Press release : probe into the massacres of hutu refugees

Dr. Ngoyi K. Zacharie Bukonda

UNION FOR DEMOCRACY AND SOCIAL PROGRESS (UDPS) MIDWEST FEDERATION (USA) P.O. BOX 193 DeKalb, IL 60115, USA Telephone: 815-758-2640 E-Mail: ngoyizacharie@juno.com PRESS RELEASE : PROBE INTO THE MASSACRES OF RWANDAN HUTU REFUGEES         Tuesday, July 21, 1998 The Midwest Federation of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) sincerely appreciates the initiative taken by the UN Security Council to commission a report on human rights violations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the 1996-1997 bush war that installed President Laurent Kabila in power. The Midwest Federation of UDPS knows that the report, released on June 30, implicated Kabila's forces and the Rwandan Army in systematically killing scores of Rwandan Hutu refugees, including women and children, during the bush war that led to the ouster of dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, in May 1997. The report also made a suggestion that the perpetrators be tried before an international tribunal. The Midwest Federation of UDPS is perplex to realize that this very wise recommendation made by the UN report has been followed by a decision of the UN Security Council calling on the Congolese and Rwandan governments to investigate and prosecute their own officials. While the Midwest Federation of UDPS usually respects the wisdom of this high UN body, in this particular situation, it has no other option than to strongly voice its opposition to the current handling of the case of the massacres of Rwandan Hutu refugees by the UN Security Council. The Midwest Federation considers the recent request made by the Security Council to the Democratic Republic of Congo and to Rwanda to launch their own investigations into the massacres of Rwandan Hutu refugees as an unacceptable insult to common sense. This request unmistakably sends a signal that the life of Black people is without value, leaving in a state of disbelief those whose parents, brothers, sisters, children, relatives or friends have been massively killed by agents of the Kabila regime and their accomplices. Simply calling on the Congolese and Rwandan governments to investigate and prosecute their own officials makes no sense as it is well known that both governments have already failed to cooperate with previous U.N. probes of these crimes. This decision of the UN Security Council revolts our conscience as members of the human kind as we pride ourselves of being committed to the respect of human life and to the establishment of a society that respects human rights in the Democratic Republic of Congo and everywhere else. This is why the Midwest Federation of UDPS requests the Security Council to fully consider the suggestion made by the U.N. report that the perpetrators be tried before an international tribunal. The Midwest Federation of UDPS further deplores that the Congolese Minister for Human Rights, Leonard Okitundu, who spent years in exile campaigning against rights abuses, is now engaged in downplaying the magnitude of the crimes of his boss Kabila whose records in the area of human right abuses is very negative. Kabila is known to have established a new dictatorship in the Democratic Republic of Congo and to have, individually or collectively with his other collaborators, committed a wide range of crimes to qualify for a trial by an independent international court. The following is just a partial listing of the crimes and violations of human rights for which Mr. Kabila and accomplices should be tried: a.    The kidnaping of a team of American researchers including, but not limited to Ms. Carrie Hunter, an Anthropologist at the University of Maryland. b.    The Killing of Ngandu Kassesse during the bush war in 1977. c.    The arbitrary and violent arrest on June 26, 1997 of Mr. Etienne Tshisekedi, the main opposition figure and leader of UDPS and his wife Marthe Tshisekedi together with their children and associates at their private residence by the AFDL. d.    The arbitrary and unduly arrest on October 13 of 1997 of Mr. Olenghankoy, leader of the opposition party FONUS (Forces Novatrices pour l'Union et la Solidarite). e.    The arrest and incarceration without due process of more than ten students of the University of Lubumbashi. These students were jailed for protesting against the dictatorial trend of the new government. f.    An arbitrary ban on human rights activities. Indeed, on Friday April 3, 1998, the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo announced that it had banned the country's main human rights group, Association Zairoise de Defense des Droits de l'Homme (AZADHO) which was accused of not being objective, receiving foreign money,   and not changing its name as the reasons for its banning. g.    Enforcement of a ban on political activity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, preventing veteran opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi and other leaders from addressing their militants. h.    The illegal relegation of Mr. Etienne Tshisekedi, the main opposition figure and leader of UDPS. i.    The establishment of extra judiciary military courts to impose harsh and  summary sentences on political opponents whose "crime" is their open opposition to the ban of political activities.     j.    The illegal arrest of several members of UDPS on Thursday July 7 and 9, 1998. The victims of these arrests were visiting the newly released national president of UDPS at his residence in Kinshasa.Started on Thursday July 9, the wave of these illegal arrests continued, resulting in more people being jaiiled and deprived of their freedom. Kabila's security services have attempted to force the detainees into signing a statement whereby they  would renounce to engage in any political activities. k.    The violation of the residence of Mr. Tshisekedi has been several times violated. l.    The issue of death threats as penalty for "sabotaging" Congolese franc. According to a news release by Reuters, on July 19, 1998 Justice Minister   Kongolo told State television after an "emergency cabinet meeting" on the evening of July 18, the following: "From today, anyone sabotaging the monetary reform and not conforming to the instructions and rules relating to the currency will, exceptionally, simply be tried by the military tribunal, which will apply the harshest penalties, notably the death sentence, which  would be justice done." Set up by President Laurent Kabila last August, the tribunal operates on the basis that the country is still at war. It is also empowered to try political activists accused of breaking the ban on political activity. Around 60 soldiers and convicted criminals have been executed in 1998 after being sentenced to death by the tribunal. In view of this established and well documented pattern of violation of human rights by Mr. Kabila and his government in one hand, and in the light of the suggestions made by the UN report regarding the massacres of Rwandan Hutu refugees on the other hand, the Midwest Federation of UDPS urges the United Nations and all the other governments and organizations which are committed to the protection of the dignity and integrity of human life to stand up and unanimously call for the trial of those who are implicated in these massacres. It is our belief that this is the only valid way to stop these and other criminals from further physically, verbally, and morally harassing, killing, and subjugating their fellow human beings. The Midwest Federation of UDPS strongly feels that the abuses are too numerous and so repulsive to remain unpunished. Mr. Kabila should be reminded that the undiluted power he now flaunts is the same enjoyed by Mobutu Sese Seko when he arrested and tortured his political enemies, never imagining that he would ever pay a price for his abuse of the basic human rights of the Congolese people and their leaders. Mobutu ended up fleeing the country and dying without dignity, having been vomited by the people of Congo and the community of nations. Dr. Ngoyi K. Zacharie Bukonda The Federal President, Midwest Federation of UDPS-USA Assistant Professor of Public and Community Health Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA