Democratic Republic of Congo
12.07.01
Urgent Interventions
'D.R. Congo
Case COD 130901
The International Secretariat of the OMCT requests your URGENT INTERVENTION in the following situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Brief description of the facts
The International Secretariat of the OMCT has been informed by La voix des sans voix des droits de l'homme (VSV), member of the OMCT network, of the arbitrary arrest of four former staff members of Laurent Désiré Kabila, the late President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
These four former employees of the office of the Head of State are: Rose Kamun, Giselle Ngoy-Kunda, Sina Kabulo and one person named Annie whose full identity is not yet known. According to our sources of information, all four were arrested in similar circumstances on 23 and 24 August 2001.
According to the information received, Ms Kamun, who is married and has two children, was abducted from her home at 8 Avenue des Citronniers, Gombe Commune, on Thursday 23 August 2001 at approximately 6 a.m., by a group of members of the Congolese armed forces (FAC) who arrived in two vehicles. As they were not in possession of a search warrant, the soldiers took Ms Kamun away under the pretext that Ms Mahanya Safi, the widow of the late President Kabila, was awaiting her at the Palais de Marbre (Presidential Palace). Ms Kamun had previously occupied the post of political secretary in charge of the Comités de Pouvoir Populaires (CPP) ("People's Power Committees") at the Presidential Palace. While these events were taking place, Ms Kamun's husband, Mr. Mpoyi Tshikala, a member of parliament, and her children were kept at bay by the soldiers. Ms Kamun's family and home are reportedly currently being guarded by the army. On the following day, 24 August, those responsible for arresting Ms Kamun came back and seized a Mercedes car belonging to Mr. Tshikala.
According to the information received, the women named Annie was also arrested on the same day. She had already been arrested by a Commission of Inquiry set up to clarify the circumstances of the President's assassination. On this occasion she was held from March 2001 to 18 May 2001 in Pavilion No. 1 of the penitentiary and rehabilitation centre in Kinshasa (CPRK, former Makala central prison).
According to the information received, Ms Giselle Ngoy-Kunda was arrested on Friday 24 August 2001. A stranger came to her home at 13b Avenue Buimba, Ma Campagne quarter in the Commune of Ngaliema between 8 and 9 p.m., claiming to have a doctor's prescription. Ms Ngoy-Kunda's husband opened the door to her and was promptly surrounded by FAC soldiers who arrived in two Jeeps. They carried out a systematic search of the house while threatening the family, including two babies aged respectively one and six months with their guns. Then, according to our source of information, in spite of the fact that Ms Ngoy-Kunda is eight months pregnant months, she was taken to the Presidential Palace’s detention facilities. She was allegedly deprived of food for several days. Furthermore, the soldiers reportedly seized four vehicles, (2 cars and 2 Jeeps) and three portable telephones. Our sources of information tell us that Ms Ngoy-Kunda was in charge of coordinating social services under the presidency of Laurent Désiré Kabila, in particular of the officers’ canteens at the Presidential Palace, at the Tshatshi Camp, at N'djili airport and at the Palais des Nations; and later for managing soup kitchens.
According to the information received, Ms Sina Kabulo was also arrested at her home, 121 Boulevard du 30 juin in the Commune of Gombe, on Friday 24 August. She was allegedly taken to the Presidential Palace’s detention facilities. Here again, portable telephones and vehicles were seized and the house has been placed under military guard.
After their arrest, these four women were placed under the authority of Office No. 2 at the Presidential Palace in Kinshasa/Ma Campagne. After several days spent in the dungeons of the Presidential Palace, without food and the right to receive visitors, they were allegedly transferred to the Détection Militaire des Activités Anti-Patrie (military intelligence) (DEMIAP)/External Affairs in Kinshasa/Gombe.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of the four prisoners, in particular Ms Giselle Ngoy-Kunda who is eight months pregnant, and fears that they may be subjected to inhuman treatment since they have been deprived of all contact with their lawyers and families.
Action requested
We request you kindly to write to the authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo asking them :
i. to take all the necessary measures to safeguard the physical and psychological integrity of Rose Kamun, Giselle Ngoy-Kunda, Sina Kabulo and Annie;
ii. to order their immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges or, if such charges exist, bring them before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times;
iii. to order a complete and impartial inquiry into the circumstances of these arrests so as to identify those responsible and bring them before a competent court, and to apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as foreseen by the law;
iv. to ensure respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms all over the country, according to national laws and international standards.
Addresses
· President Joseph Kabila, Présidence de la République, Kinshasa-Ngaliema, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Fax : (+243) 880 02 120
· Ministry of Justice, POB 3137, Kinshasa Gombé, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Fax (+243) 880 55 21
· Ministry of Human Rights, Fax (+243) 12 20 664
Please also write to the diplomatic representation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in your country.
Geneva, 13 September 2001.
Kindly inform us of any action you may take, citing the code of this appeal in your reply.
The International Secretariat of the OMCT requests your URGENT INTERVENTION in the following situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Brief description of the facts
The International Secretariat of the OMCT has been informed by La voix des sans voix des droits de l'homme (VSV), member of the OMCT network, of the arbitrary arrest of four former staff members of Laurent Désiré Kabila, the late President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
These four former employees of the office of the Head of State are: Rose Kamun, Giselle Ngoy-Kunda, Sina Kabulo and one person named Annie whose full identity is not yet known. According to our sources of information, all four were arrested in similar circumstances on 23 and 24 August 2001.
According to the information received, Ms Kamun, who is married and has two children, was abducted from her home at 8 Avenue des Citronniers, Gombe Commune, on Thursday 23 August 2001 at approximately 6 a.m., by a group of members of the Congolese armed forces (FAC) who arrived in two vehicles. As they were not in possession of a search warrant, the soldiers took Ms Kamun away under the pretext that Ms Mahanya Safi, the widow of the late President Kabila, was awaiting her at the Palais de Marbre (Presidential Palace). Ms Kamun had previously occupied the post of political secretary in charge of the Comités de Pouvoir Populaires (CPP) ("People's Power Committees") at the Presidential Palace. While these events were taking place, Ms Kamun's husband, Mr. Mpoyi Tshikala, a member of parliament, and her children were kept at bay by the soldiers. Ms Kamun's family and home are reportedly currently being guarded by the army. On the following day, 24 August, those responsible for arresting Ms Kamun came back and seized a Mercedes car belonging to Mr. Tshikala.
According to the information received, the women named Annie was also arrested on the same day. She had already been arrested by a Commission of Inquiry set up to clarify the circumstances of the President's assassination. On this occasion she was held from March 2001 to 18 May 2001 in Pavilion No. 1 of the penitentiary and rehabilitation centre in Kinshasa (CPRK, former Makala central prison).
According to the information received, Ms Giselle Ngoy-Kunda was arrested on Friday 24 August 2001. A stranger came to her home at 13b Avenue Buimba, Ma Campagne quarter in the Commune of Ngaliema between 8 and 9 p.m., claiming to have a doctor's prescription. Ms Ngoy-Kunda's husband opened the door to her and was promptly surrounded by FAC soldiers who arrived in two Jeeps. They carried out a systematic search of the house while threatening the family, including two babies aged respectively one and six months with their guns. Then, according to our source of information, in spite of the fact that Ms Ngoy-Kunda is eight months pregnant months, she was taken to the Presidential Palace’s detention facilities. She was allegedly deprived of food for several days. Furthermore, the soldiers reportedly seized four vehicles, (2 cars and 2 Jeeps) and three portable telephones. Our sources of information tell us that Ms Ngoy-Kunda was in charge of coordinating social services under the presidency of Laurent Désiré Kabila, in particular of the officers’ canteens at the Presidential Palace, at the Tshatshi Camp, at N'djili airport and at the Palais des Nations; and later for managing soup kitchens.
According to the information received, Ms Sina Kabulo was also arrested at her home, 121 Boulevard du 30 juin in the Commune of Gombe, on Friday 24 August. She was allegedly taken to the Presidential Palace’s detention facilities. Here again, portable telephones and vehicles were seized and the house has been placed under military guard.
After their arrest, these four women were placed under the authority of Office No. 2 at the Presidential Palace in Kinshasa/Ma Campagne. After several days spent in the dungeons of the Presidential Palace, without food and the right to receive visitors, they were allegedly transferred to the Détection Militaire des Activités Anti-Patrie (military intelligence) (DEMIAP)/External Affairs in Kinshasa/Gombe.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of the four prisoners, in particular Ms Giselle Ngoy-Kunda who is eight months pregnant, and fears that they may be subjected to inhuman treatment since they have been deprived of all contact with their lawyers and families.
Action requested
We request you kindly to write to the authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo asking them :
i. to take all the necessary measures to safeguard the physical and psychological integrity of Rose Kamun, Giselle Ngoy-Kunda, Sina Kabulo and Annie;
ii. to order their immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges or, if such charges exist, bring them before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times;
iii. to order a complete and impartial inquiry into the circumstances of these arrests so as to identify those responsible and bring them before a competent court, and to apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as foreseen by the law;
iv. to ensure respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms all over the country, according to national laws and international standards.
Addresses
· President Joseph Kabila, Présidence de la République, Kinshasa-Ngaliema, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Fax : (+243) 880 02 120
· Ministry of Justice, POB 3137, Kinshasa Gombé, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Fax (+243) 880 55 21
· Ministry of Human Rights, Fax (+243) 12 20 664
Please also write to the diplomatic representation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in your country.
Geneva, 13 September 2001.
Kindly inform us of any action you may take, citing the code of this appeal in your reply.