Congo RDC Congo DRC Must end Repression Against political opponents

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  • #637

    In a statement, the NGO Human Rights Watch urges the Congo governmentto end the repression against political opponents.

    CongoIn a statement, Human Rights Watch calls on the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to undertake the unconditional release of young activists of the Struggle for Change (LUCHA) arrested Tuesday, February 16, 2016 during the day ghost towncalled by the opposition.
    This is Rebecca Kavugho Serge Sivya Justin Kambale, John Anipenda Ghislain Muhiwa and Melka Kamundu, all members of the citizens’ movement Struggle for Change (LUCHA) arrested by police in Goma, says HRW.
    These activists were sentenced to two years in prison by a court in the capital of the province of North Kivu.
    In Kinshasa, two other activists LUCHA, Welcome Matumo and Marc Heir Kapitene, were arrested at a hotel in the town of Bandalungwa, early in the morning of 16 February.
    According to HRW, these activists and at least 30 supporters of the political opposition were held February 16, 2016 at the ghost town day held to protest against the delay in the organization of presidential elections.
    “You stop us, we multiply us”, claim the youth Lucha and Filimbi arbitrarily and illegally detained in Goma.
    Other activists who supported the dead city received SMS threats from unknown telephone numbers, reports the American ONGDH.
    “Demonstrating peacefully is not a crime, and the Congolese authorities should immediately release all those unjustly arrested or detained under false accusations”, said Ida Sawyer, senior researcher on the Congo for Human Rights Watch.“These arrests form part of a crackdown increasingly strong against those who oppose the government’s attempts to delay the elections and extend the mandate of the president”, she adds.
    February 16, around 4:30 am, in the city of Goma in eastern DR Congo, the police entered the offices of an organization where young activists had prepared all the banners for the nightday ghost town.One banner bore this inscription: “In 2016, we won the cup [of the African Championship of Nations football];we can also win democracy “.
    The six were taken to the police station “P2” of Goma, where they were interrogated in the absence of a lawyer.Police also confiscated two laptops, six cell phones and banners.When Human Rights Watch visited the activists detained that night, one of them had a deep gash in his left arm that had been imposed on him during his arrest.
    February 17, around noon, twenty Goma students gathered outside the police station P2, peacefully protesting against the arrests.They held signs saying “We demand the release of our colleagues yesterday arrested and detained here”.Twenty police quickly dispersed the demonstrators, arresting and beating from several of them.

    #640

    For this platform of the opposition led by its coordinator Lisange Bonganga, trade with Corneille Nangaa were responsible, and an appointment is made to formulate proposals!
    The officers and the Plenary Assembly of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), headed by its president Cornelius Nangaa, continuing their consultations with stakeholders in the Congolese electoral process.It is in this framework that they exchanged yesterday Friday, February 25, with the “People’s Front”, one of the platforms of the opposition, on the condition of the electoral process in the country.
    “The allies of Etienne Tshisekedi,” which form the “People’s Front”, invited on this occasion, the CENI to respect constitutional deadlines, although through the coordinator Jean-Pierre Lisanga Bonganga, they qualified themaintenance charge between the two parties.
    The coordinator of the “People’s Front” has especially invited the president of the CENI “not to enter political debates” before supporting its platform holds a “consensual electoral calendar.”
    For his part, the president of the CENI retracted what he had said in the political structures of the opposition and the majority, as well as civil society, traditional leaders and members of provincial institutionsKinshasa (provincial government and provincial assembly) on the condition of the electoral process.
    Corneille Nangaa, can not meet the constitutional deadline and go to elections without having a voter registration.However, there is a complex process to achieve this important document containing all voters, allowing the elections.
    It is this technical aspect that he presented to Etienne Tshisekedi allies.He hoped that the opposition and the majority throw an option on policy issues facing the CENI before moving forward with the electoral process, which not only slow to start, but also knows serious financial difficulties.
    The two sides agreed to meet you in the next few days for this platform makes proposals to the INEC to allow the evolution of the electoral process.

    #641

    Pressed from within and outside the ruling majority has had to return to reason leaving flexibility to the CENI to organize the election of provincial governors.This was applauded in so far as this attitude tended to correct the odd which was the appointment, in violation of the laws and the Constitution, the famous special commissioners at the head of the provinces from cutting.
    This shift will have been of short duration;you might say: “chase the natural change their spots.”A few weeks after the publication by the CENI of the timetable for the elections, the MP was quick to take his skin ruthless beast.Elf comes to provide evidence that it will never let things go normally, that is to say according to democratic rules.
    Sources generally well informed, he is back as MP decided grab all provincial governorships.Knowing in poor vis-à-vis its electorate posture about broken promises, she has no choice but to resort to unconventional methods.Enjoying its influence on institutions, it is proposed to exclude from the race all the candidates of the Opposition and the like.Those candidates close to the former MP is placed obliged to pledge allegiance to the head of state and his political family.This is the case, in particular, members of the MP candidates who continued to declare itself independent.Among the targets include former provincial governors, provincial ministers and their aides.
    In a democracy, this practice is referred to by the term discrimination, political intolerance.“All those who are not with us will be excluded from the race,” said an officer of the MP adding that the CENI has been instructed to find a formula to invalidate all independent candidates whose control eludes them.Corneille Nangaa who had called at the end of pressure on his institution is taken literally.Where is his independence he who had hastened to declare that: “Whether it is the government, be it political parties, leave us alone.Whether it’s partners, leave the INEC because it has a constitutional mandate. ”The president of the CENI is taken in this case in its own trap.
    Quid?Independent candidates do not reassure related to the vision of PD.It would be superfluous to return to this vision as communicators of the MP were égosillés in the media to justify the shift of the electoral calendar.This is the principle of “I am and I remain” that gives no space to adversaries, and that the DRC is a democratic state in its constitutional foundations!
    What will happen on February 28?The question on everyone’s lips.Candidates governors who will be eliminated with the help of the CENI will they let it go and accept, once again, the arbitrary?Hard to say.However, some were of the opinion that it is time that the calls of the international community will produce fruit in the head of the MP that discomfort is more show its intentions to crisscross the entire country andkick ass, even block everything, otherwise.
    The Secretary General of the United Nations had called on all parties to move the dialogue inclusive said should swallow his words.For one party, in this case the MP does not give signals that would encourage reconciliation between all parties to reach consensus as required and recommended by the international community for a peaceful electoral process and realizedwithin the constitutional time.
    Ban Ki-moon will he not realize Fa bad faith MP rowing against the tide and is obsessed with his desire to re-enlist at all costs?He should understand that he was swallowing snakes and its recommendation on the holding of the dialogue will not give the expected results.
    The MP seems brigaded a logic that is not ready to stop.A logical, after all, is suicidal and that far from promoting national cohesion, successful projects provided training for the country’s development.
    To recall, the election of provincial governors was originally scheduled for August 31, 2015. For reasons specific to the CENI, she was sent to 6 October 2015 before being postponed indefinitely.Finally, it is February 10, 2016 that the CENI was able to announce the election of governors and vice-governors of province for 26 March.

    #642

    The two heads of State of the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo held talks on Saturday 27 February, on the occasion of a working visit of several hours of President Joseph Kabila in Brazzaville.


    The official statement to this effect emphasizes that Denis Sassou Nguesso and his counterpart discussed issues related to bilateral cooperation between Brazzaville and Kinshasa as well as on the overall situation in the sub-region of Central Africa.


    Calling for strengthening bilateral cooperation in all fields, said the two presidents noted with satisfaction “the spirit of solidarity and mutual trust that characterizes the secular and fraternal relations’ that unite the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo.They also stressed the need for both countries to pool their efforts to fight against “new forms of threat to peace and security, including terrorism and cross-border insecurity.”


    Regarding the sub-region of Central Africa, Denis Sassou N’Gueso and Joseph Kabila Kabange showed their convergence on the course of events in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, RepublicCentral and South Sudan.In particular, they called on Burundians to dialogue, praised the efforts of the United Nations Security Council and Secretary General Ban Ki Moon who had a mission of good offices in this country while expressing solidarity with the mission of highlevel of the African Union of five heads of State and Government.


    The two leaders welcomed the outcome of the electoral process in the Central African Republic and the election of the new president Faustin Archange Touadera.Joseph Kabila has it appreciated the role played by Denis Sassou Nguesso in mediation which has contributed to the crisis in Central Africa and also how his counterpart leads the advent of the new republic in his country.
    Note that trade between Kinshasa are common as evidenced by the working visit of President Joseph Kabila, the February 27, the President Denis Sassou Nguesso dating back to September 19, 2014.

    #643

    The Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC) have dislodged the FDLR rebels in several localities of Walikale and Lubero territories including Buleusa, Rusamambo, Mizinga, Rusoha and around, following the operations launched for one week in this country.

    The spokesman Sokola 2 operations in North Kivu, Captain William Ndjike Kaiko has delivered this assessment, Sunday, Jan. 31.

    “All these strongholds have fallen into the hands of the FARDC and are under control.The population needed his weapon and what has been done.The FARDC are there constantly to meet the expectations of our people, “he assured.

    The commander of the operation 2 Sokola also said the army killed two Rwandan rebels and captured many others before some FDLR surrender.

    Captain William Ndjike says FARDC recovered firearms after these clashes.

    FDLR rebels commit various atrocities against civilians in this part of North Kivu.

    A (re) read: North Kivu: the people of Walikale and Lubero insecure by the FDLR

    These Rwandan fighters kidnapped on 26 January 2015, fifty families in the locality of Bushalingwa in Ikobo group, straddling the territories of Lubero and Walikale (North Kivu).

    According to the Luofu civil society that had given this information, these Rwandan combatants had taken these households to an unknown destination after burning their homes.

    The same source indicates that these fighters occupied the village of Bushalingwa since October, 2015.