• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

DRC: Report urges Bush to seize opportunity for peace

NAIROBI, 4 November 2003 (IRIN) - Following a recent visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a delegation of human rights and peacekeeping specialists has issued a report calling for an increased commitment to the country by the administration of US President George W. Bush.

The report, "Ending Congo's Nightmare: What the US Can Do to Promote Peace in Central Africa", was issued on Thursday in Washington, D.C., by the International Human Rights Law Group.

With DRC President Joseph Kabila currently in Washington, "now is the time for President Bush and the United States to live up to its commitment to the people of Congo," John Shattuck, former US Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour and leader of the delegation, said in a statement.

"If he truly wants to help advance a peaceful solution, President Bush will make good on the promise he made in July to the Congolese people to 'work closely with President Kabila and the transitional government to promote peace, prosperity and democracy for all Congolese,' " Shattuck said.

Specifically, the 34-page report urged Bush to reinstate the US arms embargo on Rwanda; demand that America's allies in the region allow Congo to return to peace; enjoin Rwanda and Uganda to cut their political, military, and financial ties to Congolese militias and make US aid to these countries conditional on their doing so; and to take the lead in supporting a UN embargo on arms, ammunition, and military support to parties to Congo's conflict.

During its 10-day mission to the DRC, the delegation visited the capital, Kinshasa, as well as Bukavu, Bunia, and Kisangani. It met with officials of the new transition government, the staff and leadership of the UN Mission in the DRC, a cross-section of international NGOs, and Congolese civil society groups.

In addition to Shattuck, who is currently CEO of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation in Boston, the delegation included Paul Simo, Africa programme director at the International Human Rights Law Group, and William Durch, former project director for the Panel on UN Peace Operations (the "Brahimi Report"), and a senior associate at The Henry L. Stimson Center.

[The full report can be found at www.hrlawgroup.org]

Theme(s): (IRIN) Conflict, (IRIN) Human Rights

[ENDS]

The material contained on this Web site comes to you via IRIN, a UN humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies. If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post any item on this site, please retain this credit and disclaimer. Quotations or extracts should include attribution to the original sources. All graphics and Images on this site may not be re-produced without the express permission of the original owner. All materials copyright © UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2003