UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
3 Mar
2009
MONUC is determined to proceed with actions against Ituri armed groups
MONUC is determined to proceed with actions against Ituri armed groups.
MONUC is resolved to « proceed with actions against the armed groups refusing to lay down weapons and integrate the disarmament process», the acting Commander of MONUC Forces, General Patrick Cammaert and Chief of MONUC Eastern Division told the press this Wednesday 16 March 2005. « The armed groups do not have any other choice but to disarm» the General added.
General Cammaert deplored « the exactions committed by Ituri militiamen on civilians». « Those responsible for crimes must be brought to Justice», General Patrick Cammaert said, calling on the militiamen to follow the example set by one of the Ituri armed groups, the Armed Forces for the Congolese people known by its French acronym as FAPC, whose combatants laid down weapons in the district of Aru and are being demobilised within the framework of the disarmament and community reintegration process.
General Cammaert declared that the ongoing operations in Ituri are aimed at « neutralising the armed groups' capacity for nuisance by cutting off their sources of illegal revenues and their weapons and ammunitions supply channels» to «force them to join the process». « There is no spirit of revenge at all. MONUC is impartial in carrying out its mandate», he said. « Our troops are disciplined and strictly abide by their rules of engagement», MONUC Force Commander further said.
General Cammaert also told the press that MONUC was able «to observe a flow of weapons and ammunitions crossing the border from Uganda through lake Albert» and we wonder « who is behind such a traffic. We will eventually get an answer to this question», he pledged.
With respect to South Kivu where other armed groups are active, mainly foreigners, the acting Commander of MONUC Forces told the press that the « Kivu Brigades are currently deploying and will shortly be operational.» They will be effectively operational at the appropriate time but have already been conducting «cordon and search operations on the ground that are instrumental in developing cohesion with the Congolese armed Forces (FARDC) ».
With respect to peacekeepers capacity to ensure security during the elections, the Deputy Force Commander indicated that MONUC « will back the DRC as much as it can» as far as the organisation of the elections are concerned.
Concerning the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for the DRC's activities, MONUC spokesman, Mr. Mamadou Bah told the press that MONUC's chief, Mr. William Swing, is due to fly to New York soon to attend a meeting of the UN Special Representatives. Mr. William Swing will be accompanied by General Cammaert and will brief the UN Security Council on the DRC situation on Wednesday 23 March before proceeding to Washington the following day, 24 March, where he is scheduled to address the US congress and to hold talks with several US officials.
With regard to human rights, the coordinator of the Unit in charge for special investigations of the Human Rights Division, Mrs. Sonia Bakar revealed to the press the conclusions of an investigation conducted in November 2004 in the Lake Albert region with the support of the office of Bunia Prosecutor. In this report, MONUC established several cases of Human rights abuses perpetrated by the Ngiti militias of the Front de Résistance Patriotique in Ituri (FRPI). « They kidnapped civilians, subjected them to forced labour and sex slavery» Sonia Bakar said. « The victims are not only fishermen but also women and children. Most or the victims are from the districts situated on the lake and are from all ethnic groups. The non Hema victims were reportedly brought to the river bank and subjected to brutal and inhumane treatments that led to the death of some of them'The women are victims of rape and sex slavery» she added. Altogether « over 123 fishermen were reported missing, 10 others were killed» she indicated. MONUC Unite for special investigations corroborated her report with a heart-wrenching testimony that demonstrated « the extent of atrocities committed there », MONUC Director of Public Information, Kemal Saïki said.
Referring to the human rights situation, MONUC is worried about the «deplorable detention conditions in DRC prisons', the spokesman, Mamadou Bah said. The Unit's report prepared by its Justice support's section suggests « an absence of correct management of prisons, serious overcrowding and cases of death due to lack of food». The reports cites several prisons where there is no system to segregate prisoners. Men, women and children are jailed together; convicted prisoners share common cells with those accused of minor offences. «MONUC urges the Transition Government to not only deal with the infrastructures problems but also explore the possibility of implementing alternative punishment in order to reduce overpopulation in prisons», Mr. Bah further said. «MONUC is ready to help the Government to improve the prison system in the Democratic Republic of Congo».
General Cammaert deplored « the exactions committed by Ituri militiamen on civilians». « Those responsible for crimes must be brought to Justice», General Patrick Cammaert said, calling on the militiamen to follow the example set by one of the Ituri armed groups, the Armed Forces for the Congolese people known by its French acronym as FAPC, whose combatants laid down weapons in the district of Aru and are being demobilised within the framework of the disarmament and community reintegration process.
General Cammaert declared that the ongoing operations in Ituri are aimed at « neutralising the armed groups' capacity for nuisance by cutting off their sources of illegal revenues and their weapons and ammunitions supply channels» to «force them to join the process». « There is no spirit of revenge at all. MONUC is impartial in carrying out its mandate», he said. « Our troops are disciplined and strictly abide by their rules of engagement», MONUC Force Commander further said.
General Cammaert also told the press that MONUC was able «to observe a flow of weapons and ammunitions crossing the border from Uganda through lake Albert» and we wonder « who is behind such a traffic. We will eventually get an answer to this question», he pledged.
With respect to South Kivu where other armed groups are active, mainly foreigners, the acting Commander of MONUC Forces told the press that the « Kivu Brigades are currently deploying and will shortly be operational.» They will be effectively operational at the appropriate time but have already been conducting «cordon and search operations on the ground that are instrumental in developing cohesion with the Congolese armed Forces (FARDC) ».
With respect to peacekeepers capacity to ensure security during the elections, the Deputy Force Commander indicated that MONUC « will back the DRC as much as it can» as far as the organisation of the elections are concerned.
Concerning the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for the DRC's activities, MONUC spokesman, Mr. Mamadou Bah told the press that MONUC's chief, Mr. William Swing, is due to fly to New York soon to attend a meeting of the UN Special Representatives. Mr. William Swing will be accompanied by General Cammaert and will brief the UN Security Council on the DRC situation on Wednesday 23 March before proceeding to Washington the following day, 24 March, where he is scheduled to address the US congress and to hold talks with several US officials.
With regard to human rights, the coordinator of the Unit in charge for special investigations of the Human Rights Division, Mrs. Sonia Bakar revealed to the press the conclusions of an investigation conducted in November 2004 in the Lake Albert region with the support of the office of Bunia Prosecutor. In this report, MONUC established several cases of Human rights abuses perpetrated by the Ngiti militias of the Front de Résistance Patriotique in Ituri (FRPI). « They kidnapped civilians, subjected them to forced labour and sex slavery» Sonia Bakar said. « The victims are not only fishermen but also women and children. Most or the victims are from the districts situated on the lake and are from all ethnic groups. The non Hema victims were reportedly brought to the river bank and subjected to brutal and inhumane treatments that led to the death of some of them'The women are victims of rape and sex slavery» she added. Altogether « over 123 fishermen were reported missing, 10 others were killed» she indicated. MONUC Unite for special investigations corroborated her report with a heart-wrenching testimony that demonstrated « the extent of atrocities committed there », MONUC Director of Public Information, Kemal Saïki said.
Referring to the human rights situation, MONUC is worried about the «deplorable detention conditions in DRC prisons', the spokesman, Mamadou Bah said. The Unit's report prepared by its Justice support's section suggests « an absence of correct management of prisons, serious overcrowding and cases of death due to lack of food». The reports cites several prisons where there is no system to segregate prisoners. Men, women and children are jailed together; convicted prisoners share common cells with those accused of minor offences. «MONUC urges the Transition Government to not only deal with the infrastructures problems but also explore the possibility of implementing alternative punishment in order to reduce overpopulation in prisons», Mr. Bah further said. «MONUC is ready to help the Government to improve the prison system in the Democratic Republic of Congo».
