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PRESS RELEASE
Killings and rape in South Kivu, planned crimes or results
of impunity
Héritiers de la Justice, in
its report " Killings and rape in South Kivu, planned crimes or results
of impunity “published this Tuesday 3rd August, 2004 on the
killings and the rape carried out in the South Kivu province in the
eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in May and June 2004 following the
mutiny of Colonel Jules Mutebutsi and general Laurent Nkunda,
raises the tone against the impunity that continue to enjoy planners and
perpetrators of crimes in the D.R. Congo for the past few years.
This very detailed 90-pages report, covers abuses committed
not only in Bukavu but also in Kamanyola, Kalehe, Kavumu and Bideka. It
documents tens of cases of killings as well as hundreds of cases of rape
carried out mainly by the mutineers between May 26 and June 9, 2004.
"These crimes against humanity committed in South Kivu (RDC)
should not go unpunished", declared Pascal Kabungulu, Executive Secretary
of Héritiers de la Justice during a press conference held in Bukavu this
Tuseday August 3rd, 2004.
The report documents targeted assassinations, tortures and
cruel and inhuman treatments and the systematic rape of which some were
directed against the personnel of the humanitarian agencies. Among tens of
the targeted and assassinated people are tradesmen, students and civil
servants.
Héritiers de la Justice
confirms that rape was committed in a systematic way and probably
wellplanned in advance. "In fact, many women and girls as well as
eyewitnesses of the horrible scenes of rape and other sexual violence were
interviewed by Héritiers de la Justice". Héritiers de la Justice has
further details on these various cases, but for purposes of protection of
victims’ identities decided to use only initials of their names. The
report confirms further that victims of rapes ranged from 7 to more than
60 years.
Héritiers de la Justice
recommends to the Security Council of the United Nations to
reinforce the MONUC by necessary manpower, taking into account the current
situation in the country, the nature and the complexity of the task of the
MONUC, the size of the country, its poor and fragile communication
infrastructure, ….
Héritiers de la Justice
estimates that a minimum of 30.000 UN soldiers should be deployed in
Congo. What means that the Security Council should think of approving the
deployment of at least 19.200 additional troops.
On behalf of Héritiers de la Justice, Pascal Kabungulu
insists that one of the ways out will be "to break the cycle and
culture of impunity and bring all planners and perpetrators of these
crimes experienced by the populations of Bukavu and its surroundings to
justice”.
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For further information, contact Heritiers
de la Justice:
Tel (Pascal Kabungulu): +243 08131 85927
Tel (Maitre Roger Muchuba):+243 98676477
Tel (Betu Kajigi):+243 98858544
Ou Ecrire a:
heritiersdelajustice@yahoo.co.uk
You can also visit
www.heritiers.org, to read the
full report
August
3rd,
2004
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