134 NGOs Call on ICC Prosecutor to Continue Investigations in Congo
Joint Declaration from 134 Civil Society and Human Rights Organizations Regarding the International Criminal Court Prosecutor’s Visit to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
The Signatories of this declaration-134 Congolese and international civil society and human rights organisms with a presence in the Democratic Republic of Congo-welcome the arrival this week of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor, Mrs. Fatou Bensouda, in Kinshasa.
They congratulate the Prosecutor’s office for her contribution to the fight against Impunity in Congo.The convictions of Thomas Lubanga, form president of the Union des Patriotes Congolais (UPC) And Germain Katanga, president of forming an armed group Opposed, the Front for Patriotic Resistance in Ituri (FRPI) for serious crimes-committed in Ituri in 2002 and 2003 are significant step Toward justice for the victims of serious crimes in Ituri year.
The organisms aussi welcome the confirmation hearing of expenses against Bosco Ntaganda, Held in The Hague from 10 to 14 February, 2014. Ntaganda-who managed to move from one armed group to Reviews another without Being Arrested and Who Was Rewarded with the odd position of General in the Congolese armed force-had Become a symbol of Impunity in Congo. To see him in the dock at the ICC WAS A Powerful signal That shoulds serve as a warning to other commanders of armed groups in eastern Congo and strengths.
At the same time, the organisms regret That horrific crimes continue to be-committed against Congolese Civilians, PARTICULARLY in the country’s eastern provinces. They therefore believe That further actions by the ICC is still Necessary and urgent.
SPECIFICALLY, the organisms urge the ICC Prosecutor:
1) To continue investigations in Congo and Quickly load Those Who bear the greatest responsibility for crimes against the civilian population-committed;
2) More SPECIFICALLY, to Investigate senior military and political Officials Who Have Many supported the armed groups in Congo responsible for serious human rights violations by Providing thesis groups with weapons, funding, and training recruits, Including Officials from Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda;
3) To Improve the quality of investigations Conducted by her office as Suggested by the judges in the judgment acquitting Ngudjolo, leader of the fundamentalist National Front (NIF);
4) To continue efforts to Investigate and prosecute crimes of rape, sexual slavery and other sexual violence plagued That HAS conflicts ravaging the Congo;
5) To Clarify the relationship Between the Office of the Prosecutor and local Intermediaries, notably in matters of selection, training, compensation and protection;
6) To continue efforts, together with the ICC registry team, to inform victims and Communities MOST affected by the crimes Addressed by ICC cases. To That effect, Consider opening an office in Goma, North Kivu province, and Undertaking visits to Ituri and the Kivu provinces in the future.
7) To national support efforts to fight Impunity for the MOST serious crimes through fair, credible and impartial trials, notably by expressing the support to the government’s proposal to Establish Specialized mixed chambers Within the Congolese judicial system, Provided They are independent and effective, and by pressing urgency for the adoption of the draft legislation Implementing the ICC treaty into Congolese law.
Kinshasa, March 13, 2014
Signatories:
- Christian Action Aid to Displaced and Development (ACCADE), North Kivu
- Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture (ACAT) Province-Orientale/Nord-Kivu
- Global Action for Social and Peace (AGPSP) Promotion, North Kivu
- Humanitarian Action for Integrated Development (AHDI), North Kivu
- Action for the Development of Disadvantaged Populations (DPA), North Kivu
- Action for Development and Fight against Hunger (ADECO), North Kivu
- Action for the Integral Development of Women (ADIFE), Kinshasa
- Action Womens Health (CFO), North Kivu
- Humanitarian Actions Justice for Victims (AHJV), Eastern Province
- Alliance for Development and Health – Mount Olive (ADSMO), North Kivu
- Moderator Field-Association Female (ATF), Eastern Province
- Association for Peasant Development Initiatives (ASSODIP), North Kivu
- African Association of Human Rights (ASADHO) Kinshasa / Province-Orientale/Nord-Kivu
- Congolese Association of Human Rights (CDHA), Kasai Occidental
- Congolese Association for Access to Justice (CALA), Kinshasa
- Association for the Defence of Women’s Rights (ADDF), North Kivu
- Alarm Association for Endogenous Development (ARDE), North Kivu
- Congolese Association of Women Lawyers (AFEJUCO), South Kivu
- Youth Association for the Defence of Children’s Rights and the Fight against Racism and Hate (AJERH), North Kivu
- Mwanga Association (AM), Maniema
- Association for the Improvement Vault (ABRIFAM), North Kivu
- Association for Coaching Youth in Ituri and the Defense of Human Rights (AEJI / HDD), Eastern Province
- Association for Disadvantaged Masisi (ADEMAS), North Kivu
- Blessed Aid, North Kivu
- Good Samaritan Great Lakes for the Defense of Human Rights (BOSAMGDDH), North Kivu
- Office Support and Support for Humanitarian Action for Reclassification of Displaced in Ituri (Basadi), Eastern Province
- Campaign for Peace (CCP), North Kivu
- Framing of Women’s Center of Ituri (CEFI), Eastern Province
- Study, Documentation and Action Centre for Women (CEDAW), Eastern Province
- Observation Center for Human Rights and Social Assistance (CODHAS), North Kivu
- Centre for Research on Environment, Democracy and Human Rights (CREDDHO), North Kivu
- Olame Centre, South Kivu
- Congolese Coalition for Transitional Justice (CCJT), South Kivu
- Volunteer Coalition for Peace and Development (CVPD), North Kivu
- National Coalition for the International Criminal Court of the Congo (CN-CPI) – RDC
- Coalition for the International Criminal Court, The Hague / Netherlands
- Collective Auxiliary Liberals Justice (CALIJ), Eastern Province
- Collective of Women Journalists (CFJ), North Kivu
- Collective of NGOs for the Advancement of Justice (COPJ), Eastern Province
- Collective Organizations Youth Solidarity of Congo-Kinshasa/SK (COJESKI / DRC), South Kivu
- Diocesan Justice and Peace Commission (JPEC), Kasai Occidental
- Diocesan Justice and Peace Commission of Dungu-Doruma (JPEC), Eastern Province
- For communicators Promotion, Protection and Defense of Human Rights (COPPRODDHO), Kasai Oriental
- Congo Action for Development (CAD), Eastern Province
- Congo Image (CIM), Eastern Province
- Council of Religious Confessions in Ituri (CCRI), Eastern Province
- Territorial Youth Council (CTJ), North Kivu
- Respect Human Rights Convention (HRDC), North Kivu
- Dolphins Munzirwa-Kataliko (DOLPHINS), South Kivu
- Detectives Experts for Human Daily (DEDQ), North Kivu
- Together Fight Against AIDS (ELCOS), North Kivu
- Federation of Protestant Women of the Ituri (IPPF), East Province
- International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Paris, France
- Women Committed to Health Promotion Full (FEPSI), North Kivu
- Women Lawyers for the Defence of Women’s Rights (FJDF), North Kivu
- United Women for Social Progress (FUPROS), North Kivu
- River water flowing to Vive Other (FLEVICA), Eastern Province
- Congolese Foundation for the Promotion of Human Rights and Peace (FOCDP), Eastern Province
- Congolese Foundation for the Promotion of Human Rights and Peace (FOCDP), Eastern Province
- Foundation point of view of African Youth for Development (FPJAD), North Kivu
- Rama Levina Foundation (Foral), South Kivu
- Fund For Congolese Women (FFC), Eastern Province
- Fireplace Development for Indigenous Self-promotion of the Pygmies and Disadvantaged (FDAPID / HOPE), North Kivu
- Great Lakes Human Rights Program (GLHRP), North Kivu
- Group of Associations for the Defence of Human Rights and Peace (GADHOP), North Kivu
- Group of men for the Fight against Violence (GHOLVI), North Kivu
- Jeremiah Group, South Kivu
- Justice and Liberation (GJL) group, Orientale Province.
- LOTUS Group, Eastern Province
- Lufalanga Group for Justice and Peace (GLJP), Eastern Province
- Human Rights Watch
- Ignatus Congo, South Kivu
- Congolese Initiative for Justice and Peace (ICJP), South Kivu.
- International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ), Kinshasa
- Committed lawyers for the Defense of Human Rights (JEDHO), North Kivu
- Lawyers States for the Promotion of Human Rights in the fight against the Arbitrary (JUPDA), North Kivu
- Justice Plus (JP), Eastern Province
- JUSTICIA, Katanga
- Voice of the Voiceless Neither Liberty (VOVOLIB), South Kivu
- Relief voiceless, Orientale Province
- Friends of Nelson Mandela for the Defense of Human Rights (ANMDH), Kinshasa
- League Voters (LE), Kinshasa
- League of Women Defenders of Human Rights (LIFEDDH), Kasai Oriental
- League Sacrifices Volunteers for the Defense of Human Rights and the Environment (LISVDHE), North Kivu
- League for Peace, Human Rights and Justice (LIPADHOJ) Kinshasa / Orientale Province
- League for the Promotion and Integral Development of Women and Children (LIPRODIFE), Eastern Province
- Maniema Development (MANIDEV), Maniema
- Maniema Freedoms (MALI), Maniema
- MISERY SORS (Oïcha), North Kivu
- New Congolese Civil Society (NSCC), Kinshasa
- New Dynamics Integral Rural Development (NODRI), Ecuador
- Congolese Observatory of Human Rights (OCDH), Kinshasa
- Congolese Observatory of Prisons (OCP), North Kivu
- Centre for Civil Society for Peace ores (OSCMP)
- Governance and Peace Observatory (OGP), South Kivu
- Eye for the Development of Congo (ODC), South Kivu
- Advocacy organization Litigants Vulnerable (ODEJUVU), North Kivu
- Organization for Recovery and Rehabilitation of Street Children (ORRER), North Kivu
- Workers of the World (MDGs), South Kivu
- Parliamentarians For Global Action (PGA), Kinshasa
- Pax Christ Butembo, North Kivu
- PAX DEI, Orientale Province
- Peace and Human Dignity for Development (HPSD), North Kivu
- Kivu / Maniema – Support Program for Sustainable Development (PAD), South
- Women and Environment Programme (EFP), North Kivu
- Democracy Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (PDH), North Kivu
- Promotion and Restorative Justice Initiatives Integral Development (PJRIDI), North Kivu
- Network ARDA, North Kivu
- Network of Associations of Human Rights in Ituri (RADHIT), Eastern Province
- Wake Women for Integrated Development (RFEDI), North Kivu
- Save Communities in Conflict (CSC DRC) North Kivu
- Save the World by Action (SWA), North Kivu
- Social Solidarity Action (SAS), South Kivu
- Solidarity Volunteers for Humanity (SVH), South Kivu
- Women’s Solidarity for Peace and Integral Development (SOFEPADI), Eastern Province
- Women’s Solidarity for Development (SFD), Eastern Province
- Solidarity for Sustainable Peace in Congo (SOPADC), Eastern Province
- Solidarity for the Promotion of Social Peace and Peace (SOPROP), North Kivu
- Solidarity for development in rural areas and local governance (SDMGL), Kasai Occidental
- Solidarity, Integral Assistance to the needy (SAIPED), Eastern Province
- Initiatives Support Development and Protection (SIDEP), North Kivu
- Initiatives Support for Human Rights (ISHR), North Kivu
- Union Defence of the Interests of Peasants (SYDIP), North Kivu
- Union of Women Workers (SYFET), North Kivu
- Syndicat d’Initiative of Kasha (SIKASH), South Kivu
- Synergy of Women for Peace and Reconciliation of Peoples of the Great Lakes of Africa (SPR), South Kivu
- Synergy of Congolese NGOs for Victims (SYCOVI), Kinshasa
- Land Of Children (TDE), Eastern Province
- All in Action for Progress (TAP), North Kivu
- Union of Women for Peace and Social Advancement (UFPS), Eastern Province
- Union for the Development of Humanity, North Kivu
- Union for the Protection of the Defense of Human Rights and Environment (UPDDH), North Kivu
- Vision Humanitarian Medical (VHMed), North Kivu
- Voice of the Voiceless (VSV)
