Mr Todd Howland, director of MONUC’s human rights division in the DRC, made a working visit to Equateur province from 4-6 August 2009.

The object of the visit was to evaluate the human rights situation in the province, to inquire of the detention conditions and to discuss the human rights situation with NGOs based there. The delegation visited Mbandaka, Gemena and Gbadolite respectively.

MONUC’s human rights office, which is also representing the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in the DRC, is aiding the delegates of the Ministry of Human Rights who are on a consultation mission with the NGOs, the administrative judicial and political authorities in the Provinces of Katanga, Oriental and North and South Kivu.

This is with regard to the finalization of the national report on the human rights situation, which must be presented before the Human Rights Council in Geneva in December 2009, and must be submitted to Geneva by 1 September next.

Meanwhile, in Katanga on 7 August 2009, human rights and civil society organizations organized a fourth demonstration in support of Golden Misabiko, president of the human rights organization ASADHO-Katanga, who is in detention at the Public prosecutor's office, because of the publication by ASADHO of a report on the exploitation of uranium at the Shinkolobwe site.

During the demonstration, five human rights activists and a Radio Okapi journalist were arrested by security forces.

A meeting has been organized the same day between the Governor of Katanga, the local MONUC head of office, the Director of the ANR (DRC Intelligence Services), NGO representatives and Mr. Misabiko’s lawyers.

Thanks to the action devised by MONUC Lubumbashi, the Provincial governor’s officer and dialogue between the parties, the five activists were released some hours after their arrest, each demonstrating their commitment to freedom of speech and respect of human rights defenders in the DR Congo.

MONUC expresses its recognition to the Congolese Government and the Katangan provincial authorities for the spirit of cooperation and understanding demonstrated on this occasion, which led to a fast and happy resolution to the problem.

Finally, on Saturday 8 August last in Oriental Province, at the end of a three day retreat organized by the Joint UN Human Rights office in collaboration with MONUC and the international NGO “Lawyers Without Borders,” a focal point for the struggle against torture and the fund of support for torture victims in Oriental Province was put in place. This focal point will be directed by Pierre Esanganya, coordinator of the NGO “Action of Christians for the abolition of Torture”, ACAT.