Congo-Kinshasa: Human Rights Monthly Assessment - February 2008 - AllAfrica.com

SUMMARY: The Representative of the Secretary General on the Person Rights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Mr. Bruno Walter Kälin paid a ten-day workings visit to the DRC. He called upon governmental government to speedily ordain a legislative model for the protection of IDPs; On 6 February 2008, Mathieu Ngudjolo, former senior commanding officer of the FNI, was arrested by the DRC government and handed over to the ICC; A round-table meeting held on Security Sector reform (SSR) in Leopoldville on 25-26 February adopted a UNHRO recommendation for a vetting procedure to be implemented in the DRC security forces;

The UNHRO observed a significant addition in the figure of human rights misdemeanors committed by the PNC, especially in Kasaï Oriental; The Serge Maheshe homicide entreaty trial commenced before the Bukavu Military Court in South-Kivu; The Mbandaka Military Court in Lifumba Waka (350 kilometer nor'-east of Mbandaka), pronounced its finding of fact in the lawsuit of 6 PNC military officers implicated in mass colza and other serious human rights misdemeanors (torture, cruel, cold and corrupting treatment, arbitrary arrest, looting) perpetrated between 17 and 19 March 2006 in different vicinities of Lifumba Groupement; Twenty one (21) inmates died of dysentery or malnutrition in prison house houses across the country, including 18 from the Mbuji Mayi Central prison whereas thirty one (31) inmates escaped from assorted prison houses and topographic points of hold throughout the DRC;

Political, Sociable and Security Developments

1. During the coverage period, the overall political state of affairs was marked by the establishment, through a presidential decree, of a national programme for the security, pacification, stabilisation and Reconstruction of the states of North and South Kivu. The programme is entitled AMANI (Peace in Swahili) and is aimed at implementing the recommendations of the Goma Conference.

On 21 February 2008, the CNDP unilaterally suspended its engagement in all meetings related to the execution of the Goma process, in protestation against the preliminary determinations of a MONUC probe that indicated that CNDP elements had perpetrated a slaughter of at least 30 civilians at Kalonge, District of Masisi. Some Mayi-Mayi groupings in North-Kivu also threatened to retreat from the Goma process, owed to the alleged security menaces against them from both the CNDP and the people affiliated with the GoDRC, the marginalisation of their groupings during the Goma procedure and deficiency of fiscal support from the Government.

2. The Magistrates' labor union expressed discontentment over the sign language of seven presidential ordonnances related to the judiciary, by which 28 magistrates, most notably a new Head Justice of the Supreme Court and Prosecutor-General, were appointed, whereas 89 were forced to travel into retirement based on age or old age of service. Magistrates observed a one-week strike to protest against these nominations to the bench whereas Magistrates of the Supreme Court and of the Parquet Général Delaware lanthanum République filed a movement invoking the unconstitutionality of these ordonnances.

On 11 February 2008, the same judges had sent a missive to the President of the Democracy in which they indicated their grudges and concerns regarding theses ordonnances. A figure of local NGOs released a Note technique career for the backdown of these controversial ordonnances. The UNHRO have made mental representation to the United Nations Particular Rapporteur on the independency of Judges and Lawyers.

3. On 25-26 February 2008, a unit of ammunition tabular array on security sector reform was held in Kinshasa. During the two-day meeting, strategical programs concerning the reform of the Congolese army, police force and judicial system were presented and discussed and recommendations, including one on the vetting procedure formulated by the UNHRO, were made.

4. During the coverage period, the security clime was plagued by an armed confrontation between FARDC rangers and CNDP ex-combatants undergoing brassage at the Baka Base in Kamina on 17 February 2008. The incident resulted in a sum of 27 injured, including 16 CBR (Centre Delaware Brassage et Delaware Recyclage) enrolls and 10 FARDC commandos.

Relevant Links

A dependable beginning indicated that in Bas-Congo, Bundu Dia Kongo (BDK) elements removed functionary representatives of public services in the Mongo Luala sector, in the District of Luozi and replaced them with their ain appointees, and additional installed business offices in Kundi, Kingoyi, Kikwangu and Filinga small towns (Mongo Luala sector). The same beginnings added that BDK members were implicated in numerous lawsuits of illegal interrogations, arbitrary arrests, snatches and other abuses.

5. In the District of Dungu, Haut-Uele District, Asian Province, the LRA intensified its operations, which were characterized by alleged widespread rape, misdemeanors of the right to motion and looting. Despite the sign language of the Goma Acte d'Engagement for Peace, Security and Development of South and North Kivus Provinces, the ceasefire continued to be violated. On 10 February 2008, fighting continued between the CNDP and PARECO in the district of Masisi, resulting in population shift in the region.

6. In conformity with the Acte d'Engagement of the Kivus Peace Conference, on 22 February 2008, the Council of Ministers adopted a bill of exchange law on amnesty for Acts of warfare and rebellion in North and South Kivu, covering the time period from June 2003 to the day of the month of the announcement of the law. It is deserving mentioning that this amnesty makes not include warfare law-breakings and law-breakings against world and genocide. The bill of exchange law is expected to be submitted shortly to the Parliament.

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