 mars 1966(dénom-
méeci-aprèsla «convention sur la discrimination raciale))), leparagraphe 1
de l'article 29 de la convention sur l'éliminationde toutes les formes de
discrimination a l'égard des femmesdu 18 décembre 1979(dénomméeci-
après la ((convention sur la discrimination A l'égarddes femmes))), l'ar-
ticle IX de la convention pour la prévention et la répressiondu crime de
génocidedu 9 décembre 1948 (dénomméeci-après la ((convention sur le
génocide))),I'article 75de la Constitution de l'organisation mondiale de
la Santé du 22 juillet 1946 (dénomméeci-après la «Constitution de
l'OMS»), le paragraphe 2 de I'article XIV de la convention créant une
Organisation des Nations Unies pour l'éducation, la science et la culture
du 16novembre 1945(dénomméeci-aprèsla cconvention Unesco») (ainsi
que l'article 9 de la convention sur les privilègeset immunités des institu-
tions spécialiséesdu 21 novembre 1947, «qui concerne également
l'Unesco»), le paragraphe 1 de I'article 30 de la convention contre la tor-
ture et autres peines ou traitements cruels, inhumains ou dégradants du
10décembre 1984(dénommée ci-aprèsla ((convention contre la torture))),
et le paragraphe 1 de I'article 14 de la convention de Montréal pour la
répression d'actes illicites dirigéscontre la sécuritéde l'aviation civile du
23 septembre 197 1 (dénomméeci-après la ((convention de Montréal D) ;
3. Considérant que, dans sa requête,le Congo soutient en outreque la
convention de Vienne du 23 mai 1969 sur le droit des traités fonde la
compétence de la Cour pour réglerles différends nésde la violation des
normes impératives (juscogens) en matière de droits de l'homme, telles
aue reflétéesdans un certain nombre d'instruments internationaux:
4. Considérantque, dans sa requête,le Congo fait valoir que le Rwanda
est coupable d'((agression armée))depuis août 1998et jusqu'à ce jour; et
qu'il soutient que l'occupation par les troupes rwandaises d'«une partie ARMED ACTlVlTlES (ORDER10 VI1 02)
220
after "Rwanda") in respect of a dispute concernirig "massive, serious and
flagrant violations of human rights and of international humanitarian
law" alleged to have been committed "in breach of the 'International Bill
of Human Rights', other relevant international instruments and manda-
tory resolutions of the United Nations Security Council"; and whereas in
the Application the Congo states that "[the] flai;rant and serious viola-
tions [of human riglhtsand of international hum; nitarian law]" of which
itcomplains "result from acts of armed aggression perpetrated by Rwanda
on the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in flagrant
breach of the sovereignty and territorial integritl [of the latter], as guar-
anteed by the United Nations and OAU Charters";
2. Whereas in this Application the Congo retalls that it has made a
declaration recognizing the compulsory jurisdiction of the Court in
accordance with Article 36, paragraph 2, of the Siatute of the Court; and
whereas it states tha~tthe Rwandan Government 'has made no such dec-
laration of any sort"; whereas in the Application the Congo, referring to
Article 36, paragraph 1, of the Statute, relies, in order to found the juris-
diction of the Court, on Article 22 of the Interriational Convention on
the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination of 7 March 1966
(hereinafter the "Convention on Racial Discrimination"), Article 29,
paragraph 1, of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Dis-
crimination against Women of 18 December 1970 (hereinafter the "Con-
vention on Discrimination against Women"), Article 1X of the Conven-
tion on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide of
9 December 1948 (hereinafter the "Genocide Convention"), Article 75 of
the Constitution of i.heWorld Health Organizaticn of 22 July 1946(here-
inafter the "WHO Constitution"), Article XIV, piragraph 2,of the Con-
stitution of the United Nations Educational, icientific and Cultural
Organization of 16 November 1945 (hereinafter the "Unesco Constitu-
tion") (as well as ,Article 9 of the Convention on the Privileges and
Immunities of the Specialized Agencies of 21 November 1947, which is
"also applicable to lJnescon), Article 30, paragraph 1, of the Convention
against Torture andl Other Cruel, lnhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment of 10 December 1984 (hereinafter tlie "Convention against
Torture"), and Article 14, paragraph 1, of the Montreal Convention for
the Suppression of 1Jnlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation of
23 September 1971 (hereinafter the "Montreal Ct~nvention");
3. Whereas in its Application the Congo furtliermore maintains that
the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties ol'23 May 1969 gives the
Court jurisdiction to settle disputes arising from the violation of peremp-
tory norms (jus cogens) in the area of human rights, as those norms are
reflected in a numbcr of international instruments;
4. Whereas in its Application the Congo coniends that Rwanda has
been guilty of "armed aggression" from August 1998 up to the present;
and whereas it mairitains that the occupation by Rwandan troops of "asubstantielle du territoire à l'est)) du Congo a entraîné des ((massacres
humains àgrande échelle))dans le Sud-Kivu, dans la province du Katanga
et dans la Province Orientale, des ((viols et violences sexuelles faites aux
femmes)), des ((assassinats et enlèvements des acteurs politiques et acti-
vistes des droits de l'homme)), des ((arrestations, détentions arbitraires,
traitements inhumains et dégradants)), des ((pillages systématiques des
institutions publiques et privées[et] expropriations des biens de la popu-
lation civile)). des «violations des droits de l'homme commises par les
troupes d'invasion rwandaises et leurs alliés((rebelles)) dans les grandes
citésde l'est» du Congo, ainsi que la ((destruction de la faune et de la
flore)) du pays; et considérant que, dans cette requête, le Congo men-
tionne les violations du droit international que le Rwanda aurait com-
mises au titre des divers traités, conventions et règles de droit coutu-
mier auxquels il se réfère;
5. Considérant que le Congo ajoute que, par sa requête,il
((entend qu'il soit mis fin au plus tôt [aux] actes de violations graves
des droits de l'homme à l'égardde ses populations dont [il]est vic-
time et qui constituent une sérieusemenace pour la paix et la sécurité
en Afrique centrale en généralet particuliérement dans la régiondes
Grands Lacs».
et ((entend également obtenir réparation pour les actes de destruction
intentionnelle et de pillage ainsi que la restitution des biens et ressources
nationales dérobésau profit du Rwanda));
6. Considérant qu'au terme de sa requêtele Congo conclut comme suit:
«En conséquence,tout en se réservantle droit de compléter et pré-
ciser la présentedemande en cours d'instance, la République démo-
cratique du Congo prie la Cour de
Dire et juger que:
u) le Rwanda a violéet viole la Charte des Nations Unies (article 2,
paragraphes 3 et 4) en violant les droits de l'homme qui sont le
but poursuivi par les Nations Unies au[x] terme[s] du maintien
de la paix et de la sécuritéinternationales, de mêmeque les ar-
ticles3 et4 de la Charte de l'organisation de l'unitéafricaine;
h) le Rwanda a violé lacharte internationale des droits de l'homme
ainsi que les principaux instruments protecteurs des droits de
l'homme dont notamment la convention sur l'élimination des
discriminations à l'égarddes femmes, la convention internatio-
nale sur l'élimination de toutes les formes de discrimination
raciale, la convention contre la torture et autres peines ou trai-
tements cruels, inhumains ou dégradants, la convention sur la
prévention et la répression du crime de génocidedu 9 décembre
1948, la Constitution de l'OMS, le Statut de l'Unesco;
c) en abattant à Kindu, le 9 octobre 1998, un Boeing 727, propriété
de la compagnie Congo Airlines, et en provoquant ainsi la mort
de quarante personnes civiles, le Rwanda a également violélasignificant part of the eastern [territory]" of tl-ie Congo has involved
"large-scale massaci-es" in Sud-Kivu, in the province of Katanga and in
Orientale Province, "rape and sexual assault of .womenm,"murders and
abductions of poliiical figures and human rigi1ts activists", "arrests,
arbitrary detention:;, inhuman and degrading treatment", "systematic
looting of public and private institutions [and] theft of property of the
civilian population", "human rights violations cornmitted by the invading
Rwandan troops and their 'rebel' allies inthe m21jorcities in the eastern
[territory]" of the Congo. as well as "destruction of fauna and flora"
of the country; and whereas in this Application the Congo refers to
breaches of international law that Rwanda is allcged to have committed
in respect of the various treaties, conventions 2nd rules of customary
law which it cites;
5.Whereas the Congo adds that, by its Application, it
"seeks to secure the earliest possible cessation of the acts of which it
is a victim involving serious human rights violations in respect of its
people, which constitute a grave threat to pe ice and security in cen-
tral Africa generally and in the Great Lakes region in particular",
and "also seeks reparation for acts of intentional tlestruction and looting,
and the restitution of national property and rescburcesappropriated for
the benefit of Rwanda";
6. Whereas at the close of its Application the Ccngo submits as follows:
"Accordingly, while reserving the right to supplement and elabo-
rate upon this request in the course of the proceedings, the Demo-
cratic Republic of the Congo requests the C~~urtto:
(a) Rwanda has violated and is violating the United Nations Charter
(Article2,paragraphs 3and 4) by violatinirthe human rights which
are the goa.1pursued by the United Nations through the mainte-
nance of international peace and securi y, as well as Articles 3
and 4 of the Charter of the Organization of African Unity;
(hl Rwanda has violated the International Bill of Human Rights,
as well as the main instruments protecting human rights, includ-
ing, inter uliu, the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimi-
nation aga.inst Women. the Internatioiial Convention on the
Elimination of Al1 Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Con-
vention against Torture and Other Cruel. Inhuman or Degrad-
ing Treatnient or Punishment, the Con qention on the Preven-
tion and Punishment of the Crime of Gvnocide of 9 December
1948,theConstitution of the WHO. the (:onstitution of Unesco;
(c) by shooting down a Boeiilg 727 owned by Congo Airlines on
9 October 1998in Kindu, thereby causirig the death of 40 civil-
ians, Rwanda also violated the Unitec Nations Charter, the Charte des Nations Unies, la convention relative à l'aviation
civile internationale du 7 décembre 1944 signéeà Chicago, la
convention de La Haye du 16 décembre 1970 pour la répression
de la capture illicite d'aéronefset la convention de Montréal du
23 septembre 1971 pour la répression d'actes illicites dirigés
contre la sécuritéde l'aviation civile;
d) en tuant, massacrant, violant, égorgeant, crucifiant, le Rwanda
s'est rendu coupable d'un génocidede plus de 3 500 000 Congo-
lais, ajoutées les victimes des récents massacres dans la ville de
Kisangani, et a violéle droit sacréà la vie prévudans la Décla-
ration universelle des droits de l'homme et dans le Pacte inter-
national sur les droits civils et politiques, la convention sur la
prévention et la répressiondu crime de génocide, et d'autres ins-
truments juridiques internationaux pertinents.
En conséquence,et conformémeiztaux obligationsjuridiques inter-
nutionules, dire et juger que:
1) toute force arméerwandaise à la base de l'agression doit quitter
sans délaile territoire de la République démocratique du Congo,
afin de permettre à la population congolaise de jouir pleinement
de ses droits à la paix, à la sécurité,à ses ressources et au déve-
loppement ;
2) le Rwanda a l'obligation de faire en sorte que ses forces arméeset
autres se retirent immédiatement et sans condition du territoire
congolais ;
3) la République démocratique du Congo a droit à obtenir du
Rwanda le dédommagement de tous actes de pillages, destruc-
tions, massacres, déportations de biens et des personnes et autres
méfaitsqui sont imputables au Rwanda et pour lesquels la Répu-
blique démocratique du Congo se réservele droit de fixer ulté-
rieurement une évaluation précisedes préjudices,outre la restitu-
tion des biens emportés.
Elle se réserveaussi le droit de faire valoir en cours d'instance les
autres préjudices par elle et sa population subis));
7. Considérant que, le 28 mai 2002, après avoir procédéau dépôt de sa
requête, l'agent du Congo a présenté unedemande en indication de
mesures conservatoires invoquant l'article 41 du Statut de la Cour et les
articles 73 et 74 de son Règlement;
8. Considérant que, à l'appui de sa demande en indication de mesures
conservatoires, le Congo fait état de
«la persistance des actes graves, flagrants et massifs, de torture,
peines ou traitements cruels, inhumains ou dégradants, de génocide,
de massacres, de crimes de guerre et de crimes contre l'humanité,de
discrimination, d'atteinte aux droits de la femme et de l'enfant ainsi
que de pillage des ressources, perpétréssur le territoire de la Répu- Convention on International Civil Aviation of 7 December
1944signed at Chicago, the Hague Con./ention for the Suppres-
sion of Urilawful Seizure of Aircraft of 16 December 1970 and
the Montreal Convention for the Suppri:ssion of Unlawful Acts
against the Safety of Civil Aviation of 13 September 1971 ;
(d) by engagiing in killing, massacring, rape, throat-slitting, and
crucifying, Rwanda is guilty of genocide against more than
3,500,000 Congolese, including the victims of the recent
massacres in the city of Kisangani, and has violated the sacred
right to life provided for in the Universa Declaration of Human
Rights ancl in the International Covenaiit on Civil and Political
Rights, the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of
the Crime of Genocide and other relel~ant international legal
instruments.
In con.sequeilce, and in accordunce 1vit/1the internafional legal
obligations referred to above, to acijudgeam' declure that:
(1) al1 Rwandan armed forces at the root of the aggression shall
forthwith quit the territory of the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, so as to enable the Congolese people to enjoy in full
their rights to peace, to security, to their resources and to devel-
opnlent ;
(2) Rwanda is under an obligation to procure the immediate,
unconditiorial withdrawal of its armed fi~rcesand the like from
Congolese iterritory ;
(3) the Democi-atic Republic of the Congo is entitled to compensa-
tion from Rwanda for al1acts of looting destruction, slaughter,
removal of property or persons and other acts of wrongdoing
imputable to Rwanda, in respect of #hich the Democratic
Republic of the Congo reserves the right to establish a precise
assessment of the prejudice at a later date. in addition to resti-
tution of the property removed.
It also reserves the right in the course of tlie proceedings to claim
other injury suffered by it and its people";
7. Whereas on 28 May 2002, after filing its Application, the Agent of
the Congo submitteti a request for the indication of provisional measures
relying on Article 41 of the Statute of the Court aiid Articles73 and 74 of
itsRules;
8. Whereas, in support of its request for the indication of provisional
measures, the Congo notes
"continuing grave, flagrant, large-scale acts of torture, cruel, inhuman
or degrading punishment or treatment, genocide, massacre, war
crimes and crimes against humanity, discrimination, violation of the
rights of women and children. and the plundering of resources,
committed on the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo blique démocratiquedu Congo ila suite de I'agression arméecontre
son territoire et sur son territoire ainsi que de l'occupation illégale
d'une bonne partie de celui-ci par les troupes régulièresdu Rwanda »;
considérant que d'après le Congo <<[l]es actes précitéssont dus a la per-
sistance eti l'aggravation de I'agression arméecontre et sur le territoire
de la RDC »; et considérant que selon le Congo la demande en indication
de mesures conservatoires
«se justifie par le fait que, outre les violations et atteintes flagrantes,
massives et graves relatées dans la requête introductive d'instance,
d'autres méfaitsde la part du Rwanda se sont ajoutés, aggravant les
atteintes aux droits légitimesde la RDC et de sa population et cons-
tituant des violations graves des instruments spécifiques du droit
international des droits de l'homme et du droit international huma-
nitaire ;
9. Considérant que, dans cette demande en indication de mesures
conservatoires, le Congo se réfèreaux bases de juridiction de la Cour
invoquées dans sa requête (voir paragraphes 2 et 3 ci-dessus);
10. Considérant que, dans sa demande en indication de mesures conser-
vatoires, le Congo évoque,
([olutre les nombreux et ignobles crimes repris dans la requêteintro-
ductive d'instance et dont est auteur le Rwanda, ...la continuation
des massacres (débutésen août 1998) depuis janvier 2002 à ce jour,
malgré de nombreuses résolutions du Conseil de sécurité et dela
Commission des droits de l'homme de l'ONU)>;
qu'il mentionne la ((violation flagrante de l'accord de cessez-le-feu de
Lusaka)), des «tueries massives)), des «violations massives, graves et fla-
grantes des droits humains)), des <<enlèvements».ainsi que «l'infliction de
traitements cruels, inhumains et dégradants a la population)); qu'il
observe que «[l]adécimation tend à devenir totale, à la suite de nouveaux
déploieinents des militaires rwandais opérés depuisle 22 mai 2002 afin de
consolider un autre génocide));et qu'il fait référence à de
((nombreuses sources dont les églises,les ONG de défense desdroits
de l'homme et la MONUC[, faisant] état des atteintes graves aux
droits de l'homme perpétréespar les troupes rebelles du RCD [et]
celles des forces occupantes de I'APR au cours de ces événements));
11. Considérant que, dans ladite demande en indication de mesures
conservatoires, le Congo fait valoir que «ne pas ordonner dans l'immé-
diat les mesures sollicitées conduirait à des conséquences humanitaires
non réparables ... à court terme [et]a long terme)); qu'il ajoute que
«les récents plaidoyers, rapports et résolutions de principaux
organes de l'ONU, lesquels établissent l'incidence de la persistance following the armed aggression against and on its territory and
the illegal occulpation of a large part of that territory by Rwandan
regular forces" :
whereas according to the Congo "[tlhe above-mentioned acts are due to
the continuation ancl aggravation of the armed aggression against and on
the territory of the DRC"; and whereas according to the Congo, the
request for the indication of provisional measure:;
"is justified by the fact that, in addition tc the flagrant, massive,
grave violations and breaches set out in the Application instituting
proceedings, further acts of wrongdoing have been committed by
Rwanda, aggravating the violations of the lawful rights of the DRC
and of its popiilation and constituting grave violations of specific
international legal instruments concerning human rights and inter-
national humanitarian law";
9. Whereas in this request for the indication of provisional measures
the Congo relies on the grounds for the jurisdiction of the Court cited in
its Application (see paragraphs 2 and 3 above);
10. Whereas in its request for the indication cf provisional measures
the Congo notes,
"[iln addition to the numerous heinous crimes perpetrated by
Rwanda as set out in the Application instituting proceedings . . .
[that] the massacres (begun in August 1998)have continued since
January 2002 up to the present time, despite r umerous resolutions of
the Security Council of the United Nations and of its Commission
on Human Rights";
whereas it refers to the "flagrant violation of the Lusaka Ceasefire Agree-
ment", "mass killings", "massive grave and flagrant violations of human
rights", "abductions", as well as "the infliction of cruel, inhuman and
degrading treatment on the population"; wherea:, it observes that "[tlhe
decimation is likely to become total, following fresh deployments of
Rwandan troops since 22 May 2002 for the purpose of achieving a
further genocide"; and whereas it refers to
"[n]umerous sources, including churches, human rights NGOs and
MONUC[, reporting] the grave human right:, violations perpetrated
by the rebeltro~opsof the RCD [and] by the ~ccupying forces of the
RPA in the course of these incidents";
Il. Whereas in the request for the indication of provisional measures
the Congo contends that "to fail to make an inimediate order for the
measures sought would have humanitarian consequences which could
never be made goocl again . . . in the short terrr or in the long term";
whereas it adds that
"recent pleas, reports and resolutions by the principal organs of the
United Nation:;, which show how the continuing conflict in the du conflit en République démocratique du Congo sur les violations
massives des droits de l'homme, reviennent sur l'urgence a obtenir le
départ des troupes rwandaises du territoire congolais et l'arrêt des
massacres, tueries et exactions sur les populations));
qu'il cite à cet égard la résolution 1304(2000) du Conseil de sécurité des
Nations Unies du 16juin 2000;
12. Considérant que le Congo ajoute que par sa demande
«il est requis de la Cour d'ordonner des mesures conséquentes afin
de permettre notamment la mise en Œuvrede [la]résolution [2000/14,
adoptée le 19 avril 2002,] de la Commission des droits de l'homme
des Nations Unies, de tenir compte de l'urgence ainsi que d'éviter
d'atteindre le seuil de l'irréparable (qui, à maints égards, est déjà
accompli) et de l'irréversible));
13. Considérant qu'au terme de sa demande le Congo expose:
«En conséquence de la persistance et de l'aggravation des viola-
tions flagrantes et massives par le Rwanda du droit international
généralet coutumier, en particulier des conventions et chartes sus-
mentionnées, et en attendant que la Cour rende sa décisionquant au
fond et aux fins d'éviterque des préjudicesirréparables soient causés
a ses droits légitimeset à ceux de sa population du fait de I'occupa-
tion d'une partie de son territoire par les troupes rwandaises, la
République démocratique du Congo, pour stopper le mal et prévenir
le pire, prie la Cour d'ordonner les mesures conservatoires ci-après:
1.Que le Rivandu, ses agents et au.uiliaires,soient tenus de mettre
fin et de renoncer in~~?~édiutemc~nt:
A la guerre d'agression dans et contre la RDC et à l'occupation de
son territoire, la guerre étant source et cause de toutes les violations
massives, graves et flagrantes de droits de l'homme et du droit inter-
national humanitaire :
- a toutes les violations de la souveraineté, de l'intégritéterritoriale
ou de l'indépendance politique de la République démocratique
du Congo, y compris toute intervention, directe et indirecte,
dans les affaires intérieures de la République démocratique du
Congo ;
- k toute utilisation de la force, directe ou indirecte, manifeste ou
occulte, contre la République démocratique du Congo et a
toutes les menaces d'utilisation de la force contre la République
démocratique du Congo et ses populations;
- a la poursuite du siègede centres de population civile, spéciale-
ment Kisangani (démilitarisation exigéepar de nombreuses réso-
lutions du Conseil de sécuritéde l'ONU) et d'autres villes enva-
hies par les troupes rwandaises;
- aux actes qui ont pour effet d'affamer la population civile de la ARMED ACTIVlTIES (ORDER 10 VI[ 02) 224
Democratic Republic of the Congo is causinp, massive human rights
violations, insist on the urgency of secuiing the departure of
Rwandan forceis from Congolese territory aiid the cessation of the
massacres, killirigs and acts of oppression a€ainst the population" :
whereas in this connection it cites United Nations Security Council reso-
lution 1304 (2000) of 16 June 2000;
12. Whereas the Congo adds that
"the Court is accordingly requested to ordei appropriate measures
with a view, int6.ruliu,to permitting the implcmentation of. ..reso-
lution [2000/14] of the United Nations Commission on Human
Rights[, adopted on 19April2002,l to taking account of the urgency
of the situatiori and to preventing it beconing both irreparable
(which, in many respects, it already has) and irreversible";
13. Whereas at the close of its request the Congo States:
"In consequence of the continuation and aggravation of the fla-
grant massive violations by Rwanda of gener;tl and customary inter-
national law, in particular of the above-ment oned Conventions and
Charters, and pending the Court's decision on the merits and in
order to prevent irreparable harm being caused to its lawful rights
and to those of litspopulation as a result of the occupation of part of
its territory by Rwandan forces, the Demoxatic Republic of the
Congo, with a view to putting an end to present evils and averting
the worst, requests the Court to order the following provisional
measures :
1. TlztrtR\r.mzdu, ~tslzgents and uuxiliarie i he required fortlzii.ith
to ceuse und desist jrom:
The war of agression in and against the DRC and the occupation
of its territory, ithesaid war being the source and cause of al1of the
massive, grave and flagrant violations of hunian rights and of inter-
national humanitarian law :
- al1 violations of the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political
independence of the Democratic Republic: of the Congo, includ-
ing al1intervention, direct and indirect, iii the interna1 affairs of
the Democratic Republic of the Congo:
al1 use of force, direct or indirect, overt or covert, against the
Democratic Republic of the Congo and al1threats of use of force
against the Democratic Republic of the (Iongo and its peoples;
- the continuing siege of centres of civil population, in particular
Kisangani (demilitarization demanded b!, numerous resolutions
of the United Nations Security Council), and of other towns
invaded by Rwandan forces:
- acts which result in the civil population of the Democratic République démocratique du Congo et de la soumettre à des
conditions difficiles et inhumaines de vie;
à la dévastation aveugle et sauvage ... de villes, de districts, de
villages et d'institutions religieuses en République démocratique
du Congo, surtout en territoire occupé par leurs forces;
aux assassinats, exécutions sommaires, à la torture, au viol, à la
détention des populations congolaises, au pillage des ressources
de la République démocratique du Congo.
2. Que la Cour reconnaisse que ka République démocratique du
Congo a un droit inaliénubleet souverain:
à exiger que son intégritéterritoriale soit garantie et respectée;
- à exiger des Nations Unies que les troupes rwandaises quittent
immédiatement sans conditions son territoire, conformément à
la Charte et aux résolutions pertinentes du Conseil de sécuritéde
l'ONU afin de permettre à sa population de jouir pleinement de
ses droits;
- àjouir de ses ressources naturelles en vertu de la résolution 1803
(XVII) du 14décembre 1962 de l'Assemblée générald ee l'ONU;
- à se défendre et à défendre son peuple, en légitimedéfense,en
vertu de l'article 51 de la Charte de l'ONU et du droit interna-
tional coutumier, tant que continuera l'agression dont elle est
victime de la part notamment du Rwanda et dont le coût en vies
humaines augmente au jour le jour.
3. A.fin de prkvenir I'irréparuble,la Républiquedémocratique du
Congoprie la Cour de dire et juger que:
- le Rwanda a violéet viole de façon grave, flagrante et massive, la
convention contre la torture et autres peines ou traitements
cruels. inhumains ou dégradants, notamment la torture, les dou-
leurs et souffrances aiguës, physiques et mentales, intentionnel-
lement infligéesà une bonne partie de la population congolaise;
la Charte des Nations Unies, la Chartede l'OUA, la charte inter-
nationale des droits de l'homme ainsi que tous les autres instru-
ments juridiques pertinents en matière des droits de l'homme et
de droit international humanitaire;
- le Rwanda doit mettre fin aux actes prohibés par la convention
pour la prévention et la répressiondu crime de génocide,notam-
ment la destruction totale ou partielle des groupes nationaux ou
ethniquescongolais; le meurtre et l'assassinat de membres de tels
groupes, les atteintes graves à leur intégritéphysique ou mentale,
la soumission intentionnelle des membres de ces groupes à des
conditions d'existence destinéesà entraîner leur destruction phy-
sique totale ou partielle; la déportation d'enfants, le recours au Republic of the Congo being deprived cf foodstuffs and having
difficult and inhuman living conditions inflicted upon them;
- the indiscriminate and savage devastatio 1 . ..of towns, districts,
villages and religious institutions in the Democratic Republic of
the Congo, above al1in territory occupii:d by their forces;
- murder, summary execution, torture, rape and the detention of
the Congolese peoples, the plundering of the resources of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo.
2. Tlzut tlzc Court recognize tlzut the Denzocratic Republic oj the
Congo has an inalienable Jovrreign right:
- to demancl that its territorial integrity be guaranteed and
respected ;
- to demand of the United Nations that Rlvandan forces forthwith
unconditionally vacate its territory, iri accordance with the
Charter and with the relevant resolutioni of the United Nations
Security Council, in order to enable its population to have full
enjoyment of its rights;
- to enjoy its natural resources in accordarice with resolution 1803
(XVII) of 14 December 1962 of the L nited Nations General
Assembly ;
- to defend itself and to defend its people, n exercise of its right of
self-defence pursuant to Article 51 of th<:United Nations Char-
ter and to customary international law, for so long as it shall
continue to suffer aggression at the hancls inter ulia of Rwanda,
the cost of which in human lives is increasing daily.
3. In order to prevent irrcpurable lzarnî, tiie Derîzocratic Republic
of the Congo u~ksthe Court to (~djudgeund declare thut:
- Rwanda has violated, and is violating, gravely, flagrantly and on
a massive scale, the Convention against Tortureand Other Cruel,
Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Piinishment, in particular
by intentioiially inflicting torture and atute suffering and pain,
both physical and mental, on a major part of the Congolese
people; the United Nations Charter, ~he OAU Charter, the
International Bill of Human Rights antl al1 the other relevant
legal instruments relating to human rights and international
humanitarian law ;
- Rwanda must put an end to acts prohibited by the Convention
on the Prevention and Punishment of thr: Crime of Genocide, in
particular the destruction, in whole or in part, of Congolese
national or ethnic groups; the murde- and assassination of
members oif such groups, the grave ~iol~ltionsof their physical
or mental iritegrity, the intentional inflict on on members of such
groups of conditions of life calculated to bring about their physi-
cal destruction in whole or in part; the tleportation of children, viol systématique et à la diffusion délibéréedu VIH parmi les
femmes congolaises ;
- le Rwanda doit mettre fin aux actes interdits par la convention
internationale sur l'élimination de toutes les formes de discrimi-
nation raciale, notamment les restrictions visant des personnes
appartenant à des groupes nationaux ou ethniques spécifiquesde
la RDC: [aux] actes de non-reconnaisance ou de destruction de
leurs droits fondamentaux tels que le droit à la vie, le droit à
l'intégrité physique etmorale, le droit à l'éducation, etc.;
- le Rwanda doit mettre fin aux actes viséspar la convention sur
l'élimination detoutes les formes de discrimination à l'égard des
femmes, notamment le droit à la vie, à l'intégrité physique et
morale, iila dignité, à la santé...;
- le Rwanda doit mettre fin aux actes contraires à ses obligations
découlant de son appartenance à l'OMS, et d'atteinte à la santé
physique et mentale de la population congolaise;
- le Rwanda doit mettre fin à tous les actes d'agression directe ou
indirecte à l'endroit de la RDC; à tout emploi de la force, direc-
tement ou indirectement, contre la RDC. la cause fondamentale
de toutes les violations flagrantes, massives et graves des conven-
tions susmentionnées étant liéesaux atteintes graves et persis-
tantes à la souveraineté, à l'intégritéterritoriale et à l'indépen-
dance de la RDC;
- le Rwanda est tenu de payer à la RDC, de son propre droit, et
comme purens p~~triuede ses citoyens, des réparations justes et
équitables pour les dommages subis par les personnes, les biens,
l'économie etl'environnement, à raison des violations susvisées
du droit international, dont le montant sera déterminépar la
Cour. La République démocratique du Congo se réservele droit
de présenter à la Cour une évaluation précisedes dommages cau-
séspar le Rwanda.
- Plaise à la Cour, pour préserver les droits légitimeset les res-
sources du Congo et de sa population: - d'ordonner l'embar-
go sur les armes à destination du Rwanda, le gel de toute assis-
tance militaire et autres aides, ainsi que l'embargo sur l'or, le
diamant, le coltan, ainsi que d'autres ressources et biens pro-
venant du pillage systématique et de l'exploitation illégaledes
richesses de la RDC, dans sa partie occupée;
- la mise en place rapide d'une force d'interposition et d'imposi-
tion de la paix le long des frontières de la RDC avec le Rwanda.
ainsi qu'avec les autres parties belligérantes;
- outre les mesures conservatoires susmentionnées, d'indiquer éga-
lement. en vertu de l'article 41 de son Statut et des articles 73
à 75 de son Règlement, toutes autres mesures exigéespar les cir-
constances, en vue de préserverles droits légitimesde la RDC et
de sa population ainsi que d'empêcherl'aggravation ou I'exten-
sion du différend»:the systematic use of rape and the deliberate spread of HIV
among Corigolese women;
Rwanda must put an end to acts prohibited by the International
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimi-
nation, and in particular the restrictions aimed at persons belong-
ing to national or ethnic groups specific tOthe DRC; [to] acts of
non-recognition or nullification of their f lndamental rights, such
as the right to life, the right to physical and mental integrity, the
right to education, etc. ;
Rwanda must put an end to acts covered by the terms of the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women, in partic~ilar the right to life, to physical and
mental integrity, to dignity, to health, . ..;
Rwanda must put an end to acts con rary to its obligations
deriving from its membership of the WHO and to attacks on the
physical an'dmental health of the Congcllese people;
Rwanda must put an end to al1acts of direct and indirect aggres-
sion against the DRC; to al1 use of force, direct or indirect,
against the DRC, the fundamental cause of al1the flagrant, mas-
sive and grave violations of the above-inentioned Conventions
being linketl to the persistent grave breazhes of the sovereignty,
territorial integrity and independence of the DRC;
Rwanda must pay to the DRC, in the Izitter'sown right and as
parens patriae of its citizens, fair and just reparation on account
of the injur:yto persons, property, the economy and the environ-
ment as a result of the above-mentiored violations of inter-
national law, the amount of which shall be determined by the
Court. The Democratic Republic of the (Iongo reserves the right
to submit to the Court a precise estimatc: of the damage caused
by Rwanda.
May it please the Court, in order to pr:serve the lawful rights
and resources of the Congo and its people: - to order an
embargo 011the delivery of arms to Rwanda, a freeze on al1
military assistance and other aid and an embargo on gold,
diamonds, coltan and other resources and assets derived from
the systema.tic plunder and illegal exploitation of the wealth of
the DRC lying within its occupied part;
the rapid inistallation of a force tosepar ite the combatants and
impose peaire along the frontiers of the I>RC with Rwanda and
with the other belligerent parties;
in addition to the above-mentioned provisional measures, to
indicate also, pursuant to Article 41 of it: Statute and Articles73
to 75 of its Rules, such other measures ai.the circumstancesmay
require in order to preserve the lawful rights of the DRC and its
people and to prevent the aggravation or extension of the dis-
pute" : 14. Considérant que, immédiatement après le dépôtde la requête etde
la demande en indication de mesures conservatoires, le greffier. confor-
mémentau paragraphe 4 de l'article 38 et au paragraphe 2 de l'article 73
du Règlement de la Cour, en a fait tenir des copies certifiéesconformes
au Gouvernement rwandais; et que le greffier en a égalementinformé le
Secrétaire généralde l'Organisation des Nations Unies:
15. Considérant que, par des lettres en date d28 mai 2002, le greffier
a informé les Parties que le président avait fixéau 13juin 2002 la date
d'ouverture de la procédure orale prévue au paragraphe 3 de l'article 74
du Règlement, au cours de laquelle elles pourraient présenter leurs obser-
vations sur la demande en indication de mesures conservatoires;
16. Considérant qu'en attendant que la communication prévue au
paragraphe 3 de l'article 40du Statut et à l'article 42du Règlement ait été
effectuéepar transmission du texte imprimé, dans les deux langues offi-
cielles de la Cour, de la requêteiitous les Etats admis à ester devant la
Cour, le greffier a, le 30 mai 2002, informé ces Etats du dépôt de la
requête etde son objet, ainsi que de la demande en indication de mesures
conservatoires ;
17. Considérant que, la Cour ne comptant sur le siègeaucun juge de la
nationalité des Parties, chacune d'elles a procédé,dans l'exercicedu droit
que lui confère le paragraphe 3 de l'article 31 du Statut,la désignation
d'un juge ad lzocen l'affaire; que le Congo a désignéà cet effeM. Jean-
Pierre Mavungu, et le Rwanda M. Christopher John Robert Dugard;
18. Considérant qu'aux audiences publiques tenues les 13 et
14 juin 2002 des observations orales sur la demande en indication de
mesures conservatoires ont été présentées:
au nom du Congo:
par S. Exc. M. Jacques Masangu-a-Mwanza, agent,
S. Exc. M. Alphonse Ntumba Luaba Lumu,
M. Lwamba Katansi,
M. Pierre Akele Adau;
au nonz du Rivandu:
par S. Exc. M. Gérard Gahima, ugent,
M. Christopher Greenwood;
19. Considérant qu'à l'audience le Congo a réitérépour l'essentiel
l'argumentation développéedans sa requêteet sa demande en indication
de mesures conservatoires; qu'il a indiqué,se référanten particulier des
«massacres» ayant affecté«des populations civiles dans la ville de Kisan-
gani)), que les faits récents«constitutifs de violations graves des droits de
l'homme et du droit international humanitaire ...revêt[aient]un caractère
tel que leur répétition ... [était]... de nature à aggraver l'irréparable));
qu'il a exposéque par suite, 14. Whereas, imniediately after the filing of the Application and the
request for the indication of provisional measiires, the Registrar. in
accordance with Article 38,paragraph 4, and Art cle 73,paragraph 2, of
the Rules of Court, transmitted certified copies tliereof to the Rwandan
Government ;and whereas the Registrar also inforrned the United Nations
Secretary-General thiereof;
15. Whereas by letters dated 28 May 2002, the Registrar informed the
Parties that the President had fixed 13June 2002 as the date for the open-
ing of the oral proceedings provided for in Article 74, paragraph3,of the
Rules of Court, during which they could preseni their observations on
the request for the indication of provisionalmeazures;
16. Whereas, pending the notification under Article 40, paragraph 3,
of the Statute and Article 42 of the Rules of Court, by transmittal of the
printed text of the Application, in the twofficial anguages of the Court,
to al1States entitled to appear before the Court, the Registrar, on 30 May
2002. informed those States of the filing of the Application and of its sub-
ject-matter, and of tlie request for the indication ot^provisional measures;
17. Whereas, since the Court includes upon the Bench no judge of the
nationality of the Parties, each of them proceeded in exercise of the right
conferred upon it bq Article 31, paragraph 3,of the Statute, to choose a
judge ad hoc in the case; for this purpose the C'ongo chose Mr. Jean-
Pierre Mavungu. aind Rwanda chose Mr. Christopher John Robert
Dugard ;
18. Whereas at the public hearings held on 13 and 14 June 2002 oral
observations were submitted on the request for the indication of provi-
sional measures :
On hellcrloJ tie Congo:
by H.E. Mr. Jacques Masangu-a-Mwanza, A<:erzt,
H.E. Mr. Alphonse Ntumba Luaba Lumu,
Mr. Lwamba Katansi,
Mr. Pierre Akele Adau;
On hehalf' of'Rii,andu:
by H.E. Mr. Gérard Gahima, Agent,
Mr. Christopher Greenwood;
19. Whereas at the hearings the Congo for the inost part reiterated the
arguments set out in its Application and its request for the indication
of provisional measures; whereas it stated, specifically referring to
"massacres" having affected "civilian populations in the city of Kisan-
gani", that the recent acts "constituting seriou; violations of human
rights and internatlional humanitarian law . . . are such that their
repetition . . . is.. likely to aggravate the irreparableharm"; whereas
it asserted that, in consequence, ((au regard des deux critères de l'urgence des mesures à décider etdu
caractère irréparable des conséquences de la répétition des actes
délictueux commis par le Rwanda, la compétencede la Cour devrait
êtreétdblie,en plus des dispositions fondamentales de l'article 41 de
son Statut, sur le fondement de la règlede «due diligence)) au regard
du comportement du Rwanda vis-à-vis de ses engagements inter-
nationaux »;
et qu'il a insistésur la ((nécessitéimpérieusepour la Cour de se déclarer
compétente et d'indiquer des mesures conservatoires urgentes));
20. Considérant qu'à l'audience le Congo a observéque la compétence
de la Cour quant au fond de l'affaire <<ne[pouvait]être établieni sur la
base d'un compromis ...ni sur l'acceptation de la juridiction obligatoire
de la Cour)), le Rwanda n'ayant pas fait de déclaration au titre du para-
graphe 2 de l'article 36 du Statut, mais «sur la base des conventions et
traités internationaux auxquels le demandeur et le défendeur sont
oarties)) :
21. Considérant qu'à l'audience le Congo a soutenu que la compétence
de la Cour ~ouvait être fondée surl'article IX de la convention sur le
génocide,à laquelle lui-même etle Rwanda sont parties; qu'il a fait valoir
que les troupes rwandaises, ((directement ou par leurs agents interposés,
[avaient] commis et commett[aient] des actes de génocidevisés ...aux ar-
ticlesII et III» de ladite convention, et que ces dispositions visaient «non
seulement le génocide, mais aussi l'entente en vue-de commettre le géno-
cide, l'incitation directe et publiqueà le commettre, la tentative et la com-
plicitéde génocide));qu'il a indiqué à cet égard que le ((groupe national
congolais ... [avait] étéamputé du fait de la guerre et de l'occupation de
son territoire d'au moins 5% de sa population))et que «des groupes eth-
niques particuliers [avaient] fait l'objet de massacres systématiques suite
à leur résistance));qu'il a allégué, auxfins de prouver l'(<intentiongénoci-
daire dans le chef du Rwanda », le ((recours à des tueries massiveset spec-
taculaires)), la ((pratique des massacres sélectifs)),la ((diffusion systéma-
tique du virus du sida parmi les populations féminines)), les ((attaques
contre les ressources morales de la population)) et la «soumissioii à des
conditions de vie difficiles));et qu'il a précisé,se référanta l'ordonnance
rendue par la Cour le 2 juin 1999 en l'affaire relative à la Licéitc;de
l'er?zploidel~force ( Yougo.slaviec. France), dans laquelle l'article IX de
la convention sur le génocide avait étéinvoqué pour fonder la compé-
tence de la Cour, que les faits qu'il reprochait au Rwanda, «loin d'êtredu
genre de ceux invoqués par la Yougoslavie, ... en l'occurrence [dles
((bombardements)), ... rentr[aient] bien dans la définition du génocide));
22. Considérant qu'à l'audience le Congo a mentionné la réservepar
laquelle le Rwanda, lors de son adhésion à la convention sur le génocide,
a déclaréqu'il ne se considérait pas comme liépar I'article IX; qu'il a
indiquéqu'il faisait ((objection à [ladite]réserve)),au motif que la conven-
tion contenait des normes <<ressortissandtu jus cogens, autrement dit, ... "in the light of the two criteria of the urgencJr of the measures to be
decided upon and the irreparable nature of tlie consequences of the
repetition of the criminal acts committed by Rwanda, the jurisdic-
tion of the Court should be established on tlie basis, in addition to
the fundamental provisions of Article 41 of it ;Statute, of the rule of
'due diligence' vvith respect to Rwanda's conduct vis-A-visits inter-
national undertakings";
and whereas it stressed the "pressing necessity for the Court to declare
that it has jurisdiction and to indicate provisional ineasures as a matter of
urgency" ;
20. Whereas at the hearings the Congo observeci that the Court's juris-
diction over the merits of the case "cannot be esiablished either on the
basis of a special agreement . . ., or on acceptailce of the compulsory
jurisdiction of the Court", since Rwanda has not made any declaration
under Article 36, paragraph 2, of the Statute, but rather "on the basis of
the international conventions and treaties to whic1.1the Applicant and the
Respondent are parties";
21. Whereas at thie hearings the Congo maint~ined that the Court's
jurisdiction could be founded on Article IX of the Genocide Convention,
to which the Congo and Rwanda are parties; whereas it asserted that
Rwandan troops, "either directly or through their intermediaries, have
committed and conhue to commit acts of genocide covered . . . in
Articles II and III" 'ofthat Convention and that those provisions cover
"not only genocide but also conspiracy to commit genocide, direct and
public incitement to commit genocide, attempt tc commit genocide and
complicity in genocide"; whereas it stated in this connection that "as
a result of the war and the occupation of its territory, the Congolese
national group has lost at least 5 per cent of its population" and that
"particular ethnic groups have beeri the object of systematic massacres
following their resisi;anceW;whereas it alleged, for purposes of proving
"Rwanda's genocidal intent", the "perpetration of (Iramatic mass killings",
the "practice of selective massacres", the "systematic spread of
the AIDS virus among the female population", "attacks on the moral
resources of the population" and the "infliction of difficult conditions
of life"; and whereas, referring to the Order handed down by the
Court on 2 June 19'99in the case concerning Lepality qf'Use of Force
( YU~OS~UI ~~FLIUH(.CJ i),which Article IX of the Genocide Convention
was invoked as a basis for the Court's jurisdiction, it stated that the
acts of which it accuses Rwanda, "far from bein,: of the kind relied on
by Yugoslavia . . ., in the event 'bombings', . . .3dindeed faIl within the
definition of genocidle";
22. Whereas at tlle hearings the Congo referred to the reservation
wherein Rwanda stated at the time it acceded to the Genocide Conven-
tion that it did not consider itself bound by Article IX; whereas the
Congo stated that it "object[ed] to [that] reserv: tion", on the grounds
that the Convention contains "norms of jus coge~zs,in other words, . . .des règlesimpératives selonla convention de Vienne sur le droit des trai-
tésde 1969 [qui,] en tant que telles, s'impos[aient] ergu ai?znes»; qu'il a
fait valoir égalementque la réserveétait ((incompatible avec l'objet et le
but de la convention », dans la mesure où elle avait pour effet ((d'exclure
le Rwanda de tout mécanisme de contrôle et de poursuite pour fait de
génocide, alors que l'objet et le but de la convention consist[aient] dans
l'éradication de l'impunitéde cette grave atteinte au droit internation»;
qu'il a ajouté, faisant référence l'avis consultatif de la Cour du 28 mai
1951relatif aux Ré~eri1eù .cla coni2ention.surle génocru'r,qu'en matière de
réservesà la convention sur le génocide,le droit international avait évo-
lué et avait «abouti ... à la formulation de l'article 120du statut de Rome
sur la Cour pénale internationale [selon lequel] «le[dit] statut n'admet
aucune réserve»», que «ce statut trait[ait] notamment du génocide))et
que par suite la réserveformulée par le Rwanda devait êtreconsidérée
((comme irrelevante)); et considérant qu'à l'audience le Congo a soutenu
que, dans le cas où la Cour rejetterait son argumentation fondéesur le
((caractère impératif des normes de la convention sur le génocide)),elle
devrait néanmoins se déclarer compétente compte tenu de ce que le
Rwanda avait «sollicitél'institution d'un tribunal pénalinternational en
vue de juger les crimes de génocide))dont une partie de son peuple avait
étévictime. et qu'il y aurait dès lors ((nécessitépour le défendeur
d'adopter ... une attitude cohérente)), celui-ci ne pouvant ((rejeter [en
l'espèce] lacompétence de la Cour internationale de Justice));
23. Considérant qu'a I'audience le Congo a alléguéque la compétence
de la Cour pouvait être fondéesur le paragraphe 1 de l'article 29 de la
convention sur la discrimination à l'égard des femmes; qu'il a indiqué
que le Rwanda avait violéses obligations au titre de l'article premier de
cette convention; qu'il a précisé,en citant le préambule de ladite conven-
tion, que «l'état deguerre et l'occupation...par les troupes étrangèresne
[pouvaient] guère favoriser le respect des droits des femmes)); et qu'il
s'est référà cet égardau ((calvairesubi par les femmes et les enfants [du
fait de la présence des] troupes rwandaises)), a des «viols et exactions
diverses)), à des actes de «mutilations», à l'«expansion du sida)) et à
d'«autres formes de violence, dont l'enterrement de femmes vivantes »;
qu'il a fait état de la résolution 2002114, adoptée le 19 avril 2002, par
laquelle la Commission des droits de l'homme des Nations Unies avait
déploré«le recours largement répandu aux violences sexuelles contre les
femmes et les enfants, y compris comme moyen de guerre));
24. Considérant qu'a l'audience le Congo a fait valoir que la compé-
tence de la Cour pouvait êtrefondéesur l'article 22 de la convention sur
la discrimination raciale,A laquelle lui-mêmeet le Rwanda sont parties;
qu'il a prétendu que le Rwanda s'étaitlivréà des actes de discrimination
raciale au sens de l'article premier de cette convention;
25. Considérant qu'à I'audience le Congo s'est référé A la réservepar
laquelle le Rwanda, lors de son adhésion à la convention sur la discrimi-
nation raciale, a déclaréqu'il ne se considérait pas comme liépar l'ar-peremptory rules under the terms of the 1969Vielina Convention on the
Law of Treaties [which,] as such, . . . apply erga c,nzne.s";whereas it also
asserted that the reservation was "incompatible with the object and pur-
pose of the . . . Convention", since its effect was "to exclude Rwanda
from any mechanisrn for the monitoring and prssecution of genocide,
whereas the object and purpose of the Convention are the abolition of
impunity for this serious violation of internatilmal law"; whereas it
added, referring to the Court's Advisory Opinior of 28 May 1951 con-
cerning Re.serrurionsto the Conveizrion on tlle Preiention ~~n/uni.slzment
of'tlie Crirlleof'G~nocide, that as far as reservations to the Genocide
Convention are concerned, international law has evolved and "has now
led to the formulation of Article 120of the Statute of Rome on the Inter-
national Criminal Court, which provides: '[nlo res:rvations may be made
to this Statute'". that "that Statute deals in particular with genocide" and
that Rwanda's reservation should therefore be co~isidered"inoperative";
and whereas at the h'earingsthe Congo maintainecl that if the Court were
to reject its argument based on "the peremptory iiature of the norms of
the Genocide Convention", it should neverthekss declare that it has
jurisdiction given that Rwanda "called for the creatioi-i of an interna-
tional criminal tribunal to try crimes of genocide" committed against a
part of its people, and that it would therefore 1)e"necess[ary] for the
Respondent to . . . adopt . . . a consistent approach", Rwanda being pre-
cluded "[iln the presi:nt case . . . [from] reject[ing] the jurisdiction of the
International Court of Justice";
23. Whereas at tl-iehearings the Co~igo contended that the Court's
jurisdiction could be founded on Article 29, paragraph 1.of the Conven-
tion on Discrimination against Wornen; whereas it stated that Rwanda
had violated its obligations under Article 1 of that Convention; whereas,
quoting the preamble to that Convention, it observed that "the state of
war and . . . occupation by foreign troops can hardly promote respect for
women's rights"; and whereas it 1-eferredin this connection to the "ter-
rible suffering endured by women and children [as a result of the presence
of] Rwandan troops", to "rapes and various acts of oppression", to
"mutilations", to the "spread of AII>SWand to "other forms of violence,
including the burial of women alive"; whereas it cited resolution 2002/14,
adopted on 19 April 2002, pursuant to which the United Nations Com-
mission on Human IRights deplored "the widespread use of sexual vio-
lence against women and children, including as a means of warfare";
24. Whereas at the hearings the Congo argued that the Court's juris-
diction could be fourided on Article 22 of the Convention on Racial Dis-
crimination. to which the Congo and Rwanda are parties; whereas it
claimed that Rwancla has engaged in acts of racial discrimination as
defined in Article 1 of that Convention;
25. Whereas at the hearings the Congo refer-ed to the reservation
wherein Rwanda stated at the time it acceded o the Convention on
Racial Discrimination that it did not consider itself bound by Article 22;ticle 22; que le Congo a indiqué que ladite réserveétait ((inacceptable,
dans la mesure où elle [serait revenue] à reconnaître au Rwanda le droit
de commettre, dans l'impunitétotale, ... les actes prohibés par la conven-
tion)); et qu'il a conclu qu'une telle réservene pourrait qu'«empêcherla
réalisation des buts et de l'objet mêmedu traité));
26. Considérant qu'à l'audience le Congo a soutenu que la compétence
de la Cour pouvait êtrefondéesur la convention contre la torture; qu'il
s'est référà la définitionde la torture donnéeà l'article premier de ladite
convention; qu'il a également rappelé,dans ce contexte, les dispositions
de l'article17 de la première convention de Genève de 1949 et de l'ar-
ticle 20 de la deuxième; et qu'il a fait valoir que le «fait d'enterrer des
personnes vivantes)), en l'occurrence «des femmes dont le droit interna-
tional conventionnel relatif aux droits de l'homme et le droit internatio-
nal humanitaire se préoccup[aient] de façon particulière)), rentrait dans
les prévisions de I'article premier de la convention contre la torture;
27. Considérant qu'à l'audience le Congo a relevéque lui-mêmeet le
Rwanda avaient «tous les deux accédéaux statuts des institutions
spécialiséesde I'ONU qui n'exclu[aient] pas le règlement judiciaire des
litiges)) et a alléguéque la compétence de la Cour pouvait ainsi être
fondéesur I'article 75 de la Constitution de l'OMS; qu'il a exposéque
cc[d]epuisquatre ans que dur[ait] la guerre d'agression et d'occupa-
tion d'une bonne partie de son territoire, le droit au bien-être phy-
sique et mental, garanti par I'article premier de la Constitution de
l'Organisation mondiale de la Santé ..., a[vait] étésérieusement
ignoré, bafoué, empiété au préjudicedu peuple congolais));
et qu'il a préciséque les ((occupants [étaient] allésjusqu'à empêcher et
entraver des campagnes de vaccination [et, à] Goma, ..lors de l'éruption
volcanique du Nyragongo, ... n'[avaient] pas permis au Gouvernement
congolais d'apporter une assistance humanitaire à sa population sinis-
trée» ;
28. Considérant qu'à l'audience le Congo a fait état de ce que la com-
pétencede la Cour pouvait être fondéesur le paragraphe 1 de I'article 14
de la convention de Montréal;
29. Considérant qu'à l'audience le Congo s'est référé B l'article 9 de la
convention des Nations Unies de 1947sur les privilègeset immunités des
institutions spécialisées,prévoyant la compétence de la Cour; et qu'il a
citéla déclaration du 5 juin 2002 par laquelle le président du Conseil de
sécuritéavait indiqué que celui-ci «exige[ait] du RCD-Goma [Rassemble-
ment congolais pour la démocratie-Goma] [qlu'ilcesse immédiatement de
harceler les représentants de I'ONU...» et c<demand[ait] au Rwanda
d'exercer son influence)) pour que le RCD-Goma respecte ((toutes ses
obligations)); que le Congo a avancéque, dans les zones souscontrôle du
RCD-Goma. «le personnel de l'organisation des Nations Unies et de ses
institutions spécialisées[avait étéempêchéd ]e jouir normalement de ses
privilèges et immunités»; ARMED ACTIVITIES (ORDER 10 VI I 02) 230
whereas the Congo asserted that said reservation was "unacceptable,
because it would amount to granting Rwanda tfie right to commit the
acts prohibited by the Convention with complete iinpunity"; and whereas
it concluded that such a reservation cannot but "prevent the attainment
of the very purposes and object of the treaty";
26. Whereas at the hearings the Congo maintrined that the Court's
jurisdiction could be founded on the Convention against Torture; whereas
it quoted the definition of torture given in Article 1 of that Convention;
whereas it also referred in this connection to the provisions of Article 17
of the first 1949 Gerieva Convention and Article 20 of the second; and
whereas it contended that "burying people alive", in this case "women,
for whom conventiorial international human rightt; law and international
humanitarian law show particular concern", falls v~ithinthe provisions of
Article 1 of the Convention against Torture;
27. Whereas at the hearings the Congo pointed out that it and Rwanda
"have both acceded to the statutes of the Unitcd Nations specialized
agencies, which do not exclude the judicial settlement of disputes"
and contended that the Court's jurisdiction could thus be founded on
Article 75 of the WHO Constitution; whereas it stated that
"[flor the four years during which the war of 2ggression and occupa-
tion of a good part of its territory has continiied, the right to physi-
cal and mental well-being, guaranteed by Ariicle 1 of the Constitu-
tion of the World Health Organization . . .,has been seriously
ignored, flouted and encroached upon to the detriment of the
Congolese people" ;
and whereas it stated that the "occupying forces lave gone so far as to
prevent and impede vaccination campaigns [and, at] Goma, . . .during
the volcanic eruption of Mount Nyiragongo, . . . did not allow the
Congolese Government to provide humanitarian aid to its stricken popu-
lation" ;
28. Whereas at the hearings the Congo argued that the jurisdiction of
the Court could be founded on Article 14, paragrxph 1, of the Montreal
Convention ;
29. Whereas at the hearings the Congo referrcd to Article 9 of the
1947United Nations Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the
Specialized Agencies, providing for the jurisdicti~n of the Court; and
whereas it quoted the statement of 5 June 2002 in which tlie President of
the Security Council stated that the latter "deman~l[ed]that RCD-Goma
[Rassemblement congolais pour la démocratie-Goma] immediately cease
its harassment of United Nations officials" and "call[ed] upon Rwanda to
exert its influence" to have RCD-Goma meet "al1iti obligations"; whereas
the Congo asserted lhat in areas under the control of the RCD-Goma
"personnel of the United Nations and its specializ:d agencies [have been
prevented] from the normal enjoyment of their privileges and immuni-
ties"; 30. Considérant qu'à I'audience le Congo a relevéque plusieurs des
conventions internationales qu'il a mentionnées
«permett[aient] aux parties à un différendou A l'une d'elles de saisir,
le caséchéant,la Cour internationale de Justice, sous réserveque les
mécanismes de réglement pacifique prévuspar les conventions en
question [eussent] étéau préalable utiliséset épuisés));
qu'il a préciséque ces mécanismesétaient «la «négociation», les «procé-
dures expressémentprévues))par la convention ou tout «autre mode» de
règlement à convenir entre les parties)); qu'il a citéà cet égardles méca-
nismes prévusdans la convention sur la discrimination raciale, la conven-
tion de Montréal et la convention contre la torture; qu'il a soutenu que le
Rwanda s'opposait «à un tno~l'llsviverzcligénéralqui [aurait permis] un
règlement pacifique));et qu'il a indiquéce qui suit:
«[s]i la saisine de la Cour internationale de Justice par voie de clause
compromissoire requiert une manière d'épuisement des voies de
recours internes à la convention, le Rwanda a beau jeu ...toutes les
fois que la République démocratique du Congo lui fait des avances
pour un règlement judiciaire, d'exciper que ... les conditions exigées
par les dispositions pertinentes de ces conventions [ne sont pas
réunies] ... [La] Cour devra se demander comment la République
démocratique du Congo pourrait «épuiser» au préalable les procé-
dures de négociation, ou toutes autres, ... quand le Rwanda n'accepte
mêmepas les conditions minimum de paix susceptibles de permettre
le recours aux mécanismespropres à ces conventions »;
31. Considérant qu'à I'audience le Congo, se référantà «la doctrine la
plus répandue ... et la jurisprudence constante de la Cour)), a fait valoir
((l'existence de l'obligation internationale de respecter les droits de
l'homme, fondée sur un principe généralcoutuinier et dont l'effet
ergli ornr7c.spostul[ait] et suppos[ait] la garantie collective des Etats et de
la communauté internationale dans son ensemble)); et qu'il a mentionné
a cet égard la lettre c) de l'articl55 de la Charte des Nations Unies;
32. Considérant qu'à I'audience le Congo a indiqué que, «en ce qui
concerne les conséquencespréjudiciables desactes commis)), ilse limitait,
au présent stade de la procédure, <<àsoutenir, conformément tant à la
doctrine qu'A une jurisprudence internationale constante et unanime,
que ... le Rwanda [était]tenu d'en assurer la réparation intégrale));
33. Considérant qu'au terme de son premier tour de plaidoiries le
Congo a présentéla demande suivante:
«Compte tenu des circonstances, la République démocratique du
Congo, afin d'éviter l'irréparable, eten réalitél'accentuation de
l'irréparable, postule les indications en urgence des mesures conser-
vatoires ci-après: 30. Whereas at the hearings the Congo notec that a number of the
international converitions which it cited
"allow the parties to a dispute, or one of theni, where appropriate, to
bring the case before the International Court of Justice, provided the
machinery for peaceful settlement laid down I>ythe conventions con-
cerned has first been used and exhausted";
whereas it explained that the machinery in question "is . . . 'negotiation',
the 'procedures expiresslyprovided for' in the convention or any 'other
mode' of settlement to be agreed between the parties"; whereas it cited
in this regard the miachinery provided for in the Convention on Racial
Discrimination, the Montreal Convention and the Convention against
Torture; whereas it maintained that Rwanda opposes "a general nzotfz(s
vivendi which would permit a peaceful settlenient"; and whereas it
stated as follows:
"if bringing the matter before the International Court of Justice by
means of a cornpromissory clause requires exhaustion of the rem-
edies interna1 ta1the Convention, each time ti-e Democratic Republic
of the Congo approaches Rwanda with a view to a legal settlement,
Rwanda can siinply plead that . . . the conditions required by the
relevant provisions of these Conventions [are not met] . . . [Tlhe
Court should aijk itself how the Democratic Republic of the Congo
could first 'exhaust' the negotiation or any other procedures . . .,
when Rwanda does not even accept the niinimum conditions of
peace permitting recourse to the machinery peculiar to those con-
ventions" ;
31. Whereas at the hearings the Congo, relying on "the most widely
accepted scholarly opinion . . . and the settled case law of the Court",
claimed "the existence of the international obligation to respect human
rights, founded upon a general customary principle, whose effect er-ga
onznes postulates and supposes the collective guarantee of States and of
the international community as a whole"; and ivhereas it cited in this
regard Article 55, paragraph (c), of the United Nations Charter;
32. Whereas at ti-iehearings the Congo stated that, "in respect of the
injurious consequenlres of the acts which have bt:en committed", it was
confining itself, at the current stage in the proceedings, "to maintaining,
in accordance with both the doctrine and unanimous, settled interna-
tional jurisprudence., that . . . Rwanda is under a 1 obligation to provide
full reparation for them" ;
33. Whereas at the close of its first round of oral argument the Congo
presented the following request:
"In the light of the circumstances, the Derrocratic Republic of the
Congo, in order to avert irreparable harm - in reality, the aggrava-
tion of irreparable harm - requests the follolving urgent provisional
measures : la cessation par le Rwanda de toutes les violations de la souve-
raineté, de l'intégritéterritoriale ou de l'indépendance politique
de la République démocratique du Congo, y compris de toute
intervention directe et indirecte, dans les affaires intérieures de la
République démocratique du Congo;
la cessation de toute utilisation de la force, directe ou indirecte,
manifeste ou occulte, contre la République démocratique du
Congo et de toutes les menaces d'utilisation de la force contre la
République démocratique du Congo et ses populations;
la cessation de toute poursuite du siègedes centres de population
civile, spécialement enassurant la démilitarisation de Kisangani,
exigéepar de nombreuses résolutions du Conseil de sécurité ainsi
que d'autres villes (Goma, Bukavu, Kindu, Pweto, ...) envahies
par les troupes rwandaises;
la cessation des actes qui ont pour effet d'affamer la population
civile congolaise et de la soumettre à des conditions difficiles et
inhumaines de vie;
la cessation de la dévastation aveugle et sauvage des villages, des
villes, des districts. d'institutions religieuses en Républiquedémo-
cratique du Congo;
la cessation des assassinats,exécutionssommaires, tortures, viols,
détentions arbitraires, pillages des ressources de la République
démocratique du Congo.
Afin de prévenir l'irréparable, la République démocratique du
Congo prie la Cour de dire et de juger que le Rwanda doit mettre fin
aux actes constitutifs de violations graves, flagrantes et massives, au
préjudicedu peuple congolais, des dispositions des instruments nor-
matifs protecteurs des droits de l'homme. Il s'agit notamment des
conventions ci-après: la convention pour la prévention et la répres-
sion du crime de génocide,la convention sur l'éliminationde toutes
les formes de discrimination l'égarddes femmes, la convention sur
l'éliminationde toutes formes de discrimination raciale, la Constitu-
tion de l'Organisation mondiale de la Santé,les statuts de l'Unesco,
la convention contre la torture et autres peines ou traitements cruels,
inhumains ou dégradants.
Plaise à la Cour, pour préserver les intérêtslégitimeset les res-
sources de la République démocratique du Congo et de sa popu-
lation:
d'exiger que son intégrité territoriale soit garantie et respectée;
d'exiger que les troupes rwandaises quittent immédiatement et
sans conditions le territoire congolais conformément à la Charte
et aux résolutions pertinentes du Conseil de sécuritéde I'Orga-
nisation des Nations Unies afin de permettre à sa population de
jouir pleinement de ses droits, ainsi que de demander au Conseil
de sécuritéde veiller au respect de ses propres résolutions; the cessation by Rwanda of al1 violatims of the sovereignty,
territorial integrity or political independence of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, including al1 intervention, direct and
indirect, in the interna1 affairs of the Deriocratic Republic of the
Congo;
the cessation of al1 use of force, direct or indirect, overt or
covert, against the Democratic Republi: of the Congo and al1
threats of use of force against the Democratic Republic of the
Congo and its peoples;
the cessaticln of the continuing siege of centres of civil popula-
tion. in particular by ensuring the demilitarization of Kisangani,
as demanded by numerous resolutions of the Security Council.
and of other towns (Coma, Bukavu, Kindu, Pweto, . ..) invaded
by Rwandan forces;
the cessaticin of acts which result in the Congolese civil popu-
lation being deprived of foodstuffs and having difficult and
inhuman living conditions inflicted upon them;
the cessation of the indiscriminate and savage devastation of
villages, towns, districts, and religious institutions in the Demo-
cratic Republic of the Congo;
the cessation of murder, summary execuiion, torture, rape, arbi-
trary detention and the plundering of the resources of the Demo-
cratic Republic of the Congo.
In order to prevent irreparable harm, the Ilemocratic Republic of
the Congo asks the Court to adjudge and declare that Rwanda must
put an end to the acts constituting grave, flagrant and massive vio-
lations, to the detriment of the Congolese p?ople, of the provisions
of the normative instruments protecting human rights. Those are the
following conv<:ntioilsinter rrliu:the Conveiition on the Prevention
and Punishmenit of the Crime of Genocide, the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discriminaticn against Women, the
Convention on the Eliminatiori of All Forms of Racial Discrimina-
tion, the Constitution of the World Health Organization, the Con-
stitution of Unesco, the Convention against l'orture and other Cruel,
Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punisliment.
May it pleasi: the Court, in order to presvrve the lawful interests
and the resources of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its
population :
- to demand that its territorial integrily be guaranteed and
respected ;
- to demand that Rwandan forces forthwitliunconditionally vacate
Congolese territory in accordance with tlie Charter and with the
relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, in
order to eriable its population to have full enjoyment of its
rights, and to ask the Security Council to ensure respect for its
own resolutions ; de permettre au peuple congolais de jouir de ses ressources natu-
relles conformément au droit international;
de réaffirmerle droit de la République démocratique du Congo
de se défendre et de défendreson peuple, en légitimedéfense, en
vertu de l'article 51 de la Charte de l'organisation des Nations
Unies et du droit international coutumier tant que continuera
l'agression dont elle est victime de la part, notamment, du
Rwanda et dont le coût en vies humaines augmente au jour le
jour;
d'ordonner l'embargo sur les armes à destination du Rwanda, le
gel de toute assistance militaire et autres aides, ainsi que
l'embargo sur l'or, le diamant, le coltan, ainsi que d'autres res-
sources et biens provenant du pillage systématique et de I'exploi-
tation illégaledes richesses de la République démocratique du
Congo, dans sa partie occupée;
la mise en place rapide d'une force d'interposition et d'imposi-
tion de la paix le long des frontières de la République démocra-
tique du Congo avec le Rwanda ainsi qu'avec les autres parties
belligérantes.
Tout en rappelant que le Rwanda est tenu de payer à la Répu-
blique démocratique du Congo, de son propre droit, et comme
parcns putriue de ses citoyens. des réparations justes et équitables
pour les dommages subis par les personnes, les biens, l'économieet
l'environnement, la République démocratique du Congo prie la
Cour d'indiquer également, en vertu de l'article 41 de son Statut
et des articles 73a 75 de son Règlement, toutes autres mesures
exigéespar les circonstances, en vue de préserverles droits légitimes
de la République démocratique du Congo et de sa population
ainsi que d'empêcher l'aggravationdu différend» ;
34. Considérant qu'à l'audience le Rwanda a soutenu que la Cour était
invitéepar le Congo «à prendre, sous forme d'une ordonnance en indica-
tion de mesures conservatoires, ce qui équivaudraità un arrêtdéfinitifsur
le fond)), à ((ordonner des mesures à l'intention d'Etats qui [n'étaient]pas
parties a [la] procédure, et d'organisations internationales qui ne [pou-
vaient] pas êtreparties)) iI celle-ci, et «A usurper l'autorité d'autres insti-
tutions en créant sa propre force de maintien de la paix»; et qu'il a
indiqué que de telles mesures «ne re[levaient] manifestement d'aucune
compétence que la Cour [aurait pu] exercer dans une affaire entre deux
Etatsn;
35. Considérant qu'a l'audience le Rwanda, se référantaux critèresqui
régissentl'indication de mesures conservatoires, a affirmé cequi suit:
((C'est ... l'étenduede la compétence qui peut découler des dispo-
sitions invoquées par le requérant qui déterminera, parmi les droits - to enable the Congolese people to enjoy its natural resources in
accordance kvithinternational law;
- to reaffirm the Democratic Republic of the Congo's right to
defend itself and to defend its people, in exercise of its right of
self-defence pursuant to Article 51 of the United Nations Char-
ter and to customary international law, or so long as it shall
continue to suffer aggression at the hands inter crli ocfRwanda,
the cost of which in human lives is increajing daily;
- to order an embargo on the delivery of arnis to Rwanda, a freeze
on al1military assistance and other aid anti an embargo on gold,
diamonds. coltan, and other resources an rtassets deriving from
the systematic plunder and illegal exploit.ition of the wealth of
the Democratic Republic of the Congo lying within its occupied
part;
- the rapid installation of a force to separaie the combatants and
impose peace along the frontiers of the D:mocratic Republic of
the Congo with Rwanda and with the otlier belligerent parties.
While pointing out that Rwanda must p;ly to the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, in the latter's own right and as purens
putriue of its ciizizens,fair and just reparation on account of the
injury to person::, property, the economy and the environment, the
Democratic Republic of the Congo requests the Court to indicate
also, pursuant ta1Article 41 of its Statute and Articles 73 to 75 of its
Rules, such oth~crmeasures as the circumstdnces may require in
order to preserve the lawful rights of the Democratic Republic of the
Congo and its people and to prevent the aggravation of the dis-
pute";
34. Whereas at tht: hearings Rwanda contended that the Court was
being called upon by the Congo "to give what wculd amount to a final
judgment on the merits under the guise of prokisional measures", to
"impose provisional Ineasures directed to States wllich are not parties to
[the] proceedings, and to international organizations which cannot be
party" to them, and "to usurp the authority of other institutions by
creating its own international peacekeeping force" and whereas it stated
that such measures "manifestly fall outside any -urisdiction which the
Court might possess in any case between two Stat:sV;
35. Whereas at the hearings Rwanda, referring to the criteria that
govern the indication of provisional measures, asserted:
"[Tlhe extent of the jurisdiction which can be founded upon the
provisions invoked by an applicant will de ermine which of the affirméspar ce dernier, ceux (s'ily en a) qui sont susceptibles de faire
l'objet d'une décisionde la Cour et peuvent donc être protégép sar
des mesures conservatoires » ;
et qu'il a soutenu à cet égardqu'«[a]ucune des dispositions invoquées ...
ne fourni[ssait] ne fût-ce qu'une base pritnafacie a la compétence de la
Cour à I'égarddu litige [opposant] le Congo et le Rwanda)) et qu'en tout
état de cause «les instruments qui auraient pu, en d'autres circonstances,
contribuer a fonder cette compétence [n'étaient]pas en mesure de le faire
a l'égard desdroits que le Congo cherch[ait] ... à faire valoir));
36. Considérant qu'à I'audience le Rwanda, concernant l'invocation
par le Congo des ((obligations erga onmes découlant duju~ cogens)) (voir
paragraphe 22 ci-dessus), s'est référéà la jurisprudence de la Cour et a
fait valoir, d'une part, que la ((compétence de la Cour repos[ait] exclusi-
vement sur le consentement des parties)) et, d'autre part, qu'une ((alléga-
tion de violation du jus cugens ne se substitu[ait] pas, et ne [pouvait] se
substituer, au consentement de 1'Etat défendeur de manière à créer une
compétence là où il n'y en aurait pas eu autrement)); qu'il a également
affirméque l'article 66 de la convention de Vienne sur le droit des traités
était«sans rapport aucun avec la présenteaffaire)),ne prévoyait pas que
((tout différendconcernant la violation d'une règledejus cugens [devait]
êtresoumis à la décision de la Cour)), et ne conférait compétence à
celle-ci ((qu'à l'égarddes différends relatifs à la validité d'un traité pré-
senté comme contraire à une norme impérative du droit international
général));et qu'il a conclu qu'il «n'exist[ait] en l'espèce aucun diffé-
rend de cette nature)) et que ni l'article 66 de la convention de Vienne ni
les normes de jus cogens ne [pouvaient] constituer une base de compé-
tence dans la présente affaire;
37. Considérant qu'à l'audience le Rwanda, pour ce qui a trait aux
((dispositionsconventionnelles sur lesquelles s'appuie leCongo)), a affirmé
que (([clhacun des textes en question [revêtait]un caractère spécialisé)),
que les
((clauses de ces traités qui se rapport[aient] au réglement desdiffé-
rends - pour autant qu'elles confléraient] une quelconque compé-
tence - ne concern[aient] que les différends entretenant des liens
directs avec la matiére couverte par les traités en question, et uni-
quement dans la limite de ces liens)),
et qu'«[a]ucun de ces traités n'a[vait] de rapport avec les principaux élé-
ments de l'affaire que le Congo tent[ait] de soumettre à la Cour));
38. Considérant qu'à l'audience le Rwanda, concernant la convention
contre la torture, a indiqué que ladite convention ne pouvait d'aucune
manière fonder la compétence de la Cour, étant donné que le Rwanda
n'étaitpas partie à cet instrument;
39. Considérant qu'à l'audience le Rwanda, s'agissant de la conven-
tion sur le génocide,a alléguéque la réservequ'il avait formuléeà l'égardde l'articleIX de ladite convention était «identique» à celle de l'Espagne
et ((identique dans ses effets)) à celle des Etats-Unis; qu'il s'est référé
l'examen que la Cour avait fait des réservesde ces deux Etats dans les
ordonnances rendues le 2juin 1999dans les affaires relatives à la Licéité
de l'emploi de luforce (Yougoslavie c. Espagne) et Licéitéde l'emploi de
lufijrce (Yougosluvie c. Etats-Unis d'Amérique); qu'il a rappelé que la
Cour avait estimédans ces affaires que l'article IX de la convention sur le
génocide «ne constitu[ait] manifestement pas une base de compétence ...
mêmeprima ,ficie »;
40. Considérant qu'à l'audience, en réponse à l'argumentation du
Congo, le Rwanda a soutenu que, si la convention sur le génocideénon-
çait bien des normes impérativesde droit international, seules «les dispo-
sitions de fond interdisant le génocide [avaient]le statut de normes impé-
ratives, et non la clause juridictionnelle de l'article IX»; qu'il a exposé
que, si l'interdiction du génocideconstituait de mêmeune norme créant
des obligations eypa onznes, ((cela ne modifi[ait] en rien la position de la
Cour à l'égardde sa compétence)); qu'il a soulignéque, contrairement à
ce que le Congo avait pu laisser entendre à l'audience, celui-ci «n'a[vait]
jamais émisla moindre observation à l'égardde la réservedu Rwanda));
qu'il a ajouté que l'avis consultatif de la Cour relatif aux Réservesci la
convention sur le génocidene permettait en aucune façon de conclure que
le Rwanda n'aurait pu se prévaloir en l'espècede sa réserve; et qu'il a
rejeté l'argument du Congo selon lequel le Rwanda, en demandant au
Conseil de sécurité l'institutiondu Tribunal pénal international pour le
Rwanda, aurait ((renoncéà sa réservea la convention sur le génocide,ou
se [serait trouvé] empêchép ,ar une forme d'mtoppel, de l'invoquer)), en
expliquant ce qui suit:
«La juridiction pénale d'un tribunal institué par le Conseil de
sécuritéet tirant son autorité de l'exercice de l'un des pouvoirs
conférésà ce dernier par le chapitre VI1de la Charte en vue de juger
des personnes pour crimes de génocide n'a strictement rien à faire
avec le pouvoir qu'a la Cour d'exercer sa compétence dans des dif-
férends interétatiques, compétencequi ne peut êtretiréeque de I'ar-
ticle IX, lequel, ainsi que la Cour l'a elle-mêmeindiqué, peut faire
l'objet de réserves);
41. Considérant qu'à l'audience le Rwanda, concernant la convention
sur la discrimination raciale, a indiquéqu'il avait adhéréà ladite conven-
tion en 1975 en l'assortissant d'une ((réserve excluant l'intégralitéde
l'article22)); qu'il a relevé qu'à l'audience le Congo avait ((peut-être
objecté... à cette réservedu Rwanda, [mais qu']il ne I1a[vait]certainement
pas fait en 1975)); et qu'il a affirméque la convention sur la discrimina-
tion raciale ne pouvait fonder la compétence de la Cour;
42. Considérant qu'à l'audience le Rwanda, au sujet de la convention
Unesco, a relevéque le paragraphe 2 de l'article XIV invoqué par le
Congo ne visait «que les différends relatifs à l'interprétutiotz,et non àConvention was "idlentical" to that made by Spain and "identical in its
effect" to that macle by the United States; whzreas it referred to the
Court's consideration of the reservations by tliese two States in the
Orders which it made on 2 June 1999 in the case: concerriing Legulitj, of'
Use 9f'Force ( Yz~go.rlu~~vi.aSpain) and Legality of'Use qf'Force (Yugo-
sluvia v. United States oj'Americu) ; whereas it pointed out that in these
cases the Court had taken the view that Article IX of the Genocide Con-
vention "manifestly does not constitute a basis of jurisdiction . . . even
prima facie" ;
40. Whereas at the hearings, in reply to the a:-gument by the Congo,
Rwanda maintained that while the Genocide Convention did indeed state
norms of jus cogc!ns, only "the substantive provisions prohibiting
genocide . . . have the status ofjus cogerîs,not the:jurisdictional clause in
Article IX"; whereas it argued that while the prohibition of genocide was
also a norm creatirig obligations crgu ornnes, "that does not alter the
jurisdictional position"; whereas it pointed out thdt, contrary to what the
Congo had implied at the hearings, the Congo had "said nothing what-
ever about the Rwandese reservation"; whereas it added that the Advi-
sory Opinion of the Court concerning Reserv~rtio,~~ to the GenocicieCor?-
vrntion in no way suggested that Rwanda could not rely in the present
case on its reservation; and whereas it rejected tl-e Congo's argument to
the effect that Rwanda, by asking the Security Council to create the
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, hi~d"waived, or become
estopped from any reliance upon its reservation to the GenocideConven-
tion". giving the following explanation :
"The criminal jurisdiction of a tribunal created by the Security
Council and deriving its authority from an exercise of the Council's
powers under Chapter VI1 of the Charter tcbtry individuals for the
crime of genocide has nothing whatever to co with the authority of
the Court to exercise jurisdiction in inter-St ite disputes, which can
be derived only from Article IX : and Article IX, subject as the Court
itself has said, itoreservations";
41. Whereas at the hearings Rwanda, in respect of the Convention on
Racial Discrimination, stated that it had acceded to the Convention
in 1975, coupling the accession with a "reservation which excluded
Article 22 in its eritirety"; whereas it noted that at the hearings the
Congo "may [have] object[ed] . . . to that reservation made by Rwanda,
but it certainly did not object in 1975"; and whereas it contended that the
Convention on Racial Discrimination could not found the jurisdiction
of the Court;
42. Whereas at the hearings Rwanda, on the subject of the Unesco
Constitution, noted that Article XIV. paragraph 2, relied on by the
Congo, referred "orily to disputes concerning thc interprrtution, not thel'application» de ladite convention; qu'il a soulignéque le Congo n'avait
«nullement abordé devant la Cour ..la auestion d'un auelconaue diffé-
rend relatifa I'interprétation de la convention)); qu'il a préciséque l'ar-
ticleXIV ne nrévovaitle renvoi d'un différenddevant la Cour aue «selon
ce que décidera[it] la Conférence conformément à son règlement inté-
rieur)); qu'il a soutenu que les procédures énoncéesdans ce règlement
<(n'[avaient]nullement étésuivies en l'espèce));et qu'il a conclu ainsi: «le
paragraphe 2 de l'articlXIV de l'acte constitutif ne prévoitaucune autre
base de compétence pour la Cour et ne saurait, par conséquent, consti-
tuer en l'espèceune base de compétencepour la Cour, mêmepriinu fucie» ;
43. Considérant qu'à I'audience le Rwanda, pour ce qui a trait a la
convention sur la discrimination à l'égarddes femmes, a soulignéque le
paragraphe 1 de l'article 29 de ladite convention énonçait trés clairement
un certain nombre de conditions préalables auxquellesil devait êtresatis-
fait pour que la compétencede la Cour fût ((effective,mêmeprima fucie));
qu'il a indiqué à cet égard qu'<<undifférend concernant I'interprétation
ou l'application de Ia convention)) devait exister, qu'il devait ((s'être
révélé impossible de réglerce différend par voie de négociation)), qu'il
devait «y avoir eu une demande d'arbitrage)) et qu'il devait «s'êtrerévélé
impossible d'organiser un arbitrage dans un délaide six mois)); qu'il a
préciséque leparagraphe 1de l'article 29 ne faisait pas de la Cour ~l'ins-
tance première dans la résolution des différendsqu'il envisage[ait]», mais
attribuait à la Cour le «rôle ..de garant dans l'éventualitéoù les dispo-
sitions relativesà la négociation et à l'arbitrage n'auraient pas permis de
parvenir à une solution, c'est-a-dire où les parties au différendn'auraient
pas été a mêmede résoudre leurs divergences par la voie d'une négocia-
tion et ne se seraient pas accordéessur l'organisation d'un arbitrage));
44. Considérant qu'à I'audience le Rwanda a soutenu qu'aucune des
conditions préalables à la saisine de la Cour, au titre du paragraphe 1de
l'article 29 de la convention sur la discrimination a l'égarddes femmes,
n'avait été((respectéeen l'espèce»; qu'il a fait valoir à cet effet que le
Congo n'avait soulevé«aucune réclamation antérieurement au dépôt de
sa requête))ou ri'avait suggéré((l'existence d'un différend concernant
l'interprétation d'une quelconque disposition de cette convention)), qu'il
n'y avait eu «aucune tentative de régler cedifférendpar voie de négocia-
tion)) et que le Congo n'avait pas davantage ((proposéou tentéde négo-
cier l'organisation d'un arbitrage)); et considérant qu'en réponseà I'argu-
ment du Congo selon lequel l'absence de relations diplomatiques et
consulaires normales aurait rendu vaine toute proposition de négociation
ou d'arbitrage, le Rwanda a indiqué que, s'il était exact que les relations
diplomatiques avaient été ((suspendues)),des ((rencontres entre représen-
tants des deux pays n'en [avaient] pas moins eu lieu de maniérerégulière
et fréquente à tous les niveaux - officiel, ministériel, voire à celui des
chefs d'Etat - dans le cadre du processus de paix de Lusaka)); qu'il a
alléguéque, lors de telles réunions, le Congo n'avait pas évoquéavec les
représentants rwandais un ((éventueldifférendquant à I'interprétation ou
a l'application de la convention)); qu'il a soutenu que le Congo n'avaitpas davantage proposé d'arbitrage au titre de cette convention; et qu'il a
soulignésur ce dernier point que la présenteinstance se distinguait donc
de ce qui étaitadvenu en l'affaire relatiides Questionsd'interprétation
et d'cipplicatior~de la convention de Montréal de 1971 résultancl r'inci-
dtmt aériende Lockerhie (Jumahiriya arabe libyenne c.Etats-Unis d'Amé-
ricl~w),dans laquelle la Libye avait écrit au Gouvernement des Etats-
Unis pour lui proposer un arbitrage au titre d'une disposition voisine de
celle de la convention sur la discrimination à l'égard desfemmes, et où la
Cour, en l'absence de réponsedes Etats-Unis, avait«rejetél'argument [de
ceux-ci] selon lequel les conditions de saisine de la Cour n'auraient pas
été remplies»;
45. Considérant qu'à l'audience le Rwanda, concernant la convention
de Montréal, a souligné que le paragraphe 1 de l'article 14 de ladite
convention énonçait les «mêmes conditions préalablesa l'existence d'une
compétence de la Cour que celles qui figur[aient] dans la convention [sur
la discrimination à l'égard des femmes]))et que le Congo n'avait fait
«aucune tentative pour satisfaire à ces conditions ... bien qu'il ait eu lar-
gement l'occasion de le faire)); et considérant que le Rwanda a fait valoir
que le Congo avait déjà invoqué la convention de Montréal, au motif
qu'«un aéronef civil avait étéabattu en octobre 1998», dans l'instance
qu'il avait introduite en 1999contre le Rwanda, que dans ladite instance
le Congo n'avait pas répondu aux arguments présentéspar le Rwanda
dans son mémoire et que le Congo, après avoir obtenu une prorogation
du délai pour le dépôt de son contre-mémoire, avait «laissé passer
neuf mois» avant de se désister en janvier2000; qu'il a conclu que le fait
pour le Congo de présenter inouveau la mêmedemande devant la Cour
constitue un «exemple caractériséd'abus de procédure));
46. Considérant qu'à l'audience le Rwanda. s'agissant de la Constitu-
tion de l'OMS, s'est référé à l'article 75 de ladite Constitution invoqué
par le Congo pour fonder la compétence de la Cour; qu'il a allégué qu'il
n'existait pas de différend entre les deux Etats ((concernant'interpréta-
tion ou l'application)) de la Constitution de l'OMS et que le Congo
n'avait pas préciséquelles dispositions de cet acte constitutif étaient selon
lui en cause; et qu'il a ajoutéque le Congo n'avait aucunement cherchéii
satisfaire préalablement a «la condition de procédure requise [par l'ar-
ticle 751 pour saisir la Cour», iisavoir «d'abord tenter de résoudre le
différend par voie de négociation ou par l'intermédiaire de l'Assemblée
mondiale de la Santé»;
47. Considérant qu'a l'audience, pour ce qui a trait à la convention des
Nations Unies de 1947sur les privilègeset immunitésdes institutions spé-
cialisées,le Rwanda, après avoir indiqué que cette convention avait été
((mentionnée[I]ematin [même]... pour la première fois)) et, se référana
la jurisprudence de la Cour, a soutenu qu'il était«trop tard pour qu'un
Etat puisse faire valoir une base de compétence totalement nouvelle en
vue de saisir la Cour d'une demande en indication de mesures conserva-
toires)); qu'il a alléguéque le Congo n'avait «jamais mentionné l'exis-
tence d'un quelconque différendl'opposant au Rwanda au sujet de [cette] ARMED ACTIVITIES (ORDER 10 02) 237
latter point that the present case could therefort: be distinguished from
the case concerning Questions qf Interpretation und Applicution of tlie
1971 Montreal Convention uvi.singji.om tlie Aerilrl Incident ut Lockerhie
(Lihyan Arub Jumaliiriya v. United Stutes of Anzerica), in which Libya
had written to the CJovernment of the United States proposing arbitra-
tion under a provision very similar to that in t:ie Convention on Dis-
crimination against Women, and where the Cou -t, in the absence of an
answer from the United States, had "rejected the irgument [by the latter]
that the conditions for seising the Court had not been met";
45. Whereas at the hearings Rwanda contentled with regard to the
Montreal Convention that Article 14, paragraph 1, of that Convention
stated "the same preconditions for the jurisdiction of the Court as those
in the Convention [on Discrimination against 'Nomen]" and that the
Congo had made "no attempt to satisfy those conditions although . . . it
has had quite enough opportunity to do so"; and whereas Rwanda main-
tained that the Congo had already invoked the Montreal Convention, on
the ground of the "shooting down of a civil aircraft in October 1998". in
the proceedings that it instituted in 1999 agains Rwanda, that in that
case the Congo had not replied to the arguments made by Rwanda in its
Memorial and that itheCongo, after obtaining ari extension of the time-
limit for filing its Counter-Memorial, had "let nin: months go by" before
abandoning its action in January 2000; whereas it argued that for the
Congo to re-submit the same request to the Court was "the clearest case
of an abuse of proct:ssW;
46. Whereas at the hearings Rwanda, in respect of the WHO Constitu-
tion, referred to Article 75 of that Constitution, relied upon by the Congo
to found the jurisdiction of the Court; whereas it asserted that there was
no dispute between the two States "concerning the interpretation or
application" of the WHO Constitution and that the Congo had not
identified the provisions of the Constitution whic 1 it considered to be at
issue; and whereas il added that the Congo had not made any effort first
to satisfy the "procedural condition [under Art cle 7.51for seising the
Court", nainely that it should "first seek to resol~iethe dispute by nego-
tiation or by the processes of the Health Assemb y" ;
47. Whereas at the hearings, on the subject of tlie 1947 United Nations
Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of tke Specialized Agencies,
Rwanda, after statirig that this Convention had 2een "mentioned th[at]
morning . . . for the first time", and referring tt, the Court's jurispru-
dence, contended that it was "too late for a Statr to invoke ail entirely
fresh ground of jurisdiction as the basis on whic:h it seeks to seise the
Court in a request for provisional measures"; whereas it argued that the
Congo had failed "to identify any dispute whatever between [it] and
Rwanda about [this] Convention"; whereas it stited: "There may per-convention)); qu'il a préciséce qui suit: «Il pourrait y avoir ...un diffé-
rend entre les Nations Unies et le RCD-Goma, cette faction rebelle
congolaise, en raison des traitements inf igésau personnel de la MONUC.
Mais ce différend ne concernerait aucune des deux Parties présentes
devant [la Cour]>>;et qu'il a conclu sur ce point que la convention en
question «n70ffr[ait] aucune base pour établirla compétence dela Cour));
48. Considérant qu'a l'audience le Rwanda, se référant ala jurispru-
dence de la Cour, a en outre soutenu que la Cour ne pouvait indiquer des
mesures conservatoires ((qu'en vue de préserverles droits susceptibles de
constituer l'objet d'une décisionde sa part sur le fond » et qu'elle ne pou-
vait ((ordonner des mesures autres que celles qui [étaient] nécessaires
pour protéger les droits susceptibles de constituer l'objet d'un arrêtrendu
en application du ou des traités dont elle consid[érait] qu'ils lui permet-
t[aient] de se déclarercompétentepriinu fucir)); qu'il a fait valoir, concer-
nant la convention de Montréal, la convention sur la discrimination a
l'égard des femmes etla Constitution de l'OMS, que, mêmesi les condi-
tions requises par ces conventions pour qu'une telle compétence puisse
être établie avaientété remplies,les mesures conservatoires demandées
par le Congo n'auraient en tout état de cause pas pu êtreindiquéescar
elles [allaient] bien au-delà de l'objet desdites conventions; qu'il a précisé,
dans le cas de la convention de Montréal, que celle-ci visait «à réprimer
les atteintesa la sécuritéde l'aviation civile)), que le seul lien alléguérési-
dait dans un incident survenu quatre ans auparavant et que les droits
reconnus au Congo par la convention n'avaient «aucun rapport avec les
remèdes demandés par cet Etat»; qu'il a ajouté, s'agissant de la conven-
tion sur la discrimination a l'égard des femmes,que les
((droits qui, selon le Congo, seraient au cceur de l'affaire - respect
de la souveraineté, intégrité territoriale, indépendance, droits inalié-
nables sur les ressources naturelles - [n'étaient pas] desdroits sus-
ceptibles de constituer l'objet d'une décisionrendue dans l'exercice
d'une compétence établieen vertu de l'article 29 de la convention));
et qu'il a affirmé,dans le cas de la Constitution de l'OMS, que l'absence
de tout lien entre ladite Constitution et la présente affaire était ((fla-
grante», en se référantàcet effet a l'avis consultatif rendu sur la question
de la Licéitéde 1'utili.satio des armes nucléuire.~par un Etat dans un
confit urmk, dans lequel «la Cour avait établi une distinction catégorique
entre les conséquencesde la guerre sur la santéet la licéité du recours a la
guerre »;
49. Considérant qu'à l'audience le Rwanda a conclu qu'aucune des
bases de compétence avancéespar le Congo «n'offr[ait] une quelconque
perspective de voir la Cour exercer sa compétence sur le fond)) et qu'«il
y aurait donc la suffisamment de raisons de voir la Cour rayer dès a pré-
sent l'affaire de son rôle)); et considérant que le Rwanda a ajoutéen par-
ticulier que le Congo avait déjà eu la possibilité«de voir trancher la
question de la compétence))dans le cadre de la première instance qu'ilhaps be a dispute . . . between the United Natiocs and the RCD-Goma,
the rebel faction wii.hin the Congo, about the traatment of personnel in
the MONUC United Nations force. But that is not a dispute which
involves either of the two Parties here before [the Court]"; and whereas it
submitted on this point that the Convention in question "forms no basis
for the jurisdiction of the Court";
48. Whereas at the hearings Rwanda, referring to the Court's jurispru-
dence, further contended that the Court could grant provisional meas-
ures "only for the lpurpose of preserving rights which might form the
subject-matter of a decision of the Court on the nierits" and that it could
not order measures other than "those needed to protect rights which
might form the subj'ect-matter of a judgment under the treaty or treaties
which the Court determines afford a prima facie basis for its jurisdic-
tion"; whereas it argued with regard to the Montreal Convention, the
Convention on Discrimination against Women a id the WHO Constitu-
tion that, even if the conditions precedent to such jurisdiction prescribed
by these instruments had been met, in any event tlie provisional measures
sought by the Congo could not be indicated beca~se they fell well outside
the subject-matter of those instruments; whereai it pointed out in the
case of the Montreal Convention that the latte. was "concerned with
crimes against the safety of civil aviation", that the only bearing claimed
concerned an incident four years earlier and thrt the rights conferred
upon the Congo by the Convention had "no point of contact with the
relief which Congo is seeking"; whereas it added lvith regard to the Con-
vention on Discrimination against Women that t 1e
"rights which Congo claims lie at the heart of the present case -
respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence, inalien-
able rights in respect of natural resources - could [not] possibly be
said to constitute rights which might form tlie subject of a decision
in exercise of any jurisdiction conferred by 4rticle 29 of this Con-
vention" ;
and whereas it asserted, in the case of the WHO Constitution, that the
lack of any connection between that Constitution and the present case
was "stark". referriilg in this respect to the Advisory Opinion on the
Legality of'the Use liy a State qf Nuckeur Weapou'sin Armrd Conjlict, in
which "the Court . .. drew a sharp distinction belween the health effects
of warfare and the l~rgalityof the waging of war";
49. Whereas at the hearings Rwanda submittec that none of the juris-
dictional grounds advanced by the Congo "offers any prospect whatever
of jurisdiction on the merits" and that "that woul i be reason enough for
the Court to remove the case from its List"; and rvhereas Rwanda added
specifically that the Congo had already had the "opportunity of having
the issue of jurisdiction tried" in the first proceedings which it had insti-
tuted, but had prefei-red to withdraw; whereas it 1,tatedthat the Congo'savait introduite, mais avait préféré se désister; qu'il a préciséque la nou-
velle requête du Congo «ne constitu[ait] qu'une réplique de la précé-
dente»; et qu'il a affirmé qu'ily avait là «abus de procédure et que la
Cour devait ...rayer l'affaire de son rôle));
50. Considérant qu'à l'audience le Rwanda a présentéles conclusions
suivantes: ((nous demandons. d'une part, que la requêteen indication de
mesures conservatoires soit rejetéeet, d'autre part, que cette affaire soit
immédiatement rayéedu rôle de la Cour));
51. Considérant que, dans sa réplique orale, le Congo a indiqué que,
((contrairement aux allégations du Rwanda, l'accord de siège entre le
Gouvernement [congolais] et la MONUC a[vait] été invoqué,non pas
pour soutenir l'argumentation sur la compétence de la Cour)), mais pour
souligner que ((lesagents [de la MONUC] bénéfici[aient] des privilègeset
immunités diplomatiques)); qu'il a soutenu, en réponse a l'argument du
Rwanda selon lequel le Congo n'aurait ((jamais eu recours aux procédés
internes de l'arbitrage)), qu'il «a[vait] tente à plusieurs reprises d'amener
le Rwanda à l'arbitrage)) et que ces
((opportunitésd'en arriver à la procédure d'arbitrage ou toute autre
procédure prévue par les conventions sous examen [avaient] été
nombreuses :
- en juillet 2001 à Lusaka, en marge de la 37' conférence des chefs
d'Etat de l'organisation de l'unité africaine et en présence du
Secrétaire général del'ONU lui-même,le président de la Répu-
blique rwandaise a rejetétoute proposition de règlement de cer-
tains conflits spécifiquesdans le cadre de l'arbitrage;
- en septembre 2001, à Durban, en République sud-africaine, et en
marge de la conférence mondiale sur le racisme, le président
Joseph Kabila de la République démocratique du Congo a fait la
mêmeproposition de règlement dans le cadre d'un arbitrage à
son homologue rwandais qui a décliné l'offre;
- en janvier 2002, au sommet de Blantyr au Malawi, en présence
du président de la République Bakili Muluzi, le présidentcongo-
lais a réitérésa démarche auprès de son homologue rwandais qui
s'y est refusé ;
- en mars 2002, enfin, et en marge de la réunion du comité poli-
tique mixte de l'accord de Lusaka et de la mission du Conseil
de sécurité,le président de la République rwandaise a claqué la
porte dèslors que les propositions d'un règlement avec arbitrage
lui étaient faites »;
52. Considérant qu'au terme de sa réplique orale le Congo a présenté
la demande suivante :
«A la lumièredes faits et arguments exposésau cours de cette pro-
cédure orale, le Gouvernement de la République démocratique du
Congo prie la Cour de dire et juger pour que le peuple congolais
puisse jouir de ses ressources naturelles conformément au droit inter-new Application was merely "a replica of its ,)Id Application"; and
whereas it asserted that this was "an abuse of the process of the Court
and that the Court should . .. remove the case from its List";
50. Whereas at the hearings Rwanda presentec the following submis-
sions: "that the request for provisional measures be dismissed, and that
the case be removed from the Court's List forthv ith";
51. Whereas in iits oral reply tlie Congo stated that "contrary to
Rwanda's allegations, the headquarters agreemert between the [Congo-
lese] Government and MONUC was invoked not in support of the argu-
ment on the jurisdiction of the Court", but to indicate that "[MONUC]
officials enjoy diplomatic privileges and immun ties"; whereas it con-
tended, in reply to Rwanda's argument that the Congohad "never made
recourse to interna1 arbitration procedures", that it had "sought to bring
Rwanda to arbitration on a number of occasions ' and that
"there have been many such opportunities or having recourse to
arbitration or amy other procedure laid dolvn by the conventions
concerned :
- in July 2001 at Lusaka, on the occasion of the 37th Conference of
Heads of St,ate of the Organization of African Unity and in the
presence of the United Nations Secretary-General himself, the
President of the Rwandese Republic rejectrd any proposal for the
settlement of certain specific armed confli-ts by arbitration;
- in September 2001, at Durban. in the Rel~ublicof South Africa,
and on the occasion of the World Conference on Racism, Presi-
dent Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Ftepublic of the Congo
made the sa.me proposal for a settlement by arbitration to his
Rwandan counterpart, who declined the sffer;
- in January 2:002,at the Blantyre Summit in Malawi, in the pres-
ence of the President of the Republic, Bal.ili Muluzi, the Congo-
lese President reiterated his offer to his llwandese counterpart,
who turned it down;
- in March 2002, lastly, and on the occasion of the meeting of the
Joint Political Committee of the Lusalta Agreement and of
the Security Council Mission, the Presi~lent of the Rwandese
Republic immediately slammed the door on the proposais for a
settlement by arbitration as soon as they were made to him";
52. Whereas at the close of its oral reply the Cl~ngopresented the fol-
lowing request :
"In the light of the facts and arguments set out during these oral
proceedings, the Government of the Demozratic Republic of the
Congo asks the Court to adjudge and declarl: such that the Congo-
lese people can enjoy its natural resources in accordance with inter- national: de réaffirmerles droits de la République démocratique du
Congo de se défendreet de défendre son peuple en légitime défense
en vertu de l'article 51 de la Charte deONU et du droit internatio-
nal coutumier tant que continuera l'agression dont elle est victime de
la part notamment du Rwanda et dont le coût en vies humaines aug-
mente au jour le jour; d'ordonner l'embargo sur les [armes] A desti-
nation du Rwanda, le gel de toute assistance militaire et autres aides,
l'embargo sur l'or, le diamant, le coltan ainsi que d'autres ressources
et biens provenant du pillage systématiqueet de l'exploitation illégale
des richesses de la République démocratiquedu Congo dans sa partie
occupée(car le Rwanda aujourd'hui est devenu exportateur de dia-
mant et de coltan alors qu'il n'ena pas sous son sol); la mise en place
rapide d'une force d'interposition et d'imposition de la paix le long
des frontières de la République démocratique du Congo avec le
Rwanda, ainsi qu'avec les autres parties belligérantes.Nous insistons
surtout beaucoup pour que le Rwanda puisse libérerKisangani afin
que sa démilitarisation soit effective et que les forces de la MONUC
puissent occuper cette ville. Ainsi la population vivra en paix, tout en
rappelant que le Rwanda est tenu de payer à la République démo-
cratique du Congo, de son propre droit, et comme paren.sputricle de
ses citoyens, des réparations justes et équitables pour les dommages
subis pour les personnes, les biens, l'économieet l'environnement.
La République démocratique du Congo prie la Cour d'indiquer
égalementen vertu de l'article 41 de son Statut et les artic73sA 75
de son Règlement toutes autres mesures exigées parles circonstances
en vue de prévenirles voies légitimesde la Républiquedémocratique
du Congoet de sa population ainsi que d'empêcher l'aggravationdu
différend»;
53. Considérant que, dans sa répliqueorale, le Rwanda a priéla Cour
de prendre acte de ce que le Congo n'invoquait pas la convention des
Nations Unies sur les privilègeset immunités et l'accord de siègeentre les
Nations Unies et le Congo pour fonder la compétence de la Cour; et
qu'au terme de sa répliqueil a demandé iila Cour:
((premièrement, d'écarter la demande en indication de mesures
conservatoires présentéepar le Congo; et, deuxièmement, compte
tenu du fait que la présente instance constitue en réalité unabus de
la procédure de la Cour, d'user de sa discrétion pour rayer cette
affaire de son rôle;
54. Considérant que la Cour est profondément préoccupéepar le
drame humain, les pertes en vies humaines et les terribles souffrances que
l'on déplore dans l'est de la République démocratique du Congo A la
suite des combats qui s'y poursuivent; national law: to reaffirm the Democratic Rcpublic of the Congo's
rights to defend itself and to defend its people in exercise of its right
of self-defence pursuant to Article 51 of the IJnited Nations Charter
and to customary international law, for so long as it shall continue
to suffer aggression at the hands inter alia of Rwanda, the cost of
which in human lives is increasing daily; to oider an embargo on the
delivery of [arms] to Rwanda, a freeze on al1military assistance and
other aid, an embargo on gold, diamonds, coltan, and other resources
and assets deriving from the systematic plunder and illegal exploita-
tion of the wealth of the Democratic Reputlic of the Congo lying
within its occupied part (because Rwanda has now become an
exporter of diaimonds and coltan, even thoiigh these do not exist
under its soil); the rapid installation of a for(.e to separate the com-
batants and impose peace along the fronti1:rs of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo with Rwanda and wi h the other belligerent
parties. Above all, we insist that Rwanda vacate Kisangani so that
its demilitarization can take effect and the MONUC forces can
occupy the city - thus, the population will live in peace -, while
pointing out that Rwanda must pay to the Democratic Republic of
the Congo, in the latter's own right and as ptzrelzspatriae of its citi-
zens, fair and just reparation on account of the injury to perçons,
property, the economy and the environment.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo requests the Court to
indicate also. mrsuant to Article 41 of its St2tute and Articles 73 to
75 of its Rules, such other measures as the circumstances may
require in order to preserve the lawful riglits of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo and its people and to prevent the aggravation
of the dispute";
53. Whereas in its oral reply Rwanda requested the Court to take note
that the Congo was not invoking the United Rations Convention on
Privileges and Imm~inities and the headquarters (igreement between the
United Nations and the Congo to found the jur sdiction of the Court:
and whereas at the close of its reply it made the fcllowing requests of the
Court :
"first, . . . the request of the Democratic Republic of the Congo for
the indication of provisional measures should be denied; and
secondly, . . . iinview of the fact that the current proceedings are
really an abuse of the process of court, we pray this Court to exercise
its discretion and strike this case from its Li:tn;
54. Whereas the Court is deeply concerned by the deplorable human
tragedy, loss of life, and enormous suffering in the east of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo resulting from the continiied fighting there; 55. Considérant que la Cour garde présents A l'esprit les buts et prin-
cipes de la Charte des Nations Unies, ainsi que les responsabilités qui lui
incombent, en vertu de ladite Charte et du Statut de la Cour, dans le
maintien de la paix et de la sécurité;
56. Considérant que la Cour estime nécessairede souligner que toutes
les parties à des instances devant elle doivent agir conformémenta leurs
obligations en vertu de la Charte des Nations Unies et des autres règles
du droit international,y compris du droit humanitaire; qu'en l'espècela
Cour ne saurait trop insister sur l'obligation qu'ont le Congo et le
Rwanda de respecter les dispositions des conventions de Genève du
12 août 1949 et du premier protocole additionnel à ces conventions, en
date du 8 juin 1977,relatifiila protection des victimes des conflits armés
internationaux, instruments auxquels ils sont tous deux parties;
57. Considérant qu'en vertu de son Statut la Cour n'a pas automati-
quement compétence pour connaître des différends juridiques entre les
Etats parties audit Statut ou entre les autres Etats qui ont été admis à
ester devant elle; que la Cour a déclaré iimaintes reprises que l'un des
principes fondamentaux de son Statut est qu'elle ne peut trancher un dif-
férendentre des Etats sans que ceux-ci aient consenti à sa juridiction; et
que la Cour n'a donc compétence A l'égard desEtats parties à un diffé-
rend que si ces derniers ont non seulement accèsà la Cour, mais ont en
outre accepté sa compétence, soitd'une manière générale, soitpour le dif-
férend particulier dont ils'agit (Licéitéde l'emploi rte lu force ( Yougo-
slavie c. Belgique), demande en indication de mesures conservatoires,
C.1.J. Recueil 1999 (1), p. 132, par. 20);
58. Considérant que, en présence d'une demande en indication de
mesures conservatoires, point n'est besoin pour la Cour, avant de décider
d'indiquer ou non de telles mesures, de s'assurer de manière définitive
qu'elle a compétence quant au fond de l'affaire, mais qu'elle ne peut indi-
quer ces mesures que si les dispositions invoquées par le demandeur
semblent prirnu ,facie constituer une base sur laquelle la compétence de
la Cour pourrait êtrefondée; que la Cour, de surcroît, lorsqu'elle a éta-
bli qu'il existe une telle base de compétence, ne saurait toutefois indiquer
des mesures tendant à protéger des-droits contestés autres que ~eux-~ui
pourraient en définitiveconstituer la base d'un arrêtrendu dans I'exer-
cice de cette compétence (Application de la convention pour laprkvention
et lu répressiorzclzicrirne de gknocide, mesures conserivztoires, ordon-
nance du lu(avril1993, C.I.J. Recueil 1993, p. 19, par. 35);
59. Considérant que, conformément au paragraphe 2 de l'article 36 du
Statut, le Congo (alorsZaïre) a, par déclaration en date du février1989,
reconnu lajuridiction obligatoire de la Cour il'égard detout Etat accep- 55. Whereas the Court is mindful of the purposes and principles of the
United Nations Charter and of its own responsibilities in the mainte-
nance of peace ancl security under the Charter and the Statute of the
Court;
56. Whereas the Court finds it necessary to eniphasize that al1parties
to proceedings before it must act in conformit) with their obligations
pursuant to the United Nations Charter and oth:r rules of international
law, including humanitarian law; whereas the Coiirt cannot in the present
case over-emphasize the obligation borne by the Congo and Rwanda to
respect the provisions of the Geneva Convention: of 12August 1949and
of the first Protocol additional to those Conveiitions, of 8 June 1977,
relating to the protection of victims of international armed conflicts, to
which instruments both of them are parties;
57. Whereas the Court, under its Statute, does not automatically have
jurisdiction over leg,aldisputes between States parties to that Statute or
between other States entitled to appear before ihe Court; whereas the
Court has repeatedly stated that one of the fundamental principles of its
Statute is that it cannot decide a dispute between States without the con-
sent of those States to its jurisdiction; and whersas the Court therefore
has jurisdiction only between States parties to 2 dispute who not only
have access to the Court but also have acceptec the jurisdiction of the
Court, either in gei~eral form or for the indiviclual dispute concerned
(Legality oJ Use of Force (Yugosluilicrv. Belgi~n?), Provi.sionu1Mra-
sures, I.C.J. report,^ 1999 (I), p. 132, para. 20);
58. Whereas on a request for provisional measiires the Court need not,
before deciding whether or not to indicate them, finally satisfy itself that
it has jurisdiction on the merits of the case, yet .t ought not to indicate
such measures unless the provisions invoked bj the applicant appear,
prima facie, to afformda basis on which the jurisdiction of the Court might
be established; whereas moreover, once the Court has established the
existence of such a 'basisfor jurisdiction, it should not however indicate
measures for the protection of any disputed rights other than those which
might ultimately form the basis of ajudgment in the exercise of that juris-
diction (Applic~ctionoftlze Convrrztionon the Prevention und Punislzrî~ent
qf the Crane c? f'enocide, Provisional Mcw.szlres,Order of'8 April 1993,
I.C.J. Reports 1993, p. 19, para. 35);
59. Whereas in accordance with Article 36, paragraph 2, of the Statute,
the Congo (then Zaire), by means of a declaration dated 8 February
1989, recognized the compulsory jurisdiction of the Court in relation totant la mêmeobligation; qu'en revanche le Rwanda n'a pas fait une telle
déclaration; qu'en conséquence la Cour n'examinera sa compétence
prima facie que sur la base des traités et conventions invoqués par le
demandeur en vertu du paragraphe 1 de l'article 36 du Statut qui dispose:
«La compétencede la Cour s'étend Btoutes les affaires que les parties lui
soumettront, ainsi qu'à tous les cas spécialement prévusdans la Charte
des Nations Unies ou dans les traités et conventions en vigueur));
60. Considérant que le Congo invoque la violation par le Rwanda de
la convention contre la torture dont l'article premier se lit comme suit:
«Aux fins de la présente convention, le terme «torture» désigne
tout acte par lequel une douleur ou des souffrances aiguës, physiques
ou mentales, sont intentionnellement infligéesà une personne aux
fins notamment d'obtenir d'elle ou d'une tierce personne des rensei-
gnements ou des aveux, de la punir d'un acte qu'elle ou une tierce
personne a commis ou est soupçonnée d'avoir commis, de l'intimider
ou de faire pression sur elle ou d'intimider ou de faire pression sur
une tierce personne, ou pour tout autre motif fondé sur une forme de
discrimination quelle qu'elle soit, lorsqu'une telle douleur ou de
telles souffrances sont infligéespar un agent de la fonction publique
ou toute autre personne agissant à titre officiel ou à son instigation
ou avec son consentement exprès ou tacite..»;
et qu'il entend fonder la compétence de la Cour sur les dispositions du
paragraphe 1 de I'article 30 de la convention selon lequel:
«Tout différend entre deux ou plus des Etats parties concernant
l'interprétation ou l'application de la présente convention qui ne
peut êtreréglépar voie de négociation est soumis à l'arbitrage B la
demande de l'un d'entre eux. Si dans les six mois qui suivent la date
de la demande d'arbitrage, les parties ne parviennent pas à se mettre
d'accord sur l'organisation de l'arbitrage, l'une quelconque d'entre
elles peut soumettre le différend à la Cour internationale de Justice
en déposant une requêteconformément au Statut de la Cour»;
considérant que le Congo est partie a ladite convention depuis le 18mars
1996;
61. Considérant que le Rwanda a indiqué qu'il n'était pas partie et
n'avait jamais été partie à la convention de 1984 contre la torture; et
considérant que la Cour constate qu'il en est bien ainsi;
62. Considérant que le Congo, après avoir fait référence à la conven-
tion des Nations Unies de 1947 sur les privilègeset immunités des insti-any State accepting the same obligation; wherea; Rwanda on the other
hand has not made such a declaration; whereas the Court accordingly
will consider its prima facie jurisdiction solely on the basis of the treaties
and conventions relied upon by the Applicant 1)ursuant to Article 36,
paragraph 1, of the Statute, providing: "The jurisdiction of the Court
comprises al1cases which the parties refer to it and al1 matters specially
provided for in the Charter of the United Nation:, or in treaties and con-
ventions in force":
60. Whereas the Congo claims violations by P wanda of the Conven-
tion against Torture, Article 1of which reads as follows:
"For the purposes of this Convention, the term 'torture' means
any act by whiich severe pain or suffering, whether physical or
mental, is interitionally inflicted on a persoii for such purposes as
obtaining from him or a third person inforrination or a confession,
punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is
suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a
third person, clr for any reason based on discrimination of any
kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation
of or witli the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other
person acting iri an officia1capacity .. .";
and whereas it seeks to found the jurisdiction of 1he Court on the provi-
sions of Article 30, lparagraph 1, of the Convention, pursuant to which:
"Any dispute between two or more States Parties concerning the
interpretation or application of this Conve ition which cannot be
settled through negotiation shall, at the reqiiest of one of them, be
submitted to arbitration. If within six montlis from the date of the
request for arbitration the Parties are unable to agree on the organi-
zation of the arbitration. anv one of those Parties mav refer the dis-
pute to the ~nternational Court of Justice b!~requestdin conforrnity
with the Statute of the Court";
whereas the Congo has been a party to that Con.~ention since 18 March
1996;
61. Whereas Rwanda stated that it is not, and lias never been, party to
the 1984 Convention against Torture; and whereas the Court finds that
such is indeed the case;
62. Whereas the Congo, after referring to th(: 1947 United Nations
Convention on the F'rivilegesand Immunities of the Specialized Agencies,tutions spécialisées,a invoqué ((l'accord de siègeentre le Gouvernement
de la Républiquedémocratique du Congo et la MONUCH du 4 mai 2000;
que, dans le dernier état de son argumentation en la présente phase de
l'affaire, il n'apparaît pas prétendre fonder la compétencede la Cour sur
le premier de ces instruments; et que, s'agissant du second, le Congo a
déclarédans sa réplique orale que:
«l'accord de siège ... a été invoqué, nonpas pour soutenir l'argu-
mentation sur la compétence de la Cour, mais plutôt pour dire que
les forces armées rwandaises ne sont pas autorisées à s'attaquer aux
agents de la MONUC ..., lesquels agents bénéficientdes privilègeset
immunités diplomatiques » ;
considérant qu'il n'y a dès lors pas lieu pour la Cour de prendre ces ins-
truments en considération dans le présent contexte;
63. Considérant que le Congo entend fonder la compétencede la Cour
sur les clauses compromissoires contenues dans les instruments suivants
auxquels tant lui-mêmeque le Rwanda sont parties: la convention sur la
discrimination raciale, la convention sur le génocide, la convention de
Vienne sur le droit des traités, la convention sur la discrimination ii
l'égard des femmes,la Constitution de l'OMS, la convention Unesco et la
convention de Montréal; et considérant que la Cour doit maintenant pro-
céderà l'examen de chacune des conventions susmentionnées afin d'éta-
blir si lesclauses attributives de juridiction invoquéessont susceptibles de
fournir une base de compétence prima,fucir sur le fond qui permettrait, si
les circonstances l'exigeaient, d'indiquer des mesures conservatoires;
64. Considérant que le Congo entend en premier lieu fonder la com-
pétencede la Cour sur l'article 22 de la convention sur la discrimination
raciale, aux termes duquel :
«Tout différend entre deux ou plusieurs Etats parties touchant
l'interprétation ou l'application de la présente convention, qui n'aura
pas étéréglépar voie de négociation ou au moyen des procédures
expressément prévuespar ladite convention, sera porté, à la requête
de toute partie au différend,devant la Cour internationale de Justice
pour qu'elle statue iison sujet,A moins que les parties au différend
ne conviennent d'un autre mode de règlement));
et que le Congo soutient que le Rwanda a commis de nombreux actes de
discrimination raciale au sens de l'article premier de cette convention, qui
prévoit notamment que :
((l'expression ((discrimination racia»evise ((toute distinction, exclu-
sion, restriction ou préférencefondéesur la race, la couleur, I'ascen-invoked "the headqi~arters agreement between tlie Government of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo and MONLJC" of 4 May 2000;
whereas, in its argurrient as finally stated in the prilsent phase of the case,
itdoes not appear tclclaim to found the juri~dicti~mof the Court on the
former of those two instruments; and whereas, in respect of the latter, the
Congo stated in its oral reply that:
"the headquarters agreement . . . was invokecl not in support of the
argument on the jurisdiction of the Court, bu1 rather to indicate that
the Rwandan ai-med forces are not authoriz,:d to attack MONUC
officials . . .; those officials enjoy diplomatic ~rivilegesand immuni-
ties";
whereas accordingly the Court is not required to take those instruments
into consideration in the present context;
63. Whereas the Congo seeks to found the jurisdiction of the Court on
the compromissory clauses contained in the following instruments, to
which both it and R.wanda are parties: the Conlention on Racial Dis-
crimination, the Genocide Convention, the Vienna Convention on the
Law of Treaties, the Convention on Discrimination against Women. the
WHO Constitution,the Unesco Constitution and the Montreal Conven-
tion; and whereas the Court must now proceed to examine each of those
conventions to determine whether the jurisdictiorial clauses relied upon
can furnish a prima facie basis for jurisdiction on the merits such as
would allow it, sho~~ldit think that the circumst,~nces so warranted, to
indicate provisional measures;
64. Whereas the (Congo first seeks to found the jurisdiction of the
Court on Article 22 of the Convention on Racial Discrimination, which
States:
"Any dispute between two or more States Parties with respect to
the interpretation or application of this Co~ivention, which is not
settled by negotiation or by the procedures elipressly provided for in
this Convention, shall, at the request of any cf the parties to the dis-
pute, be referretl to the International Court of Justice for decision,
unless the disputants agree to another mode of settlement";
and whereas the Congo maintains that Rwanda has committed numerous
acts of racial discrimination within the meaning o 'Article 1of that Con-
vention, which provides inter ulia:
"the term 'racia,l discrimination' shall mean any distinction, exclu-
sion, restriction or preference based on rac:e, colour, descent, or dance ou l'origine nationale ou ethnique, qui a pour but ou pour
effet de détruire ou de compromettre la reconnaissance, la jouissance
ou l'exercice, dans des conditions d'égalité, dedroits de l'homme et
des libertésfondamentales dans les domaines politique, économique,
social et culturel ou dans tout autre domaine de la vie publique));
65. Considérant que tant le Congo que le Rwanda sont parties a la
convention sur la discrimination raciale; que le Congo a adhéré a ladite
convention le 21 avril 1976et le Rwanda le 16 avril 1975: mais aue l'ins-
trument d'adhésiondu Rwanda à la convention, déposéauprès du Secré-
taire généraldes Nations Unies, comporte une réservequi se lit comme
suit: ((La République rwandaise ne se considère pas comme liéepar
l'article 22 de ladite convention »:
66. Considérant que, dans la présenteinstance, le Congo a contesté la
validitéde cette réserve(voir paragraphe 25 ci-dessus);
67. Considérant que la convention sur la discrimination raciale inter-
dit les réservesincompatibles avec son objet et son but; qu'aux termes du
paragraphe 2 de l'article 20 de la convention «[u]ne réservesera considé-
réecomme rentrant dans [cette catégorie] si les deux tiers au moins des
Etats parties a la convention élèventdes objections)); que tel n'a pas été
le cas s'agissant de la réserveformuléepar le Rwanda en ce qui concerne
la compétence de la Cour; que cette réserven'apparaît pas incompatible
avec l'objet et le but de la convention; que le Congo n'a pas présenté
d'objection à ladite réservelorsqu'il a accédé A la convention; et que la
réservedu Rwanda est prirîîa jircieapplicable;
68. Considérant que le Congo prétend également fonder la compé-
tence de la Cour sur l'article IX de la convention sur le génocide, ainsi
libellé:
«Les différendsentre les parties contractantes relatifs a I'interpré-
tation, l'application ou l'exécutionde la présenteconvention, y com-
pris ceux relatifs à la responsabilité d'un Etat en matière de génocide
ou de l'un quelconque des autres actes énumérés à l'article III, seront
soumis à la Cour internationale de Justice, à la requêted'une partie
au différend» ;
et que le Congo soutient que le Rwanda a violé lesarticles II et III de la
convention sur le génocide; considérant que l'article II interdit I'accom-
plissement :
«de l'un quelconque des actes ci-après commis dans l'intention de
détruire, en tout ou partie, un groupe national, ethnique, racial ou
religieux comme tel :
rr) meurtre de membres du groupe;
b) atteinte gravea l'intégritéphysique ou mentale de membres du
groupe ; national or ethnie origin which has the purpose or effect of nullify-
ing or impairing the recognition, enjoyment cr exercise, on an equal
footing, of human rights and fundamental frcedoms in the political,
economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life";
65. Whereas both the Congo and Rwanda are parties to the Conven-
tion on Racial Discr.imination; whereas the Congo acceded to that Con-
vention on 21 April 1976 and Rwanda on 16 Apid 1975; whereas how-
ever Rwanda's instrument of accession to the Con~iention, deposited with
the United Nations Isecretary-General, includes a reservation reading as
follows: "The Rwandese Republic does not cons der itself as bound by
article 22 of the Convention";
66. Whereas in th12present proceedings the Co:lgo has challenged the
validity of that reservation (see paragraph 25 above);
67. Whereas the Convention on Racial Diiicrimination prohibits
reservations incomp;atible with its object and purpose; whereas under
Article 20, paragraph 2, of the Convention, "[a] reservation shall be
considered incompatible . . . if at least two-thirds of the States Parties
to this Convention object to it"; whereas such has not been the case
in respect of Rwanda's reservation concerning .he jurisdiction of the
Court; whereas that reservation does not appear incompatible with the
object and purpose of the Convention; whereas the Congo did not
object to that reservation when it acceded to the Convention; and
whereas Rwanda's reservation is prima facie applicable;
68. Whereas the Congo also claims to found the jurisdiction of the
Court on Article IX of the Genocide Convention worded as follows:
"Disputes between the Contracting Parties -elating to the interpre-
tation, applicatilon or fulfilment of the present Convention, including
those relating to the responsibility of a State or genocide or for any
of the other actrienumerated in article III, shall be submitted to the
International Court of Justice at the request 11fany of the parties to
the dispute" ;
and whereas the Coingo maintains that Rwanda lias violated Articles II
and III of the Genocide Convention; whereas Article II prohibits the
carrying out of:
"any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in
whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as
such :
(a) Killing meimbers of the group;
(h) Causing serious bodily or mental harn to members of the
group ; c) soumission intentionnelle du groupe à des conditions d'existence
devant entraîner sa destruction physique totale ou partielle;
clj mesures visant à entraver les naissances au sein du groupe;
e) transfert forcéd'enfants du groupe à un autre groupe));
et que l'articlIII dispose que:
((Seront punis les actes suivants:
a) le génocide;
h) l'entente en vue de commettre le génocide;
c) l'incitation directe et publique à commettre le génocide;
d) la tentative de génocide;
e) la complicitédans le génocide));
69. Considérant que tant le Congo que le Rwanda sont parties à la
convention sur le génocide; que le Congo a adhéréà ladite convention le
31 mai 1962et le Rwanda le 16 avril 1975; mais que l'instrument d'adhé-
sion du Rwanda à la convention, déposéauprès du Secrétairegénéral des
Nations Unies, comporte une réserveformuléecomme suit: «La Répu-
blique rwandaise ne se considère pas comme liéepar l'article IX de ladite
convention »;
70. Considérant que, dans la présenteinstance, le Congo a contesté la
validitéde cette réserve (voirparagraphe 22 ci-dessus);
71. Considérant que (clesprincipes qui sont à la base de la convention
[sur le génocide] sont des principes reconnus par les nations civilisées
comme obligeant les Etats mêmeen dehors detout lien conventionnel))et
que la conception ainsi retenue a pour conséquence ((lecaractère univer-
sel ala fois de la condamnation du génocideet de la coopération néces-
saire «pour libérerl'humanité d'un fléau aussiodieux)) (préambule de la
convention))) (Réserves illu coni~elztiopour lupréventionet la répression
du crinzede génocide,civisconsultutij; CC.J. Recueil 1951, p. 23); qu'il en
résulte((que les droits et obligations consacrés par la convention sont des
droits et obligations erga on?nes» (App!ication de lu conilention pour la
préventionet lu répressiondu crime de génocide,exceptions pr~:limincrires,
arrêt,C.I.J. Recueil 1996 (II), p. 616, par. 31): considérant toutefois
que, comme la Cour a déjà eu l'occasion de le souligner, «l'opposabilité
erga omnes d'une norme et la règledu consentement à la juridiction sont
deux choses différentes)) (Timor oriental (Portugul c. Australie),
C.I.J. Recueil 1995, p. 102, par. 29); que le seul fait que des droits et
obligations rrgu omnes seraient en cause dans un différendne saurait en
effet donner compétence à la Cour pour connaître de ce différend; que,
comme la Cour l'a rappelé ci-dessus (paragraphe 57),elle n'a de juridic-
tion à l'égarddes Etats que dans la mesure ou ceux-ci y ont consenti; et
que, lorsque la compétence de la Cour est prévuedans une clause com-
promissoire contenue dans un traité, cette compétence n'existe qu'à
l'égard desparties au traité qui sont liéespar ladite clause, dans les
limites stivuléesvar celle-ci:
72. Considérant que la convention sur le génocide n'interdit pas les (c) Deliberatel:~inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated
to bring about its physical destruction iri whole or in part;
(di Imposing rrieasures intended to prevent births within the group;
(e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group";
and whereas Article III provides:
"The following acts shall be punishable:
(CI) Genocide ;
(h) Conspiracy to commit genocide;
(cj Direct and public incitement to commit genocide;
(d) Attempt to commit genocide;
je) Complicity in genocide" ;
69. Whereas both the Congo and Rwanda are parties to the Genocide
Convention; whereas the Congo acceded to that ('onvention on 31 May
1962 and Rwanda on 16 April 1975; whereas however Rwanda's instru-
ment of accession to the Convention, deposited with the United Nations
Secretary-General. includes a reservation worded as follows: "The Rwan-
dese Republic does not consider itself as bound by article IX of the Con-
vention" :
70. Whereas in the present proceedings the Congo has challenged the
validity of that reservation (see paragraph 22 aboie);
71. Whereas "the priiiciples underlying the [Gerocide] Convention are
principles which are 1-ecognizedby civilized nations as binding on States,
even without any conventional obligation" and whxeas a consequence of
the conce~tion thus ado~ted is "the universal chaiacter both of the con-
demnation of genocide and of the co-operation required 'in order to lib-
erate mankind from such an odious scourge' (Preamble to the Conven-
tion)" (Rescrvcrtio~z.r'othe Convention on the Prev!>ntionund Punish~nent
of'tlîe Crir~icf Geilociclc~A,di~i.sorOpinion, I.C.J Reports 1951, p. 23);
whereas it follows "that the rights and obligations enshrined by the Con-
vention are rights and obligations erga or?lrzes"(Application of the Con-
ilelztio;~on the Pre~,c<nrioa nnd Punishnie~~t of tlle Crinie uf'Genocide,
Prrlirîîinagl Ohjection.~, Jztc/grnerzt,I.C.J. Reports 1996 (II), p. 616,
para. 31); whereas however. as the Court has already had occasion to
point out, "the er,qtlor?znt>csharacter of a norm and the rule of consent
to jurisdiction are taio different thirigs" (Ecist Tiriîor (Portugtrl v. Aus-
trulit~j, Judgr?~er~t,.C.J. Reports 1995, p. 102, para. 29); whereas it does
not follow from the rnere fact that rights and obligations erga otnnes are
at issue in a dispute that the Court has jurisdictil~n to adjudicate upon
that dispute; whereas. as the Court has noted above (paragraph 57), it
has jurisdiction in respect of States only to the extcnt that they have con-
sented thereto: and .whereas. when a compromis:.ory clause in a treaty
provides for the Court's jurisdiction, that jurisiiction exists only in
respect of the partie,^to the treaty who are bouiid by that clause and
within the limits set out in that clause;
72. Whereas the Glenocide Convention does not prohibit reservations;réserves; que le Congo n'a pas présentéd'objection à la réserve du
Rwanda lorsque celle-ci a étéformulée; que ladite réserve ne porte pas
sur le fond du droit, mais sur la seule compétence de la Cour; qu'elle
n'apparaît dès lors pas contraire à l'objet et au but de la convention;
considérant qu'il importe peu que des solutions différentes aient été
adoptées pour des tribunaux d'une nature différente; que peu importe en
particulier le fait que le Tribunal pénalinternational pour les crimes com-
mis au Rwanda ait étéinstituéà la demande du Rwanda par une décision
du Conseil de sécuritéayant un caractère obligatoire ou que le statut de
la Cour pénaleinternationale signéà Rome le 17juillet 1998 prohibe en
son article 120 toute réserveaudit statut;
73. Considérant aue le Congo entend en outre fonder directement la
"
compétence de la Cour sur le premier alinéa de l'article 66 de la conven-
tion de Vienrie de 1969 sur le droit des traités,selon lequel «[t]oute partie
à un différendconcernant l'application ou I'interprétation des articles 53
ou 64», relatifs aux conflits entre traités et normes impératives du droit
international, ((peut, par une requête,le soumettre à la décision de la
Cour internationale de Justice. à moins aue les ~arties ne décident d'un
commun accord de soumettri le différéndà parbitrage)) (voir para-
graphe 3 ci-dessus);
74. Considérant que l'article 66 de la convention de Vienne sur le droit
des traitésdoit êtrelu en conjonction avec l'article 65 intitulé((Procédure
à suivre concernant la nullité d'un traité, son extinction, le retrait d'une
partie ou la suspension de I'application d'un traité));
75. Considérant qu'en l'étatle Congo ne soutient pas qu'un différend,
qui n'aurait pu êtrerégléen suivant la procédure prévueà l'article 65 de
la convention de Vienne, l'opposerait au Rwanda au sujet d'un conflit
entre un traité et une norme impérative de droit international; que I'ar-
ticle 66 précitén'a pas pour objet de permettre que les procédures de
règlement judiciaire, d'arbitrage et de conciliation de la convention de
Vienne sur le droit des traités soient substituées aux mécanismesde règle-
ment des différends relatifsi l'interprétation oui I'application de traités
déterminés,notamment lorsque la violation de ces traités est alléguée;
76. Considérant que le Congo prétend par ailleurs fonder la compé-
tence de la Cour sur l'article 29 de la convention sur la discriminationà
l'égard des femmes, qui dispose:
((Tout différend entre deux ou plusieurs Etats parties concernant
I'interprétation ou l'application de la présente convention qui n'est
pas réglépar voie de négociation est soumis à l'arbitrage, à la
demande de l'un d'entre eux. Si, dans les six mois qui suivent la date ARMED ACTIVITIES (ORDER10 VI! 02) 246
whereas the Congo did not object to Rwanda's ri:servation when it was
made; whereas that reservation does not bear oii the substance of the
law, but only on the Court's jurisdiction; whereas it therefore does not
appear contrary to the object and purpose of the (:onvention; whereas it
is immaterial that different solutions have been ajopted for courts of a
different character; whereas, specifically. it is imniaterial that the Inter-
national Criminal Tribunal for crimes committed in Rwanda was estab-
lished at Rwanda's request by a mandatory deision of the Security
Council or that Article 120 of the Statute of the international Criminal
Court signed at Rome on 17 July 1998 prohibits (il1reservations to that
Statute;
73. Whereas the Congo further seeks to found the jurisdiction of the
Court directly on Article 66, paragraph (u), of tht 1969Vienna Conven-
tion on the Law of Treaties, in accordance with n hich "[alny one of the
parties to a dispute concerning the application or the interpretation of
article53 or 64", relating to conflicts between tr:aties and peremptory
norms of international law. "may, by a written application, submit it to
the International Cclurt of Justice for a decision unless the parties by
common consent agree to submit the dispute to ,irbitrationfl (see para-
graph 3 above);
74. Whereas Article 66 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of
Treaties must be read in conjunction with Article 05, entitled "Procedure
to be followed with respect to invalidity, termination, withdrawal from
or suspension of the operation of a treaty";
75. Whereas the Congo does not maintain at the present time that
there is a dispute, which could not be resolved under the procedure pre-
scribed in Article 65 of the Vienna Convention, b:tween it and Rwanda
concerning a conflict between a treaty and a peremptory norm of inter-
national law; whereas the object of Article 66 citeclabove is not to allow
for the substitution of the judicial settlement, arbitration and conciliation
procedures under the. Vienna Convention on the 1,aw of Treaties for the
settlement machinery for disputes relating to the interpretation or appli-
cation of specifictrerities. notably when a violation of those treaties has
been alleged ;
76. Whereas the Congo further claims to found the jurisdiction of the
Court on Article 29 of the Convention on Discrimiiiation against Women,
providing :
"Any dispute between two or more States Parties concerning the
interpretation or application of the present C~~nventionwhich is not
settled by negotiation shall, at the request ol'one of them, be sub-
mitted to arbitr.ation. If withiti six months from the date of the de la demande d'arbitrage, les parties ne parviennent pas à se mettre
d'accord sur l'organisation de l'arbitrage, l'une quelconque d'entre
elles peut soumettre le différend à la Cour internationale de Justice,
en déposant une requêteconformément au Statut de la Cour»;
et que le Congo soutient (voir paragraphe 23 ci-dessus) que le Rwanda a
violé sesobligations au titre de l'article premier, qui se lit comme suit:
«Aux fins de la présente convention, l'expression ((discrimination
à l'égarddes femmes)) vise toute distinction, exclusion ou restriction
fondéesur le sexe qui a pour effet ou pour but de compromettre ou
de détruire la reconnaissance, la jouissance ou l'exercice par les
femmes, quel que soit leur état matrimonial, sur la base de l'égalité
de l'homme et de la femme, des droits de I'homme et des libertés
fondamentales dans les domaines politique, économique, social,
culturel et civil ou dans tout autre domaine));
77. Considérant que tant le Congo que le Rwanda sont parties à la
convention sur la discrimination à l'égarddes femmes; que le Rwanda a
ratifiécette convention le 2 mars 1981 ; et que le Congo a fait de même
le 17 octobre 1986;
78. Considérant qu'il incombe à la Cour d'examiner si les conditions
préalables à la saisine de la Cour internationale de Justice, prévues par
l'article 29 de la convention en question, ont étérespectées;
79. Considérant qu'à ce stade de la procédure le Congo n'apporte pas
la preuve que ses tentatives en vue d'entamer des négociations ou d'enga-
ger une procédure d'arbitrage avec le Rwanda (voir paragraphe 51 ci-des-
sus) visaient l'application de l'article 29 de la convention sur la discrimi-
nation à l'égarddes femmes; considérant que le Congo n'a pas précisé
davantage quels seraient les droits protégéspar cette convention qui
auraient étéméconnus par le Rwanda et qui devraient faire l'objet de
mesures conservatoires; que dèslors les conditions préalables à la saisine
de la Cour fixéespar l'article 29 de la convention ne semblent pas rem-
plies prinzufucie;
80. Considérant que le Congo entend de surcroît fonder la compétence
de la Cour sur l'article 75 de la Constitution de l'OMS ainsi conçu:
((Toute question ou différend concernant l'interprétation ou
l'application de cette Constitution, qui n'aura pas étéréglépar voie
de négociation ou par l'Assembléede la Santé, sera déféré par les
parties à la Cour internationale de Justice conformément au Statut
de ladite Cour, à moins que les parties intéresséesne conviennent
d'un autre mode de règlement));
et que le Congo allègue que le Rwanda a contrevenu aux droits garantis
à sa population par l'article premier de ladite Constitution (voir para-
graphe 27 ci-dessus); request for arbiitration the parties are unable to agree on the organi-
zation of the arbitration, any one of those p2rties may refer the dis-
pute to the International Court of Justice bj request in conformity
with the Statute of the Court":
and whereas the Corigo maintains (see paragraph 23 above) that Rwanda
has violated its obligations under Article 1, whicli reads as follows:
"For the purposes of the present Convent on, the term 'discrimi-
nation against women' shall mean any di;tinction, exclusion or
restriction made on the basis of sex which h;ls the effect or purpose
of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by
women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of
men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the
political, econoinic, social, cultural, civil or kny other field7';
77. Whereas both the Congo and Rwanda are parties to the Conven-
tion on Discrimination against Women; wherea:; Rwanda ratified that
Convention on 2 March 1981; and whereas the Ccbngodid so on 17Octo-
ber 1986;
78. Whereas it falls to the Court to consider whether the preconditions
on the seisin of the International Court of Justice aid out in Article 29 of
the Convention in question have been satisfied;
79. Whereas at this stage in the proceedings th^ Congo has not shown
that its attempts to enter into negotiations or uncertake arbitration pro-
ceedings with Rwan'da (see paragraph 51 above) concerned the applica-
tion of Article 29 of the Convention on Discrimiriation against Women;
whereas nor has the Congo specified which rights protected by that Con-
vention have allegedly been violated by Rwanda and should be the object
of provisional measilres; whereas the preconditicns on the seisin of the
Court set by Article 29 of the Convention therefo -edo not appear prima
facie to have been satisfied;
80. Whereas the Congo seeks moreover to found the jurisdiction of the
Court on Article 75 of the WHO Constitution, worded as follows:
"Any question or dispute concerning the interpretation or applica-
tion of this Constitution which is not settled Elynegotiation or by the
Health Assembly shall be referred to the International Court of Jus-
tice in conformity with the Statute of the C ,urt, unless the parties
concerned agree on another mode of settlemznt";
and whereas the Congo alleges that Rwanda hds infringed the rights
guaranteed to its population by Article 1 of that Constitution (see para-
graph 27 above); 81. Considérant que le Congo est partie à la Constitution de l'OMS
depuis le 24 février 1961 et le Rwanda depuis le 7 novembre 1962, et
qu'ils sont ainsi l'un et l'autre membres de cette Organisation;
82. Considérant qu'à ce stade de la procédure le Congo n'apporte pas
davantage la preuve que les conditions préalablesà la saisine de la Cour,
fixéesDar l'article75 de la Constitution de l'OMS. aient étéremdies;
qu'au surplus un premier examen de ladite Constitution fait apparaître
que son article 2, invoqué par le Congo, met des obligations à la charge
non des Etats membres mais de l'organisation;
83. Considérant que le Congo prétend encore fonder la compétencede
la Cour sur le paragraphe 2 de l'articlXIV de la convention Unesco aux
termes duquel :
«Toutes questions et tous différends relatifs à l'interprétation de
la présente convention seront soumis pour décisionà la Cour inter-
nationale de Justice ou à un tribunal arbitral, selon ce que décidera
la Conférence générale conformément à son réglernentintérieur));
que le Congo invoque, dans sa requête,l'article premier de la convention
et soutient que «[plar le fait de la guerre, la République démocratique du
Congo est aujourd'hui incapable de remplir ses missions au sein de
l'Unesco...» ;
84. Considérant que tant le Congo que le Rwanda sont parties à la
convention Unesco, le Congo depuis le 25 novembre 1960, le Rwanda
depuis le 7 novembre 1962;
85. Considérant que le paragraphe 2 de l'articleXIV n'envisage lasou-
mission de différendsrelatifsa la convention Unesco, aux conditions pré-
vues par cettedisposition, qu'en matièred'interprétation de ladite conven-
tion; que tel n'apparaît pas êtrel'objet de la requêtedu Congo; et que
celle-ci n'apparaît donc pas entrer dans les prévisionsdudit article:
86. Considérant que le Congo entend enfin fonder la compétence de la
Cour sur le paragraphe 1de l'article 14de la convention de Montréal, qui
se lit comme suit:
«Tout différend entre des Etats contractants concernant I'inter-
prétation ou l'application de la présenteconvention qui ne peut pas
être réglépar voie de négociation est soumis à l'arbitrage, à la
demande de l'un d'entre eux. Si dans les six mois qui suivent la date
de la demande d'arbitrage, les Parties ne parviennent pas à se mettre
d'accord sur l'organisation de l'arbitrage, l'une quelconque d'entre
elles peut soumettre le différendà la Cour internationale de Justice,
en déposant une requête conformémentau Statut de la Cour)); 81. Whereas the (Congo has been a party to the WHO Constitution
since 24 February 1961 and Rwanda since 7 November 1962 and both
are thus members of that Organization ;
82. Whereas at this stage in the proceedings the Congo has also not
shown that the preconditions on the seisin of the Court set by Article 75
of the WHO Const.itution have been satisfied; whereas moreover an
initial exaniination of that Constitution shows that Article 2 thereof,
relied on by the Congo, places obligations on th: Organization, not on
the Member States;
83. Whereas the Congo further claims to founct the jurisdiction of the
Court on Article XIV, paragraph 2, of the Unesco Constitution, pur-
suant to which:
"Any question or dispute concerning the interpretation of this
Constitution sh;*llbe referred for determination to the International
Court of Justice or to an arbitral tribunal, ;is the General Confer-
ence may deterrnine under its rules of proceclure";
whereas in its Application the Congo invokes Article 1of the Constitu-
tion and maintains that "[olwing to the war, the 1)emocratic Republic of
the Congo today is iunable to fulfil its missions within Unesco . . .";
84. Whereas both the Congo and Rwanda arc parties to the Unesco
Constitution and have been since 25 November 1960 in the case of the
Congo and 7 Noveniber 1962 in the case of Rwanda;
85. Whereas Article XIV, paragraph 2, providei for the referral, under
the conditions established in that provision, of clisputes concerning the
Unesco Constitutioni only in respect of the interp!.etation of that Consti-
tution; whereas that does not appear to be the object of the Congo's
Application; and whereas the Application does xiot therefore appear to
fall within the scope of that article;
86. Whereas the (Congo lastly seeks to found the jurisdiction of the
Court on Article 14, paragraph 1, of the Montreal Convention, which
reads as follows:
"Any dispute between two or more Contracting States concerning
the interpretation or application of this Convrntion which cannot be
settled through negotiation, shall, at the reqiiest of one of them, be
submitted to arbitration. If within six montlis from the date of the
request for arbitration the Parties are unable to agree on the organi-
zation of the arbitration, any one of those Parties may refer the dis-
pute to the International Court of Justice bj request in conformity
with the Statute of the Court";et que le Congo, au terme de sa requête, a notamment conclu que:
«en abattant à Kindu, le 9 octobre 1998, un Boeing 727, propriétéde
la compagnie Congo Airlines, et en provoquant ainsi la mort dequa-
rante personnes civiles, le Rwanda a ... violé ... la convention de
Montréal du 23 septembre 1971 pour la répression d'actes illicites
dirigéscontre la sécuritéde l'aviation civile));
87. Considérant que tant le Congo que le Rwanda sont parties a la
convention de Montréal, le Congo depuis le 6 juillet 1977et le Rwanda
depuis le 3 novembre 1987;
88. Considérant toutefois que le Congo n'a demandé à la Cour I'indi-
cation d'aucune mesure conservatoire en rapport avec la sauvegarde des
droits qu'il estime tenir de la convention de Montréal; qu'il n'y a des lors
pas lieu pour la Cour, à ce stade de la procédure, de se prononcer, même
priinujucie, sur sa compétence au regard de ladite convention ou sur les
conditions préalables pour fonder la compétence de la Cour aux termes
de cette dernière;
89. Considérant qu'il résultede l'ensemble des considérations qui pré-
cèdent que la Cour ne dispose pas en l'espècede la compétence priinu
jucie nécessairepour indiquer les mesures conservatoires demandées par
le Congo;
90. Considérant toutefois que les conclusions auxquelles la Cour est
parvenue en la présenteprocédure ne préjugent en rien la compétence de
la Cour pour connaître du fond de l'affaire, ni aucune question relativeà
la recevabilité de la requêteou au fond lui-même,et qu'elles laissent
intact le droit du Gouvernement congolais et du Gouvernement rwandais
de faire valoir leurs moyens en la matière;
91. Considérant qu'en l'absence d'incompétence manifeste la Cour ne
saurait accéder à la demande du Rwanda tendant a ce que I'affaire soit
rayéedu rôle;
92. Considérant qu'il existe une distinction fondamentaleentre la ques-
tion de l'acceptation par un Etat de la juridiction de la Cour et la com-
patibilitéde certains actes avec le droit international; la compétenceexige
le consentement; la compatibilité ne peut êtreappréciéeque quand la
Cour examine le fond, après avoir établi sa compétence et entendu les
deux parties faire pleinement valoir leurs moyens en droit;
93. Considérant que les Etats, qu'ils acceptent ou non la juridiction
de la Cour, demeurent en tout état de cause responsables des actes con-
traires au droit international qui leur seraient imputables; qu'ils sont
en particulier tenus de se conformer aux obligations qui sont les leursand whereas at the close of its Application the Congo made the following
submission inter aliu :
"by shooting down a Boeing 727 owned by Congo Airlines on
9 October 1998 in Kindu, thereby causing the death of 40 civilians,
Rwanda .. . violated . . . the Montreal Convention for the Suppres-
sion of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation of 23 Sep-
tember 1971 ";
87. Whereas both the Congo and Rwanda are parties to the Montreal
Convention and have been since 6 July 1977 in the case of the Congo and
3 November 1987 in the case of Rwanda;
88. Whereas the Congo has not however asked the Court to indicate
any provisional measure relating to the preservation of rights which it
believes it holds under the Montreal Convention; whereas accordingly
the Court is not required, at this stage in the proceedings, to rule, even on
a prima facie basis, on its jurisdiction under that Convention nor on the
conditions precedent to the Court's jurisdiction contained thereiil;
89. Whereas it follows from the preceding considerations taken
together that the Court does not in the present case have the prima facie
jurisdiction necessary to indicate those provisional measures requested by
the Congo;
90. Whereas, however, the findings reached by the Court in the present
proceedings in no way prejudge the question of the jurisdiction of the
Court to deal with the merits of the case or any questions relating to the
admissibility of the Application, or relating to the merits themselves; and
whereas they leave unaffected the right of the Governments of the Congo
and of Rwanda to siibmit their arguments in respect of those questions;
91. Whereas in the absence of a manifest lack of jurisdiction, the
Court cannot grant Rwanda's request that the case be removed from the
List;
92. Whereas there is a fundamental distinction between the question
of the acceptance by a State of the Court's jurisdiction and the compati-
bility of particular acts with international law; the former requires con-
sent; the latter question can only be reached when the Court deals with
the merits after having established its jurisdiction and having heard full
legal arguments by both parties;
93. Whereas, whether or not States accept the jurisdiction of the
Court, they remain in any event responsible for acts attributable to them
that violate international law; whereas in particular they are required to
fulfil their obligations under the United Nations Charter; whereas theen vertu de la Charte des Nations Unies; qu'a cet égard la Cour ne peut
manquer de noter que le Conseil de sécurité aadopté de très nombreuses
résolutions concernant la situation dans la région, en particulier les
résolutions 1234(1999), 1291 (2000), 1304(2000), 1316(2000), 1323(2000),
1332 (2000), 1341 (2001), 1355 (2001), 1376 (2001), 1399 (2002) et 1417
(2002); que le Conseil de sécuritéa, à maintes reprises, exigéque ((toutes
les parties au conflit mettent finaux violations des droits de l'homme et
du droit international humanitaire)); et qu'il a notamment rappelé ((a
toutes les parties les obligations qui leur incomb[aient] en ce qui concerne
la sécuritédes populations civiles conformément A la quatrième conven-
tion de ~enèv; relative à la protection des personnes civiles en temps de
guerre du 12 août 1949ii, et a ajouté que ((toutes les forces présentes sur
le territoire de la République démocratique du Congo [étaient]respon-
sables de la prévention des violations du droit international humani-
taire commises sur le territoire qu'elles contrôlent));quela Cour tientà
souligner la nécessitépour les Parties i l'instance d'user de leur influ-
ence pour prévenirles violations graves et répétéedses droits de l'homme
et du droit international humanitaire encore constatées récemment;
94. Par ces motifs,
1) Par quatorze voix contre deux,
Rejette la demande en indication de mesures conservatoires présentée
par la République démocratique du Congo le 28 mai 2002;
POLIR: M. Guillaume, prksidcnt; M. Shi, vice-prksiu'ent; MM. Ranjeva,
Herczegh, Fleischhauer,Koroma, Vereshchetin, M'"' Higgins,MM. Parra-
Aranguren, Kooijmans, Rezek, Al-Khasawneh, Buergenthal, juges;
M. Dugard, juge ad hoc;
CONTRE M:. Elaraby,juge; M. Mavungu,juge ad hoc;
2) Par quinze voix contre une,
Rejette les conclusions de la République rwandaise tendant i ce que
l'affaire soit rayéedu rôle de la Cour.
POUR:M. Guillaume, prk~iu'ent; M. Shi, vice-prPsident; MM. Ranjeva,
Herczegh, Fleischhauer,Koroma, Vereshchetin, Mn'"Higgins,MM. Parra-
Arangiiren, Kooijmans, Rezek, Al-Khasawneh, Buergenthal,Elaraby,
juges; M. Mavungu,juge ad hoc;
CONTRE: M. Dugard. juge ad hoc.
Fait en français et en anglais, le texte français faisant foi, au Palais de
la Paix, à La Haye, le dix juillet deux mille deux, en trois exemplaires,
dont l'un restera déposé aux archives de la Cour et les autres seront AKMED ACTlVITlES (ORDER 10 VI1 02) 250
Court cannot but note in this respect that the Security Council has
adopted a great number of resolutions concerning the situation in the
region, in particular resolutions 1234 (1999), 1291 (2000). 1304 (2000),
1316 (2000), 1323 (2000), 1332 (2000), 1341 (2001), 1355 (2001). 1376
(2001), 1399 (2002) and 1417 (2002); whereas the Security Council has
demanded on many occasions that "al1 the parties to the conflict put
an . . . end to violations of human rights and international humanitarian
law"; and whereas it has inter aliareminded "al1 parties of their obliga-
tions with respect to the security of civilian populations under the Fourth
Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time
of War of 12 August 1949", and added that "al1 forces present on the
territory of the Denîocratic Republic of the Congo are responsible for
preventing violations of international humanitarian law in the territory
under their control"; whereas the Court wishes to stress the necessity for
the Parties to these proceedings to use their influence to prevent the
repeated grave violations of human rights and international humani-
tarian law which have been observed even recently;
94. For these reasons,
(1) By fourteen votes to two,
Rgjrcts the request for the indication of provisional measures sub-
mitted by the Democratic Republic of the Congo on 28 May 2002;
IN FAVOUII: President Guillaume ; Vice-Pre.tident Shi; Judges Ranjeva,
Herczegh, Fleischhauer,Koroma, Vereshchetin,Higgins,Parra-Aranguren,
Kooijmans, Rezek, Al-Khasawneh, Buergenthal;Juclgead hoc Dugard;
AGAIIUS JTd:ge Elai-ab; Judge ad hoc Mavungu;
(2) By fifteen votes to one,
Rejects the submissions by the Rwandese Republic seeking the removal
of the case from the Court's List.
IN FAVOUII: President Guillaume ; Vice-Presidenr Shi ; Jucfges Ranjeva,
Herczegh, Fleischhauer,Koroma, Vereshchetin, Higgins,Parra-Aranguren,
Kooijmans, Rezek, Al-Khasawneh, Buergenthal.Elaraby; Judge ad hoc
Mavungu ;
AGAIPISJT u:dge ad hoc Dugard.
Done in French and in English, the French text being authoritative, at
the Peace Palace, The Hague, this tenth day of July, two thousand and
two, in three copies, one of which will be placed in the archives of thetransmis respectivement au Gouvernement de la République démo-
cratique du Congo etau Gouvernement de la Républiquerwandaise.
Le président,
(Signé) Gilbert GUILLAUME.
Le greffier,
(Signé) Philippe COUVREUR.
M. KOROMA, Mme HIGGINSM , M. BUERGENTHA etLELARABY ju,ges,
joignent des déclarations a l'ordonnance; MM. DUGARD et MAVUNGU,
juges ad hoc, joignenil'ordonnance les exposésde leur opinion indivi-
duelle.
(Paraplzé) G.G.
(Paraphé) Ph.C.Court and the others transmitted to the Government of the Democratic
Republic of the Corigo and the Government of the Rwandese Republic,
respectively.
(Signed) Gilbert GUILLAUME,
President.
(Signed) Philippe COUVREUR,
Registrar.
Judges KOROMA, HIGGINSB , UERGENTHA aLd ELARABY append decla-
rations to the Order of the Court; JudgelîocDUGARD and MAVUNGU
append separate opinions to the Order of the Court.
(Initiulled) G.G.
lIiîitiulled) Ph.C.
Request for the Indication of Provisional Measures
Order of 10 July 2002