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UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

DRC: RCD-Goma officers, MPs demand protection before reporting to Kinshasa

KINSHASA, 19 September 2003 (IRIN) - Military officials and members of parliament of the Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD-Goma) former rebel movement - now party to a two-year national transitional government in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) - have demanded a general amnesty and security guarantees before reporting to the capital, Kinshasa, according to a communique from the group, issued on Wednesday.

According to the RCD-Goma statement, a number of the movement's leaders have remained behind in Goma because of security concerns.

"Those who have remained in Goma feel that the security measures that have been put in place for us in Kinshasa are insufficient," Jean-Pierre Lola Kisanga, RCD-Goma spokesman, said.

"Before coming to the capital, they need to have a general amnesty to be reassured that they will not be arrested for their wartime activities," he added.

Lt-Gen Liwanga Mata Nyamunyobo, the chief of staff of the unified national military, summoned on 9 September three RCD-Goma officers to appear before the Military High Court (Haute Cour Militaire) for having refused to take part in the inauguration of the newly-unified national army. [See earlier IRIN story, "Three RCD-Goma officers summoned before military court"]

A number of RCD-Goma military officers who were named to lead the unified national army have been accused of serious human rights violations, such as Laurent Nkunda and Gabriel Amisi, alias "Tango Fort", who were named brigadier-generals by DRC President Joseph Kabila on 19 August, despite having been widely accused of leading massacres in Kisangani in May 2002.

Asked about the possibility of a general amnesty, Kabila's spokesman, Mulegwa Zihindula, said that such a measure would not protect RCD-Goma leaders from being prosecuted by the international community.

"What amnesty can we provide for a person against whom an international arrest warrant has been issued? There are, among these people, several who are sought for crimes committed in [neighbouring] Zambia. The government has nothing to do with [the prosecution of] international crimes," Mulegwa said.

Although Kabila announced an amnesty in April, former rebels and members of the unarmed political opposition asked that it be expanded, as it did not include, for example, people condemned in the trial for the January 2001 assassination of late DRC President Laurent-Desire Kabila, Joseph's father.

Theme(s): (IRIN) Conflict, (IRIN) Governance

[ENDS]

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