Kinshasa, 23 July 2009 - Dmitri Titov, Assistant Secretary-General for the Rule of Law and Security Institutions at the Department of UN Peacekeeping Operations in New York, is on a working visit to the DRC since 19 July 2009, to evaluate the DRC prison system and to assess the progress achieved.
Mr. Titov began his tour in Bunia in Ituri district in northeastern DRC where he visited the central prison. He expressed his sadness with regard to the situation of this penal establishment which is not only dilapidated, without any means of operation, but which also shelters more than 500 prisoners in a prison designed for 200.
He then went to Goma, in North Kivu province, where he met with the local authorities, in particular the Governor of the province, the provincial Minister for Justice and the provincial Inspector of the Congolese National Police.
In Rutshuru territory, also in North Kivu, he met the integrated new integrated Congolese National police, deployed within the framework of the Stabilization Plan of eastern DRC, as well as the President of the military Court currently in session.
One of the strong points of its visit to North Kivu was his visit to the central Prison of Goma where, a few weeks ago, prisoners mutinied and raped 22 women.
Mr. Titov had several talks with MONUC’s civil and military components based in Goma, as well as the agencies, funds and programs of the United Nations system, as well as various other international organizations working in the field from the promotion of justice and the rule of law in the province.
On Wednesday 22 July last, Mr. Titov went to Sake in North Kivu to visit the site of the destruction of explosives under the UN Mine Action Coordination Centre (UNMACC) and to meet the judiciary authorities in North Kivu. He will then go to Mbuji Mayi, capital of Kasai Oriental province in central DRC, before returning to Kinshasa to meet with MONUC, UN and government officials.