drc: Human Rights Defenders Under Attack
Human rights defenders in the Democratic Republic of Congo are under increasing attack, Human Rights Watch says in a newly-released backgrounder on freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. In the past few years, the main rebel groups and the previous DRC government have been responsible for intimidating and harassing those who have exposed human rights abuses. But the new transitional government in Kinshasa offers the chance to break this pattern, Human Rights Watch said.
For Immediate Release:
D.R. Congo: Human Rights Defenders Under Attack
(New York, July 24, 2003) - Human rights defenders in the Democratic
Republic of Congo are under increasing attack, Human Rights Watch said
in a backgrounder on freedom of expression and freedom of assembly
released today.
In the past few years, the main rebel groups and the previous DRC
government have been responsible for intimidating and harassing those
who have exposed human rights abuses. But the new transitional
government in Kinshasa offers the chance to break this pattern, Human
Rights Watch said.
"Human rights activists have put their lives on the line throughout this
war, bringing to light its worst atrocities," said Alison Des Forges,
senior advisor to Human Rights Watch on the Great Lakes. "The new
government should protect these brave people."
Intimidation of human rights defenders and other activists has actually
been on the increase despite the signing of a recent peace accord. The
backgrounder details more than twenty cases of arrests and harassment of
human rights defenders, civil society activists, and independent
journalists documented by Human Rights Watch in the past three months
alone.
There have also been a few positive developments lately. Earlier this
month, the Rwandan-backed Rally for Congolese Democracy-Goma (RCD-Goma)
released Donatien Kisangani Mukatamwina, an Uvira-based activist who had
been detained without charge for thirteen days and beaten. The RCD-Goma
also authorized the independent Radio Maendeleo to resume broadcasting
this month, after having banned it for the previous seven months. In
response to outcries from human rights groups, the DRC government
recently abolished the military court in Kinshasa, the Court d'Ordre
Militaire.
"Now is the time to turn a new page and allow human rights groups and
journalists to do their jobs," said Des Forges. "If the new government
is to succeed in building a lasting peace, it will have to be based on
the rule of law and respect for freedom of expression."
Human Rights Watch also urged the new government to actively encourage
the participation of human rights groups in key aspects of the
transition, including justice for war crimes and crimes against humanity
and a truth and reconciliation process. As a first step, Human Rights
Watch urged the new minister for human rights, Marie Kalala, to hold
consultations with human rights groups in different regions of the
country within her first month in office.
The backgrounder is available online at:
http://www.hrw.org/backgrounder/africa/drc072403.htm
For further information, please contact:
In London, Anneke van Woudenberg: +44-20-7713-2786
or Juliane Kippenberg: +44-20-7713-2784
In New York, Sara Rakita: +1-212-216-1827