Treasury Sanctions High-Ranking Government Security Official for Role in Violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (24.06.2016)

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WASHINGTON D.C., United States of America, June 24, 2016 – U.S Department of the Treasury, Press Release, 6/23/2016.

Action Targets Kinshasa Police Commissioner for Police Violence Against DRC Civilians

Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned a Congolese government official, Céléstin Kanyama, pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13413, as amended by Executive Order 13671, which authorizes the designation of persons for specified conduct “contributing to the conflict” in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).  Specifically, OFAC designated Kanyama for being responsible for or complicit in, or having engaged in, directly or indirectly, the targeting of women, children, or any civilians through the commission of acts of violence, abduction, or forced displacement in the DRC, and for being a leader of an entity that has, or whose members have, engaged in such conduct.  As a result of today’s actions, all assets of the individual designated that are based in the United States or in the control of U.S. persons are frozen, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with him.

Today’s action is not directed at the people of DRC.  It is intended to alter the behavior of individuals involved in violence against civilians.  The United Nations Joint Human Rights Office reported that the beginning of 2015 was marred by “an increase in the number of violations of political rights and public freedoms” committed by DRC government agents, particularly by police.  In several provinces, security forces violently repressed demonstrations organized to oppose a new draft electoral law that many feared would allow President Kabila to run for a third term. Clashes between police and protestors have continued this year.

“As President Kabila’s constitutionally limited term nears its end in December, the regime has engaged in a pattern of repression, including the arrest of opposition members and violent suppression of political protests, all to avoid scheduling national elections,” said John E. Smith, Acting OFAC Director.  “Treasury’s action today sends a clear message that the United States condemns the regime’s violence and repressive actions, especially those of Céléstin Kanyama, which threaten the future of democracy for the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.” 

Police in KInshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

Céléstin Kanyama 
General Céléstin Kanyama is the Congolese National Police (PNC) Provincial police commissioner for Kinshasa.  Under his leadership, police forces engaged in the targeting of civilian protestors through acts of violence.

Kanyama was the primary commander of Operation Likofi, a police operation between late 2013 and early 2014 that was set up to combat criminal delinquency in Kinshasa.  However, the operation reportedly did not enforce the law in Kinshasa, but instead used unlawful violent tactics to establish a climate of fear.  During this operation, Kanyama was responsible for extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances.  In raids across the city, uniformed police wearing black masks dragged suspects out of their homes at night at gunpoint with no arrest warrants.  At least 50 young men and boys were reportedly killed, and over 30 were reported to be forcibly “disappeared” during the operation.

In January 2015, during Kanyama’s tenure as Kinshasa police commissioner, over 40 people were killed during demonstrations in Kinshasa, including at least 20 people fatally shot by security forces.  The demonstrators were protesting proposed changes to the electoral law that many Congolese believed would permit President Joseph Kabila to stay in office beyond his mandated two-term limit.

Letter dated 15 June 2016 from the Permanent Representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the United Nation addressed to the President of the Security Council (16.06.2016)

DRC Security Council Letter 16.06.2016

RDC: Communique de Presse du ARPTC (19.06.2016)

Communique 19.07.2016 Internet DRC

Voici encore une citation directe envoyée à Moise Katumbi pr se présenter au Tribunal de Lubumbashi le 20 juin 2016

Moise Petition 2016 P1Moise Petition 2016 P2

The M23 Movement’s Statement in regards to the Massacre of 15th June in Kamina

M23 15.06.2016

RDC: L’Assemblee Plentiere du Conseil Superieur de L’Audiovisuel de la Commication (16.06.2016)

Communique 16.06.2016 RDC

RDC: Declaration de la Majorite Presidentielle sur le Forum de l’Opposition Congolaise a Bruxelles (10.06.2016)

Declartion RDC Opposition 10.06.2016 P1

Declartion RDC Opposition 10.06.2016 P2

RDC: AR – Communique de Presse No. 006/AR/CP/ – 09 Juin 2016

AR PR 09.06.2016

RDC 09.06.2016

No. 017/GCLG/Bbo/2016: “Massacres des Populations civiles en Territoires de Beni et de Lubero” (06.06.2016)

Letter Beni June 2016 P1Letter Beni June 2016 P2Letter Beni June 2016 P3

DRC: #Telema Coordinator Jean Marie Kalonji arrested in Dec 2015 are still detained!

“Jean Marie Kalonji is the coordinator of a citizen’s movement by “Democratic” Republic of the Congo. He was arrested on 15 December 2015 in Kinshasa by agents of the non-identified, sequestered in a military camp, then delivered to the national intelligence agency, (l’Agence Nationale de Renseignement) ANR, three days after. He has been transferred from the dungeon of the RDA in the prison of Makala since 28 April 2016.” (Kambale Musavuli , 07.06.2016).

More on his arrest: 

‪#‎DRC‬‪#‎Congolese‬ youth demand justice for their colleague Jean Marie Kalonji during a press conference today in Kinshasa. The Youth for a New Society (JNS), the Friends of Nelson Mandela and Quatrieme Voix along with other youth groups called on the Congolese government to either charge Jean Marie Kalonji or release him. On December 15, 2015, armed men snatched Jean Marie in broad daylight in Kinshasa. He has since been held by Congo’s intelligence services (ANR) without a trial” (Friends of the Congo, 14.04.2016).

Jean Marie Kalonji

“After spending more than four months in secret detention at Congo’s Intelligence Services (ANR), Jean Marie Kalonji was transferred today to a justice/state facility in the Gombe commune of Kinshasa, where he will face a judge on Tuesday, April 26th. After several reports of his death in the hands of Kabila’s intelligence services, Jean Marie’s fellow youth activists held a press conference last week to demand that the government present Jean Marie to the public to demonstrate that he had not been killed by the Kabila regime Jean Marie’s fellow youth activists in La Jeunesse Pour Une Nouvelle Societe and Quatrieme Voix said that they will not stop until Jean Marie is completely released!” (Friends of the Congo, 25.04.2016).

Peace.