UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
3 Mar
2009
MONUC concerned over cases of rape committed by elements of the Congolese police forces
MONUC concerned over cases of rape committed by elements of the Congolese police forces.
MONUC 'is deeply concerned about cases of rape committed on a regular basis by elements of police forces,' announced Mr Kemal Saiki, the UN Mission's Director of Public Information and Spokesman, addressing a weekly press briefing on Wednesday.
'In Mbuji-Mayi [Eastern Kasai province] two women were raped by FARDC elements on 12 October 2005 ('). In Goma, a woman, her husband and three traders were arrested on 3 October, held in a private residence until 8 October, then this woman was taken to a hotel where she was raped while her husband with the other victims were 'transferred' to a military police jail (')" he explained.
With regard to MONUC's military activities, the military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Thierry Provendier noted that 'the week was essentially marked by the surrender of a large group of militiamen of the ex-UPC/L [Thomas Lubanga faction of the Union of Congolese Patriots] on Monday, 17 October.'
'This group surrendered to the company of MONUC South African blue helmets based at Gina, in Djugu territory. The 143 combatants with their dependents were taken to Bunia under the protection of soldiers of the Ituri Brigade, and were then handed to the authorities of the FARDC's 1st Brigade at Rwampara,' he elaborated.
'These surrenders are the outcome of a MONUC-FARDC joint campaign to regain control of the areas,' noted Lieutenant-Colonel Provendier, adding that 'these first important surrenders, combined with the much-awaited launch of the community reintegration process for over 15,000 demobilised ex-combatants in Ituri, are so many reasons for hoping that this movement would continue in this district.'
Also, in Ituri, 'a MONUC human rights team went to Mongwalu on two occasions, on 10 and 13 October, in order to investigate allegations of rape and pillaging, and to enable the prosecutor to examine the persons in detention at MONUC camp,' Mr Kemal Saiki also stated. He recalled that '17 persons suspected of having participated in pillaging had been arrested by the MONUC Pakistani contingent, in collaboration with the local authorities. These militiamen of the ex-FNI (Front des nationalistes intégrationnistes) had withdrawn to Mongwalu - following operations conducted by the FARDC at Bambu and Kilo ' and are said to have committed lootings and several rapes in the night of 6 October 2005,' Mr Saiki explained.
In the rest of the country, 'DRC government officials proceed with investigations on the Kilwa massacre, in Katanga province. MONUC facilitated the Auditor of the Lubumbashi-based military court's trip whom it accompanied to Kilwa, along with his team of investigators from 12 to 15 October 2005. The military court officers visited the scene of the incident that took place in October last year within the framework of investigations into the Kilwa massacres; they interviewed many victims and eyewitnesses,' the Director of MONUC public information further said.
At the regional level, 'The next Tripartite Commission + 1 meeting is due to start on Thursday in Kampala, the capital of Uganda. The Tripartite Commission meeting will decide on the serious consequences to implement against the foreign combatants operating in Eastern DRC,' announced Mr. Kemal Saiki. In this regard, 'General Gaye is currently in Kampala to attend a meeting between the chiefs of Uganda and DRC Army Staff. He offered his services as facilitator on important issues such as the presence of LRA rebels at the border between the DRC and Sudan, the monitoring of arms embargo and the operations by the Congolese armed forces against ADF/NALU ('),' added the military spokesman.
With respect to the Special Representative's agenda, Mr. Kemal Saiki said, 'Mr. William Swing is due to travel this week to Bandundu with Father Apollinaire Malu-Malu, the Head of the Independent Electoral Commission, and Mr. Théophile Mbemba the Minister of Interior to identify the additional means to be provided by both the government and MONUC in order to speed up the electoral process in Bandundu province.'
On the occasion of the World Food Day, Mr. Adrianus Spijkers, FAO Representative for the DRC ' the United Nations Organisation for Food and Agriculture ' for the Democratic Republic of Congo, was the guest of MONUC weekly press conference.
'In Mbuji-Mayi [Eastern Kasai province] two women were raped by FARDC elements on 12 October 2005 ('). In Goma, a woman, her husband and three traders were arrested on 3 October, held in a private residence until 8 October, then this woman was taken to a hotel where she was raped while her husband with the other victims were 'transferred' to a military police jail (')" he explained.
With regard to MONUC's military activities, the military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Thierry Provendier noted that 'the week was essentially marked by the surrender of a large group of militiamen of the ex-UPC/L [Thomas Lubanga faction of the Union of Congolese Patriots] on Monday, 17 October.'
'This group surrendered to the company of MONUC South African blue helmets based at Gina, in Djugu territory. The 143 combatants with their dependents were taken to Bunia under the protection of soldiers of the Ituri Brigade, and were then handed to the authorities of the FARDC's 1st Brigade at Rwampara,' he elaborated.
'These surrenders are the outcome of a MONUC-FARDC joint campaign to regain control of the areas,' noted Lieutenant-Colonel Provendier, adding that 'these first important surrenders, combined with the much-awaited launch of the community reintegration process for over 15,000 demobilised ex-combatants in Ituri, are so many reasons for hoping that this movement would continue in this district.'
Also, in Ituri, 'a MONUC human rights team went to Mongwalu on two occasions, on 10 and 13 October, in order to investigate allegations of rape and pillaging, and to enable the prosecutor to examine the persons in detention at MONUC camp,' Mr Kemal Saiki also stated. He recalled that '17 persons suspected of having participated in pillaging had been arrested by the MONUC Pakistani contingent, in collaboration with the local authorities. These militiamen of the ex-FNI (Front des nationalistes intégrationnistes) had withdrawn to Mongwalu - following operations conducted by the FARDC at Bambu and Kilo ' and are said to have committed lootings and several rapes in the night of 6 October 2005,' Mr Saiki explained.
In the rest of the country, 'DRC government officials proceed with investigations on the Kilwa massacre, in Katanga province. MONUC facilitated the Auditor of the Lubumbashi-based military court's trip whom it accompanied to Kilwa, along with his team of investigators from 12 to 15 October 2005. The military court officers visited the scene of the incident that took place in October last year within the framework of investigations into the Kilwa massacres; they interviewed many victims and eyewitnesses,' the Director of MONUC public information further said.
At the regional level, 'The next Tripartite Commission + 1 meeting is due to start on Thursday in Kampala, the capital of Uganda. The Tripartite Commission meeting will decide on the serious consequences to implement against the foreign combatants operating in Eastern DRC,' announced Mr. Kemal Saiki. In this regard, 'General Gaye is currently in Kampala to attend a meeting between the chiefs of Uganda and DRC Army Staff. He offered his services as facilitator on important issues such as the presence of LRA rebels at the border between the DRC and Sudan, the monitoring of arms embargo and the operations by the Congolese armed forces against ADF/NALU ('),' added the military spokesman.
With respect to the Special Representative's agenda, Mr. Kemal Saiki said, 'Mr. William Swing is due to travel this week to Bandundu with Father Apollinaire Malu-Malu, the Head of the Independent Electoral Commission, and Mr. Théophile Mbemba the Minister of Interior to identify the additional means to be provided by both the government and MONUC in order to speed up the electoral process in Bandundu province.'
On the occasion of the World Food Day, Mr. Adrianus Spijkers, FAO Representative for the DRC ' the United Nations Organisation for Food and Agriculture ' for the Democratic Republic of Congo, was the guest of MONUC weekly press conference.
