SET FREE THE PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLY AND DEMOCRACY

 IN SOUTH KIVU !

On 5^th January 2007,

the South Kivu Civil Society has declared:

We, organisations members of  civil society (south kivu) in meeting for socio-political situation of the province at the early time for elections of Executive Provincial Members and Senators by the provincial Assembly; 

Knowing that the population of south Kivu has suffered too much for peace and democracy in the DRC; 

Convinced that the civil society of south kivu has always fought to resist and deny evils like Mobutu dictatorship, rebellions, foreign invasions and threats, getting power through violence; 

Noticing manoeuvre leading to threat democracy since the provincial assembly has been set in south kivu through kidnapping of our elected and we people of south kivu tending towards centralisation  in violation of art 3, 6 (al 3 and 4), 66, 197 and 205;

 Concerned to keep safe the values dearly got, we denounce what follows:

 -  The letter which would have been handed in to each deputy member of a given political group that we don’t tell the name, forcing to mislead the choice of deputies when electing the Governor, vice Governor and senators, such a letter violates the art.23 of the constitution;

-       The statements according to which elected deputies don’t belong to themselves but to their political parties constitute public violations of art. 5 of the constitution that essentially stipulates that the national sovereignty belong to people. All power is from people exercising it directly through referendum or elections and or indirectly through its representatives. No body is allowed to own it.

-         The devilisation of Governor candidates, vice governor, senators by any political group is anti democracy and is like dictatorship;

-         Sharing money to our provincial deputies in stead of their settling  fees means what we quite know though the head of the national assembly said he is going to struggle against such a form of behaviour;

-         Early contacts with governor, vice governor and senators  candidates is the beginning of campaign and violation of electing law;

-         As candidates, talking in behalf of the president is a violation of art. 69 of the constitution and thus would contradict the president speech during his investiture ON 6 DECEMBER 2006;

-         The use of a lot of means granted to the head team of the Governor candidate presently accommodated at hotel horizon, the most famous in Bukavu, is a laugh against population among which policemen, demobilised soldiers, etc. and one may wonder where is good governance, democracy and human rights respect as stressed by the president during his investiture;

-         Ignorance of criteria on competence, performance and credibility in electing the governor, vice governor and the provincial assembly is a strict to development of the south kivu population;

 Thus we recommend:

 - May our political parties and groups do a democratic play respecting the constitution;

-         May all our deputies freely exercise their civil and political rights as guaranteed by both constitution and international agreement;

-         May cease all form of harassment on our deputies;

-         May all kind of devilisation of governor, vice governor and senators be considered as a violation of art. 66 saying that we have to live in harmony with other citizens;

-         National institutions should cease with their interference in managing the provincial institutions since it is doomed by art.205 of the constitution, so as not to lead  the country in the 1993-1996 dichotomies.

In this way, the provincial assembly would be set free and democracy would triumph in south kivu province.

BREAK TIME IS OVER!

 Signing South Kivu civil society organisations