Democratic Republic of the Congo defence and security forces committed serious human rights violations in December 2016 (01.03.2017)

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According to the report by the UN Joint Human Rights Office of MONUSCO (UNJHRO), at least 40 people, including five women and two children, were killed between 15 and 31 December 2016 across several cities of the DRC, among them Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Boma and Matadi.

GENEVA, Switzerland, March 1, 2017 -Defence and security forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo used excessive, disproportionate and at times lethal force to prevent and contain demonstrations in December 2016, a UN report published today has found.

According to the report by the UN Joint Human Rights Office of MONUSCO (UNJHRO), at least 40 people, including five women and two children, were killed between 15 and 31 December 2016 across several cities of the DRC, among them Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, Boma and Matadi.

The findings of the UNJHRO investigation show that 28 individuals were killed by soldiers of the Forces armées de la République démocratique du Congo (FARDC), six by agents of the Police Nationale Congolaise (PNC) and the remaining six during joint PNC and FARDC operations. All but two of the victims were killed by live ammunition.

During the same period, at least 147 individuals were injured by State agents, including 14 women and 18 children, and at least 917 individuals, including 30 women and 95 children, were arrested by defence and security forces. The report also notes that some protesters carried out acts of violence, including the killing of at least one PNC agent in Kinshasa on 20 December 2016.

The report indicates that most of the victims were unarmed civilians wounded by live ammunition on upper parts of the body, suggesting an excessive and disproportionate use of force by security forces in operations to contain the demonstrations.

“Such serious incidents are worrisome, particularly in the current context. The Government bears the primary responsibility to implement the confidence-building measures provided for under the 31 December 2016 Global and Inclusive Political Agreement to defuse tensions and create an environment conducive to the holding of peaceful elections. MONUSCO will continue to support efforts by the Government to achieve these objectives, including through investigation and strong sanction for all those responsible for serious human rights violations,” said Maman Sambo Sidikou, the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the DRC.

“MONUSCO remains committed to accompanying the DRC towards peaceful, credible and inclusive elections,” Sidikou stressed.

The report also condemns the fact that while the PNC is normally in charge of crowd control operations, during the period under review, FARDC soldiers, including those of the Republican Guard and of the Military Police, were deployed to control crowds, functions for which they are not adequately equipped nor trained. The lack of accountability for past human rights violations, including those committed during the demonstrations in Kinshasa on 19 and 20 September 2016, may have encouraged a sense of impunity, and defence and security forces to commit further violations in December 2016.

“Once again we see serious human rights violations being committed blatantly and with complete impunity by the security forces, who employed excessive use of force against unarmed demonstrators, in flagrant violation of international human rights law and standards,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said.

“I urge the Government to ensure that those responsible for such violations committed in the context of events that marked the end of President Joseph Kabila’s second constitutional mandate are held accountable and brought to justice.  Measures should also be taken, at all levels, to ensure that the legitimate exercise of fundamental freedoms by the population will not lead to loss of lives and other serious rights violations,” Zeid said.

“I therefore call on the DRC Government to urgently adopt the law on freedom of peaceful protests and the law on human rights defenders. This is hugely important for the coming months as the DRC should move towards implementing the 31 December political agreement and preparing for the next presidential election,” Zeid stressed.

In Nord-Kivu province where M23 continue to kill and is also captured!

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Earlier this year there we’re reports that, all of sudden M23 soldiers had left the barracks in Uganda and crossed the borders again into Democratic Republic of Congo. With that the Congolese authorities and Ugandan Authorities showing lacking concern of the ex-militants, that apparently is still rebels and militants attacking civilians and army in North Kivu. This with the knowledge of the former Gen. Sultani Makenga who left his house as well, as most of the soldiers fled the barracks too. This is a return of violence and killings in DRC, in time for a needed crisis for President Joseph Kabila.

Here are recent reports on their struggle and hazardous behaviour in Congo. M23 continues where they left-off when they had come to Uganda as relieved rebels and promised to leave their past behind. Still, the UPDF kept them in barracks and in a military facility. So you could wonder how these former rebels should get another career when the armed militants got possibility of army training as they we’re pardoned by the Ugandan Government or a sort of amnesty if they left the militia. Still, they apparently had the ability to flee for the Congolese soil and create havoc again in Nord-Kivu.

North Kivu / Goma: 12 M23 Rebels were killed, 68 captured and 39 rendered in a violent confrontation between the congolese army and the rebels m23 from Wednesday to Thursday, 23 February 2017 in the group Of busanza in rutshuru territory in the province of north kivu in the east of the #DRC”  (100 Citoyens journalistes de RD Congo, 24.02.2017)

Official Reports:

“The Democratic Republic of Congo’s army has killed at least 16 former members of a rebel group after they re-entered the country’s east, the military’s spokesperson said Thursday. Fighting near Rutshuru began on Wednesday and by Thursday the army had captured 68 former M23 rebels and 39 others surrendered, said Major Ndjike Kaiko. “We are tracking the fleeing M23 fighters who are seeking to infiltrate Kinyandoni and into the Virunga National Park,” he said” (The Great Lakes Post, 24.02.2016).

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M23 wants ransom from DRC Government:  

“M23: $ 1 million to liberate the colonel of Georgia on 27 January, two combat helicopters of the congolese army were crashing at a hundred miles of Goma (North Kivu) doing three wounded and 4 missing. Three members of the first aircraft manufacturing (Russian) turned out to be also of Russian nationality. Initially the authorities in the drc explained that a first aircraft that was flying at low altitude would have hit the trees and would therefore be accidentally crushed. The second helicopter launched in search of the first, flying too low, would have crashed in turn… really out of luck! Some observers were amazed that these “accidents” in series occurred in a border area where m23 rebels are known to be present. In fact, we learn these last few hours, that the M23 seeks $ 1 million in exchange for the release of one of the two pilots. The man whose identity has been disclosed would respond to the identity of soso osurauli. Ex Colonel “retired” since 10 years of the Georgian armed forces, it would have taken from service in 2014 for the benefit of the armed forces of the DRC. Thus, it appears that the two aircraft were very likely to be slaughtered and not victims of the bad weather. Since Mid-January reports of a significant incursion of rebels of the March 23 movement from Uganda. Monuc during a press conference reported Wednesday, 22 February, what followed “with an extreme attention” the evolution of the situation” (Congo Intelligence, 23.02.2017).

M23 fleeing to Kisoro:

“Images-videos and photos of 56 M23 who fled the fighting of the hill Songo for finding refuge in Kisoro, Uganda reveal the reality of this armed group. The FARDC have managed to capture 20 during the fighting which started on Monday 20 February until Thursday, 23 February 2017 and which proves the superiority of the FARDC on this rebel movement. The first reports of war we brought back by our colleague auster malivika speak volumes. The Rebels sitting on the floor in Kisoro, Uganda supervised by Ugandan officers. On the field of battle in the DRC, a corpse swaddled in a plastic bag and the traces of leakage through the grouping Busanza” (Magloire Paluku, RadioKivu1, 25.02.2017)

Militants from Uganda in RDC:

“Kambale Musubao Blaise is an avid militant of the MSR / G7. During the last visit of the CENI vice-president to Beni, he allegedly stigmatized the harassment that the National Intelligence Agency (ANR) is applying at the border of the Rwenzori group with Uganda against Congolese people in that neighboring country who would like to be enrolled. Since the outbreak of massacres of civilians in the Beni region in October 2014, several Congolese have sought refuge on the Ugandan side of the border. Mr. Kambale had to raise this issue publicly during the meeting that the vice president of the CENI held with the authorities of the place in the multipurpose room of the Hotel Beni. Which now draws him any kind of boredom from the executioners of his community” (BLO, 2017).

As you can see the M23 continues in Nord-Kivu and create the armed acts against civilians and army. Where they can and still cause problems as they force themselves on innocent and the army themselves. So, M23 doesn’t have a plan of peace, but of control with fear and weapons. As MONUSCO and FARDC doesn’t stop them totally, as they fled again! You can also wonder what the UPDF does as they come from Uganda and is still close on their border and the ones taken by the army in Uganda is small contingent of the ones that left the barracks earlier this year with Gen. Sultani Makenga. There are so many questions, but certain reasons for the acts of brutality and killing. So that President Kabila can continue to reign without any mandate. Peace.

Reference:

BLO – ‘Alerte! Kambale Musubao Blaise en danger à Beni’ (26.02.2017) link: http://benilubero.com/alerte-kambale-musubao-blaise-en-danger-a-beni/

RDC: “Mise au Point de la CENCO sur la Lettre de Monsieur Etienne Tshisekedi Destinee au Chef de L’Etat” (24.02.2017)

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RDC: Point de Presse de Pierre Lumbi Okongo, President du G7 (23.02.2017)

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RDC: G7 Communique du G7 (22.02.2017)

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RDC: Mise au Point du Mouvement sur les Allegations gratuites d’une Presudo ONG (22.02.2017)

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RDC: Communique du Gouvernement sur la violence au Kasaï-Oriental (22.02.2017)

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RDC: Declaration Offcielle de la Lucha Face a l’Impasse Politique et Electorale (22.02.2017)

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RDC: Olenga Nkoy au Front pour Diviser le Rassemblement (20.02.2017)

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Opinion: The Kabila Government will use all excuses in the book to postpone the next Presidential elections; because the elite and Kabila fear for losing it all!

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Even if the stars stop to rotate around the planet earth, still there will be another excuse for Joseph Kabila to continue to be the Executive of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Kabilists will defend him even as his FARDC kills civilians, that the M23 are returning into the North Kivu or even as ADF-NALU are doing their thing to. There will be all sort of excuses like the recent ones!

“Budget Minister Pierre Kangudia said the cost of organising the poll, which was said to be $1.8bn (£1.5bn), was too expensive. Last year the government and the opposition agreed that new elections would be held by the end of 2017. President Joseph Kabila’s final mandate ran out in November 2016” (BBC News, 2017).

So it isn’t just the sudden violence in Kasai-Oriental, Nord-Kivu or other province that creates issues, there are also the budget and fiscal issues. Therefore, you know that with a giant nation, it comes with great cost to hold an election. So the state needs sufficient fiscal power and funds to hold an election. That should be possible to save up to during the recent term under President Kabila, which knew clearly that his term was over in November 2016. Still, he is sitting in power and suspended the election to hold him in power. So the use of lacking funds together with the direct aid for elections in 2016 came also from United Kingdom and other nations, so that the DRC could hold a Presidential election. Still, the Kabila government saw no reason to hold it last year.

Therefore they had to explain it further:

“The Congolese election commission said in October 2016 that it would need until the end of July 2017 to update its voter register in the massive country, which has a population of almost 80 million, according to the World Bank. The commission said that elections would take another 504 days to organize after that, suggesting a vote would not be held until at least 2018” (…) “Kabila has been in power in Congo since 2001, when his father and predecessor as president, Laurent-Desire Kabila, was assassinated. Presidents are allowed to serve a maximum of two consecutive terms in Congo, which has never experienced a peaceful transfer of power since independence in 1960” (Gaffey, 2017).

So it isn’t just now the funds, it’s also apparent the amount of people and registration of them. The state doesn’t have time or ability to know, they could do so for the first two terms of Kabila, when he was legitimately elected after he was selected in 2001, but now he is out of time and needs to buy all the time of the world. Since he worries about his fate when leaves office. The President Kabila fears for the wealth and his businesses, as well as the business of his sister and the rest of his elite. Kabila fears for losing out on the mining business and the agreements made while he was president. He and his elite could lose them or get caught out of the loop, as a new President and his regime might even suspend these agreements as they are not paying the sufficient taxes or even being transparent enough.

So Kabila wants to buy all the time possible, use all sort of tricks out of his sleeve, even sell his wife to a public scandal if he has too. Already killing innocent and creating chaos to sufficiently use force and say that the regions needs peace before the state can hold an election. As the MONUSCO and the FARDC cannot contain all these rebels and militants that spring up when the President needs them. As President Kabila could create peace when he got into power, he wants to be able to show that so you know you need him!

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Kabila regime will not go silent and not go easy, there are too much money at stake and too much to lose. Just like the Wall Street will not accept to be totally controlled or regulated, the same is with these autocratic leaders like Kabila. Kabila sees no reason to disclose his companies or his wealth, neither the connections he has with the export industries. Therefore he fears the undisclosed monies and estates might show his embezzlement and corrupt behaviour in power. Surely, he will inter-connected in ways that is similar in other weaker institutional states like Angola or others, where the Executive and Elite has direct-cut the deals and therefore has skimmed of the deals with international businesses.

So now that the term has ended and the gig is up, Kabila and his comrades’ fears for their live, their pocket and the will of the people, if it fails the house-of-cards could vanish. That is painful and the truth, as the trusts and the companies could get frozen accounts and the business agreements could be broken for breach of lawful activity. Therefore the Kabila regime doesn’t want their accounts to be ransacked and their wealth to be lost. They have been eaten for over a decade and do not want to lose the gravy-train.

Kabila knows all of this and therefore use all methods and all of ways to politically keep his executive position and mandate that he has had. Therefore Kabila uses all tactics and all reasoning to keep the election out of his way and the Republic’s way. Because of the risk of losing his riches and spoils, the nation and republic might be poor, but he is wealthier than GOD. Therefore Kabila doesn’t want to looked into or show the records of transactions to the public.

Kabila fears this and his elite around him don’t want him to fall, because their future and their riches is also at stake. Therefore they accept his misuse of funds and army to silence opposition. That Kabila detain and sends opposition into exile. He does it to silence the ones that show the truth of the Kabila regime. Kabila cannot accept the truth, because the truth will reveal deals and agreements that will throw shades into mixed state regulations and the Kabila elite, which we know is there but to an extent that we never thought was possible.

If he had been a peaceful and honest President, he wouldn’t fear to step down and give the mantle to the next candidate. President Kabila would not use this ways to get rid of the possibility for another election if they weren’t afraid of the consequences of what is ahead. The Consequence of what can happen with him and his estates. Certainly the uncertain attitude and fortitude to stay, proves that there is too much that the current leadership doesn’t want to show the citizens, the republic and the world. Peace.

Reference:

BBC News – ‘DR Congo election: ‘We cannot afford $1.8bn cost’, says minister’ (16.02.2017) link: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-38988632

Gaffey, Conor – ‘CONGO: ELECTIONS IN 2017 ARE TOO EXPENSIVE, SAYS BUDGET MINISTER’ (16.02.2017) link: http://europe.newsweek.com/congo-elections-2017-too-expensive-says-budget-minister-557461?rm=eu