SPECIAL RAPPORTEURS FOR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO AND EXTRAJUDICIAL EXECUTIONS CONDEMN MASSACRE OF CIVILIANS IN EASTERN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

SPECIAL RAPPORTEURS FOR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
AND EXTRAJUDICIAL EXECUTIONS CONDEMN MASSACRE
OF CIVILIANS IN EASTERN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO


The Special Rapporteurs on the situation of human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Roberto Garreton of Chili, and for extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Asma Jahangir of Pakistan, have learned with deep dismay of information concerning the massacre of 500 civilians from 29 to 31 December 1998 at Makobola, a village located 15 kilometres south of Uvira town in the South Kivu province in eastern DRC. The victims included women, elderly persons as well as a number of children.

According to information transmitted to the Special Rapporteurs, the massacre is said to have been carried out by armed elements of the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD) in reprisal to an attack carried out the day before the killings by Mai Mai warriors against soldiers of the rebellion.

The Special Rapporteurs associated themselves strongly with the statement issued by the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan in which he expressed deep concern over reports of the massacre. The Special Rapporteurs demanded that those responsible for the massacres are not accorded any impunity and that they are tried by independent courts, in conformity with international norms. They hoped that the families of the victims, as well as witnesses, are given the opportunity to participate, in total freedom, in all levels of the court procedures.

The Special Rapporteurs solemnly called on all the parties in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law, especially those contained in common article 3 of the four Geneva Conventions of 1949.