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Congo (Kinshasa): Recent Documents, 1
Congo (Kinshasa): Recent Documents, 1
Date distributed (ymd): 970915
Document reposted by APIC
+++++++++++++++++++++Document Profile+++++++++++++++++++++
Region: Central Africa
Issue Areas: +political/rights+ +security/peace+
Summary Contents:
This posting contains two documents, a background briefing from the UN's
Integrated Regional Information Network for the Great Lakes (IRIN) on the
escalating conflict in eastern Congo's Kivu region and an action alert
from the World Organization against Torture on threats to human rights
defenders, particularly in Maniema, southeastern Congo. The next posting
contains recent statements from UN headquarters relating to the Democratic
Republic of Congo.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
U N I T E D N A T I O N S Department of Humanitarian Affairs Integrated
Regional Information Network for the Great Lakes; Tel: +254 2 622147; Fax:
+254 2 622129; e-mail: irin@dha.unon.org.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO:
IRIN BACKGROUND BRIEF ON THE CURRENT SITUATION IN KIVU
10 September 1997
Mai Mai warriors, backed by soldiers from the defeated Rwandan and former
Zairean armies, are reported to be playing a central role in a fresh outbreak
of insecurity in the Masisi region in the east of the Democratic Republic
of Congo (former Zaire). Meanwhile, a second group of fighters, with vaguer
origins and believed to be operating independently, has emerged in the
Fizi region of South Kivu. The situation is further complicated by reports
of growing tensions between units of Rwandan and Congolese troops which
have sparked sporadic exchanges of gunfire and unconfirmed reports of deaths.
Humanitarian sources say the situation in the region is now confused
and chaotic, but overall it appears anti-Tutsi groups, made up of Rwandan,
Burundian, and Congolese fighters, are forming loose alliances directed
at the Tutsi-dominated forces of President Laurent-Desire Kabila and his
Rwandan allies.
Aid workers report both the towns of Goma and Bukavu to be "very
tense" with gunfire heard at night and reinforcements of strategic
points by government troops. One Bukavu-based aid worker said Bunyakiri,
about 80 km north of Bukavu, was occupied by rebels at the end of last
week and attacks were also reported in the towns of Sake and Minova. Other
reports said the government had moved heavy artillery to Tshibanda, some
35 km from the town on the main Bukavu-Bunyakiri axis.
Mai Mai fighters, sporting necklaces of "gri-gri" (charms)
and heavily influenced by witchcraft, earlier this year helped the-then
rebel army of Kabila take power, but fell out shortly afterwards as his
administration sought to impose the authority of central government in
the area. Named after the Swahili word for water (maji) with which they
sprinkle themselves before combat believing it brings immortality, their
reemergence coincides with the creation last month of a new rebel group
'Alliance pour la Resistance Democratique' (Democratic Resistance Alliance
- DRA) with the stated aim of 'liberating' eastern DRC.
Local sources say the new movement is made up largely of Bembe peoples
and one of its leaders is Celestin Anzaluni Bembe, a politician from the
Fizi region who held the post of 'first vice-president' in Mobutu's last
government and is allegedly well-known for his anti-Tutsi sentiments. The
movement, reportedly based in Tanzania, groups opposition forces from the
DRC, Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda, according to the DRC newspaper 'La Reference
Plus'. Another leader is reportedly Leonard Nyangoma, head of Burundi's
rebel Conseil national pour la defense de la democratie (CNDD), dedicated
to the overthrow of the Tutsi-led government in Bujumbura. Africa Confidential
also recently reported that another Bembe-dominated opposition group --
the Conseil de resistance et de liberation du Kivu -- was recently set
up in Kigoma.
In Fizi, the rebels are thought to be local people in alliance with
Burundian Hutus from the CNDD's armed wing, the Front pour la defense de
la democratie (FDD), supplemented by some former soldiers from Rwanda's
defeated Hutu-run army, the Forces Armees Rwandaises (FAR), and their hardline
allies from the Interahamwe militia. A few stragglers from the defeated
Forces Armees Zairoises (FAZ) of former Zairean president Mobutu Sese Seko
could also be involved. One leader of the Fizi group, and reputed to be
a founding member of the DRA, has taken the name of Simba and is known
as Charles Simba.
Regional experts say many local rebel groups, resentful at the dominance
of the Banyarwanda Tutsis within Kabila's army, could use the name 'Simba'
and have little or no contact with each other. 'Simba' -- meaning 'lion'
and implying strength -- has been employed by several rebel groups over
the years in former Zaire and was the name of 1960s rebellion, in which
Kabila played a leading role and which held Kisangani for a short while
before central government reimposed its writ.
Regional sources say there is currently no evidence the groups in Fizi
and Masisi are coordinating their attacks. Both areas are in fact now home
to several distinct rebel movements which may occasionally clash as well
as fight alongside each other. Consequently, they say it is not possible
at the moment to gauge whether the current unrest poses a serious threat
to the new government.
Much of the region is now a no-go area for UN personnel. UN staff in
Goma are not allowed to move outside the town. In Goma, a UN curfew is
also in operation from 23.00 hours to five am local time. No curfew is
in place in Bukavu, but over the weekend NGOs reported several attacks
on vehicles using the main Bukavu-Uvira link road. The sources also report
the military commander of Bukavu airport and his bodyguard were killed
in an attack lasting several hours on the night of September 4-5. It was
not clear who was responsible for the attack. Local sources say forces
from the Tutsi-dominated Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA) currently hold the
airport. Increasing tensions between Congolese troops and RPA soldiers,
who supported Kabila's Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation
of Congo (AFDL) takeover of the country, have also been cited as one of
the causes of growing insecurity in the area. The shooting in Goma appeared
to coincide with the arrival of 10th brigade Congolese troops allegedly
to replace Rwandan soldiers.
Under the headline, "War resumed with a vengeance in the East",
the DRC daily 'Le Palmares' newspaper also reported the Mai Mai -- made
up of Hunde, Tembo, Nande and Nyanga local 'autochtone' tribes with a long
history of conflict with the Tutsi and Hutu people -- had launched an offensive
against "Rwandan populations" in the Masisi area. Regional analysts
say Congolese Tutsi support for both the AFDL and RPA has increased the
suspicion of the 'autochtones' (original peoples of the region) within
the Mai Mai towards the Congolese people of Rwandan origin. The paper reported
another cause of their anger against the government as being the recent
assassination of one of their leaders, Major Kara Mbengi, in Kololo camp
in Kinshasa. The Congolese Press Agency (ACP) reported a delegation led
by North Kivu provincial governor Leonard Kanyamuhunga Gafundi visited
Masisi last week and called for calm and peaceful coexistence in the area.
The agency blamed the current "unstable" situation on a "few
Mai Mai pockets of resistance". The agency also said the South Kivu
governor had met a Mai Mai delegation in Bukavu on August 30 and a list
of their grievances had been passed on to the provincial authorities. The
agency said the Mai Mai delegation admitted to siding with Hutus from Rwanda's
ex-army and militias in the Kalehe area, but had pledged to renounce all
"underground activities".
Masisi has for several years been a hotbed of conflict between the Banyarwanda,
who comprise both Hutus and Tutsis, and the 'autochtones' -- most of whom
are from the Hunde ethnic group although Tengo and Yanga are also present.
Between March and July 1993, serious fighting took place and some 14,000
Banyarwanda were killed while several thousand others fled to Rwanda. After
the 1994 Rwandan genocide the local tribes -- infected by the propaganda
of escaping Rwandan Hutu killers -- tended to target their attacks more
on Banyarwanda Tutsis, prompting further exoduses. Indeed, another explanation
for some of the current unrest has been the return of expelled Masisi Tutsis
who -- helped by fellow Tutsi soldiers in the RPA -- have returned to reclaim
their properties.
The conflicts in Masisi also played an important role in sparking the
rebellion by South Kivu Tutsis which ultimately ousted Mobutu from power.
In 1996, these Zairean Tutsis, known as the Banyamulenge, came under attack
from both the Zairean army and local people. The Banyamulenge, keenly aware
of the fate of their Masisi kinsmen, were well-prepared. They fought back
and helped by their Rwandan army allies quickly secured control of the
region. Forming alliances with other anti-Mobutu groups, including the
Mai Mai, they swept through the country and installed Kabila in power in
May 1997.
On Monday, Kabila warned he would not tolerate the reorganisation of
anti-government forces. A report from the Rwanda News Agency, monitored
by the BBC, quoted him as saying he would quickly take action to crush
"islets of harmful forces which spilled blood in Rwanda (and) in our
country (and) which are reorganising".
Nairobi, 10 September 1997
[ENDS]
[Via the UN DHA Integrated Regional Information Network. The material
contained in this communication may not necessarily reflect the views of
the United Nations or its agencies. If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post
this item, please retain this credit and disclaimer. Quotations or extracts
from this report should include attribution to the original sources mentioned,
not simply "DHA".]
URGENT ACTION - OBSERVATORY
RDC 001 / 9708 / OBS 007
Harassment/Detention/Torture
Democratic Republic of Congo (ex Zaire)
28th August 1997
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint
programme of the FIDH and OMCT, requests your URGENT intervention in view
of the following situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (ex Zaire).
Brief description of the facts
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders is gravely
concerned at the situation of violence and insecurity in Congo-Kinshasa
(ex Zaire) and more especially with the fate of human rights defenders,
particularly members of the AZADHO ( Association for the defence of Human
Rights), CRONGD (Regional Council of Development NGOs) and the Haki Za
Binadamu (Human Rights) in the province of Maniema in the South-East of
the country.
Recent reports tell of a state of systematic repression on the part
of the local authorities of the AFDL against members of non-governmental
organizations involved in the promotion and defence of human rights in
the province of Maniema.
Thus, on about August 15th Sr. Bertin LUKANDA, President of the CRONGD/Maniema
and member of the Haki Za Binadamu organization, was arrested by agents
of the AFDL when he was about to visit various organizations in the province
as part of the follow-up of the "Meeting of the civilian society of
Kinshasa" (June 1997).
Sr. Bertin LUKANDA was accused of being an agent in the service of "the
enemies of the people's liberation" and the agents of the AFDL beat
him up on the pretext that he had some hunting rifle cartridges. Apart
from the fact that this could not be verified, possession of such cartridges
in this wooded area is quite common. Whatever the case, no information
was given concerning the charges against Sr. LUKANDO who has been taken
to Kindu where he is being held without being allowed to see a legal representative
or, apparently, a doctor inspite of the fact that his health gives rise
to concern.
On the other hand, while Sr. LUKANDO was being detained, other agents
of the AFDL also arrested the Executive Secretary of the CRONGD/Maniema,
Sr. Ramazani DIOMBA, the reasons for this being still unknown. The Observatory
fears that he may have been tortured since he has been passing blood in
his urine and had to be hospitalized for a period of 5 days.
In addition to this, agents of the AFDL are reported to have searched
the headquarters of the CRONGD/Maniema without a warrant and beaten up
an employee of the secretariat whose name has not been revealed.
The information communicated to the Observatory lead to the conclusion
that the systematic repression against the responsible staff of the NGOs
in Maniema is aimed essentially at preventing them from testifying before
the United Nations Investigating Committee which has announced that it
would begin its work in the region of Kivu, concerning the allegation of
massacres committed within the Eastern part of the country.
This also gives rise to serious fears for the safety of the members
of AZADHO and other non governmental organizations in the province of Maniema,
there being no news of them since the AFDL took power.
Finally the Observatory notes with utmost concern that faced with these
events the authorities have apparently not adopted any measures inspite
of the fact that the bureau of the CNONGD in Kinshasa has regularly informed
the office of the President of the Republic and the ministries of justice
and of the interior of the grave violations of the freedoms of the human
rights defenders. This leads the Observatory to believe that such practices
may be encouraged by the authorities of the new government.
Action requested
Write to the authorities of the Democratic Republic of Congo expressing
concern at the above-mentioned situation and urging them to:
i. guarantee the respect of the physical and psychological integrity
of Sr. Bertin LUKANDA and order his immediate release in the absence of
judicially valid charges;
ii. carry out a thorough and independent investigation into the facts
in order to identify and punish those responsible for the hounding and
the illegal or arbitrary detention of human rights defenders in the province
of Maniema as well as the rest of the country and the acts of torture and
other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment inflicted upon them;
iii revoke any provision which infringes the right to freedom of movement
or of opinion and expression of human rights defenders in the country;
iv. guarantee in all circumstances the respect of human rights and fundamental
liberties in accordance with the provisions of international and regional
instruments for the protection of such rights and liberties.
Addresses:.
Monsieur le President Laurent-Desire Kabila. Presidence de la Republique
Democratique du Congo, Kinshasa - Gombe.
Monsieur le Ministre de la Justice, Ministere de la Justice, Republique
Democratique du Congo, Kinshasa - Gombe
Monsieur Mwenze Kongolo, Ministre de l'Interieur, Ministere de l'Interieur,
Republique Democratique du Congo, Kinshasa Gombe
The Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Congo (ex Zaire) in your respective
countries.
Geneva - Paris, August 28th 1997
Kindly inform the Observatory of any action undertaken quoting the code
of this appeal in your reply.
...................................
The Observatory, an FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection
of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their
time of need.
To contact The Observatory, call
The Emergency Line : Fax :33 (0) 1 40 39 22 42
Tel.: FIDH 33 (0) 1 48 05 82 46 OMCT : + 41 22 733 31 40
E-mail: observatoire@iprolink.ch
Ben Schonveld Projects Manager
OMCT-SOS-Torture Fax 4122 733 1051 Ph 4122 733 3140
OMCT is: l'Organisation Mondiale contre la Torture The World Organisation
Against Torture
OMCT@IPROLINK.CH
http://www.omct.org/
OMCT - The World Organisation Against Torture is the World's largest
network of human rights organisations fighting against all forms of torture,
cruel inhuman or degrading treatment, forced disappearances summary execution
or other more subtle forms of violent repression.
OMCT has consultative status with the UN, The ILO and the African Commission
on Human and Peoples Rights.
Additional Note: In its daily update for August 28, 1997, IRIN (see
above for contact information) also noted:
In a separate statement yesterday, the main DRC rights organisation-Association
for the Defence of Human Rights (AZADHO)-criticised the "deteriorating"
human rights situation in DRC, which it said was characterised by "growing
terror". It noted in particular "systematic repression"
by the local authorities against non-governmental organisations in Maniema
province, which it described as a virtual enclave due to the scarcity of
air traffic and practically no road infrastructure. AZADHO claimed the
intimidation campaign was aimed at preventing NGOs and the local population
from testifying to the UN human rights investigation team probing alleged
refugee massacres.
This material is being reposted for wider distribution by the Africa
Policy Information Center (APIC), the educational affiliate of the Washington
Office on Africa. APIC's primary objective is to widen the policy debate
in the United States around African issues and the U.S. role in Africa,
by concentrating on providing accessible policy-relevant information and
analysis usable by a wide range of groups and individuals.
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