The arrests of Mathieu Ngudjolo, Germain Katanga and Thomas Lubanga send a strong message that the international community is determined to hold those guilty of atrocities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to account for their actions. Efforts to prosecute militia leaders who commit the most serious abuses against the civilian population in DRC should continue, both as a matter of justice for their victims and to serve as a deterrent against future acts of violence. There is no evidence that the inquiries into Ngudjolo, Katanga and Lubanga by the International Criminal Court have had any impact on security in DRC.