Reports of cannibalism in the Democratic Republic of Congo first surfaced in May last year. Eyewitness testimonies were rare. But the horrific accounts in the latest report leave no doubt as to the scale of the problem - and crucially, explain why such atrocities are happening.
Mr Lattimer said: "The pygmies are threatened with being eaten as a weapon of war to get them to leave the area." Also, their attackers believe that by consuming the flesh of a pygmy they are conferring magical powers on themselves, while they are also targeted because they are suspected of collaborating with the Mai-Mai, who have fought on different sides in the long-running war. In some cases too, the Bambuti have been abducted and forced to act as trailfinders by armed groups, leading to retaliation by rival forces.