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JOURNAL FROM KIVU: CELEBRATIONS THIRD ANNIVERSARY RCD, RAPE OF A YOUNG GIRL, HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS HUNTED BY THE RCD
Third anniversary of the RCD: Local people forced to take part.
Thursday 2 August 2001was the third anniversary of the occupation of the eastern part of the Congo by the rebel movement called RCD and its backer the Rwandese army.
In celebrations of this anniversary, the local authorities of the South Kivu region organized a parade in front of the Metropole Hotel in the district of Ibanda. The parade was carefully planned and several people turned up for the event. Chairmen and heads of local businesses were summoned not to open their businesses and to compel their employees to take part in the celebrations. The local pro-rebel movement radio, the RTNC, continued to call for people to attend the event, as well as naming the local businesses, which agreed to send their employees to the celebrations.
During the celebrations, agents of the DSR, the RCD's security service, made sure they listed down the local businesses that were represented at the parade. One could recall a similar strategy used by the rebel movement (RCD) in order to force people to take part in the funeral of Masasu, a prominent RCD commander who died few months ego. Local shops, enterprises and businesses were fined heavily for not sending their staff to the mourning ceremonies. Some businesses were even closed.
Fearing to face the same reaction and sanctions, as well as being accused of conspiring with anti-RCD forces, such as the Mai-mai, several local businesses of Bukavu had no other choice than taking part in the parade, even though they did not believe in it.
The Governor of South Kivu distributed uniforms to public servants working in income-generating sectors. Most of the people who took part in these celebrations affirmed having done so in order to avoid political reprisals.
In the corridors of the powers of the RCD, many are congratulating themselves for having achieved what they wanted: making the celebrations a real success. Videocassettes covering the event have been made ready for campaigning actions on behalf of the RCD.
In Uvira the celebrations were interrupted by firings
Unlike Buakvu, where the celebrations of the third anniversary of the occupation of the Kivu region by the RCD went quite smoothly, in Uvira they were interrupted by heavy gunfires. According to our local sources in Uvira, around 11.30 am, while an important crowd was gathered at the Umoja stadium, formerly known as Kamanyola stadium, heavy gunfires by machine guns were heard from the hills underneath which the valley of Uvira is located. Following the gunfire, there was a total confusion among the populations. Many people were reportedly injured and other lost following the 'sauve qui peut' that followed.
Human rights and development activists hunted by the RCD in Uvira
Since August 5, 2001 members and leaders of NGOs of Uvira are under severe harassment by members of the army and security services of the RCD, the main rebel movement in control of the Kivu region. The victims, who can longer pass night in at their homes, are accused of detaining documentations alleged to discredit the RCD. Several members of the local civil society, including two members of the local NGO Elimu, have been arrested. According to our local sources, the detainees are frequently subjected to lengthy interrogations by the 'Direction de Securite et de Renseignement (DSR), the security service of the RCD.
Among the victims of this campaign of terror against human rights and development activists are Katana Bukuru Jeje, a staff of the local NGO Elimu, Mr. Majaliwa Kanazi of CADI. Their mobiles phones were confiscated at the time of their arrest par the RCD. Furthermore, Mr. Jules Nteba, the head of the NGO Elimu is allegedly wanted by the same security services of the RCD for interrogations. His house has been searched several times.
As said before, according to the latest information, the two members of the civil society of Uvira are accused of processing and printing tracts containing hostiles statements against the RCD. The documents were also said to be calling for civil unrest and no participation to the celebration of the third anniversary of the second phase of the Congolese war. This despite the fact that copies of these tracts signed by Mai Mai were put on public display at different public places in the Uvira area.
Rape of a young girl at Musenyi in the Bunyakiri area
A 20 years old young girl was raped by four men speaking in lingala. The young girl has been identified as an orphan residing at Musenyi in the Bunyakiri area. According to the account of events put together by Hertitiers de la Justice talking to the victim, the young girl was one of village members who fled their home village in fear of persistent human rights violations and abuses by groups of armed men. Around midnight, the four men broke into the temporary shelter in which was sleeping the young girl. She was then raped by all the four men, who afterwards looted the belongings of the whole families that were living in the area.
The victim was left powerless and without any help for weeks, when the neighbors realized that the young girl could not walk anymore and that she might had contracted severe infections. Following a whole village' effort, she was then sent to a hospital in Bukavu on July 17, 2001, where she underwent an urgent operation.
Since her arrival at the hospital, the victim's health has improved. She could be released from the hospital soon despite the fact that her family cannot afford the $ 85 required by the Hospital for her treatment.
Heritiers de la Justice calls the arrest of the authors of this crime committed against this 20 years old girl. It also calls for more humanitarian assistance to help the millions of victims of the current armed conflict toning apart the Congo.
Heritiers de la Justice stands by people's freedom to take part or not in the celebration. It calls for more understanding of the suffering that the populations of South Kivu have already been through. Accordingly, Heritiers de la Justice recommends that the RCD put in place mechanisms and safeguards guaranteeing the basic rights and freedom of the people of South Kivu.
Heritiers de la Justice is equally very concerned about the conditions, the treatment and the whereabouts of the two members of the civil society arrested. Accordingly, it calls for their release and for a halt to the current trend of harassment of human rights and development activist of the Uvira area.
Heritiers de la Justice
August 9, 2001.
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