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04 October 2000
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4 October 2000
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson yesterday concluded an official visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The High Commissioner welcomed the fact that she had been able to meet with the key political figures in Kinshasa as well as in Goma in the east of the country.
“I came here not only to listen but also so that the international community does not forget the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and that the Congolese want peace, not only within their country but also with their neighbours,” Mrs. Robinson said.
During her meeting with President Laurent-Désiré Kabila, Mrs. Robinson expressed her concern about the repeated violations of human rights that she and her Office had been alerted to in recent months. “Among the fundamental human rights are the right to freedom of expression, the right to freedom of association, and the right to freedom of movement,” Mrs. Robinson said. “Even in the case of a conflict like this which has affected your country, a way has to be found to integrate and respect fundamental freedoms.”
The High Commissioner gave the President a list of 253 names of persons who had been arrested or arbitrarily detained, including human rights defenders, political figures and journalists. Mrs. Robinson also expressed her concern to President Kabila about the Cour d'Ordre militaire, saying that “Even in the case of war, and if it is necessary to have exceptional courts, they should remain the exception and should concern only military persons and not civilians.” On his part, President Kabila assured the High Commissioner that civilians would no longer be brought before the military court.
The High Commissioner for Human Rights noted that only an inter-Congolese dialogue would allow a real peace to prevail in the region.
While in Kinshasa, Mrs. Robinson visited the penitentiary and re-education centre of Kinshasa - the former Makala prison - which is the largest in the Congolese capital. She met there with male and female detainees.
In Goma, Mrs. Robinson met with senior members of the Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie. She expressed her extreme concern about allegations of massacres carried out in the area which had resulted in the Security Council issuing resolution 1304 which called for an international inquiry into these incidents. She said she was also worried about numerous violations of human rights which were regularly brought to her attention, including violations of the right to life; severe restrictions on the liberty of opinion, expression, and assembly; use of torture; mal-function of the administration of justice; and the harassment of human rights defenders and members of the civil society. “The armed conflict which had bloodstained your country cannot in any case justify or excuse violations against defenseless civilians, the very young, or the very old who are too weak to flee,” Mrs. Robinson said.
Mrs. Robinson demanded that human rights defenders be protected and that they be assured free movement under total security.
At the end of her visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the High Commissioner departed for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where she will participate in a regional seminar of African experts on prevention of ethnic conflicts. This seminar is one of the preparatory meetings for the World Conference against Racism which will be held in South Africa in August 2001. Mrs. Robinson is the Secretary-General of the World Conference.
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United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson yesterday concluded an official visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The High Commissioner welcomed the fact that she had been able to meet with the key political figures in Kinshasa as well as in Goma in the east of the country.
“I came here not only to listen but also so that the international community does not forget the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and that the Congolese want peace, not only within their country but also with their neighbours,” Mrs. Robinson said.
During her meeting with President Laurent-Désiré Kabila, Mrs. Robinson expressed her concern about the repeated violations of human rights that she and her Office had been alerted to in recent months. “Among the fundamental human rights are the right to freedom of expression, the right to freedom of association, and the right to freedom of movement,” Mrs. Robinson said. “Even in the case of a conflict like this which has affected your country, a way has to be found to integrate and respect fundamental freedoms.”
The High Commissioner gave the President a list of 253 names of persons who had been arrested or arbitrarily detained, including human rights defenders, political figures and journalists. Mrs. Robinson also expressed her concern to President Kabila about the Cour d'Ordre militaire, saying that “Even in the case of war, and if it is necessary to have exceptional courts, they should remain the exception and should concern only military persons and not civilians.” On his part, President Kabila assured the High Commissioner that civilians would no longer be brought before the military court.
The High Commissioner for Human Rights noted that only an inter-Congolese dialogue would allow a real peace to prevail in the region.
While in Kinshasa, Mrs. Robinson visited the penitentiary and re-education centre of Kinshasa - the former Makala prison - which is the largest in the Congolese capital. She met there with male and female detainees.
In Goma, Mrs. Robinson met with senior members of the Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie. She expressed her extreme concern about allegations of massacres carried out in the area which had resulted in the Security Council issuing resolution 1304 which called for an international inquiry into these incidents. She said she was also worried about numerous violations of human rights which were regularly brought to her attention, including violations of the right to life; severe restrictions on the liberty of opinion, expression, and assembly; use of torture; mal-function of the administration of justice; and the harassment of human rights defenders and members of the civil society. “The armed conflict which had bloodstained your country cannot in any case justify or excuse violations against defenseless civilians, the very young, or the very old who are too weak to flee,” Mrs. Robinson said.
Mrs. Robinson demanded that human rights defenders be protected and that they be assured free movement under total security.
At the end of her visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the High Commissioner departed for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where she will participate in a regional seminar of African experts on prevention of ethnic conflicts. This seminar is one of the preparatory meetings for the World Conference against Racism which will be held in South Africa in August 2001. Mrs. Robinson is the Secretary-General of the World Conference.
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