Democratic Republic Of The Congo Genocide

The United States commends the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the capture of Yusuf Munyakazi and his transfer to the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha, Tanzania.  Munyakazi is indicted for genocide for his alleged role as a leader of the Hutu extremist Interahamwe responsible for killing tens of thousands of Tutsis and moderate Hutus in Rwanda’s Cyangugu prefecture during the genocide in 1994.    [Read More]

Congo (Kinshasa) (06/05)

The area known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo was populated as early as 10,000 years ago and settled in the 7th and 8th centuries A.D. by Bantus from present-day Nigeria. Discovered in 1482 by Portuguese navigator Diego Cao and later explored by English journalist Henry Morton Stanley, the area was officially colonized in 1885 as a personal possession of Belgian King Leopold II as the Congo Free State. In 1907, administration shifted to the Belgian Government, which renamed the country the Belgian Congo. Following a series of riots and unrest, the Belgian Congo was granted its independence on June 30, 1960. Parliamentary elections in 1960 produced Patrice Lumumba as prime minister and Joseph Kasavubu as president of the renamed Democratic Republic of the Congo. ... [Read More]

Arrest of Rwanda Genocide Suspect Tharcisse Renzaho

The United States welcomes the recent apprehension and transfer by the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo of Tharcisse Renzaho to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). Renzaho, the former prefect of Kigali, is alleged to be one of the masterminds of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. He is believed to be a leader of the Army for the Liberation of Rwanda (ALIR) and to have played a commanding role in the war that has gripped the Great Lakes region of Africa. The arrest of Renzaho is part of a commitment that President Joseph Kabila made to President George W. Bush during the UN General Assembly in New York. We urge President Kabila and the members of his government, as well as all states in the region, to continue down this path and arrest all persons indicted for genocide who remain at large. ... [Read More]

UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC)

To work in cooperation with the Joint Military Commission (JMC) established by the Agreement to monitor the implementation of the Lusaka Cease-fire Agreement of July/August 1999 and investigate violations; to maintain liaison with the parties to the Agreement, and with their field headquarters; to develop an action plan for the overall implementation of the Agreement. In addition, MONUC will supervise and verify the disengagement of the parties and will provide support and technical assistance to the Facilitator of the Congolese National Dialogue. ... [Read More]

UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC)

Key Dates March 30, 2005: The United Nations Security Council adopted resolution UNSCR 1592 (2005), extending the present mandate of the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) for another six months, until October 1, 2005, "with the intention to renew it for further periods." August 6, 1999, Resolution 1258 established UN liaison mission to the Congo. February 24, 2000, Resolution 1291 established MONUC cease-fire observer mission; UNSCR 1493 extended mandate of MONUC to July 31, 2004, expanded troop ceiling of MONUC by 2,100 troops to allow deployment of additional battalions in the Ituri region, expanded the use of Chapter VII force, and set up an arms embargo in the eastern DRC. ... [Read More]

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

UDPS Economic Advisor Jean-Baptiste Mulumba, who was arrested in May 2002 by ANR officers in Katanga, was released on May 10 as part of the April general amnesty (see Section 1.e.). Pre-trial detention was systematically prolonged. Human rights NGOs reported that less than 20 percent of the inmates at Makala had been charged or sentenced. Many prisoners released under an April amnesty likely served time without a fair trial or due process (see Section 1.e.). Prisoners were often held in detention after their sentences had expired (see Section 2.a.). In a few instances, when these cases were brought to the attention of the Government, prisoners were released. For example, in September, 28 Rwandan Hutu soldiers and a civilian who had been detained for approximately 5 years were released from Makala after a July visit to the facility by the Human Rights Minister. In areas not under ce ... [Read More]

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

As the war grew into an increasing stalemate, government forces controlled less than half of the country.  Several rebel groups, the Congolese Rally for Democracy based in Goma (RCD/Goma), the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (MLC), and the Congolese Rally for Democracy based in Bunia (RCD/ML) controlled the remaining territory, with the active military support of the Rwandan and Ugandan Governments.  The RCD/Goma remained dominated by members of the Tutsi ethnic minority and continued to be supported by the Government of Rwanda; the RCD/ML commanded fewer troops and, like the largely non-Tutsi MLC, was supported by the Government of Uganda.  War broke out in August 1998, when Kabila tried to expel Rwandan military forces that had helped him overthrow Mobutu.  Congolese Tutsis as well as the Governments of Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda all relied on the Rwandan military presence for protection against hostile armed groups operating from the eastern part of the ... [Read More]

Congo, Democratic Republic of the

The war began in August 1998, when Laurent Kabila tried to expel Rwandan military forces that had helped him overthrow Mobutu. Congolese Tutsis as well as the Governments of Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda, all relied on the Rwandan military presence for protection against hostile armed groups operating from the eastern part of the country. These groups included: The Interahamwe militia of Hutus, mostly from Rwanda, Hutu members of the former Rwandan armed forces, and other Rwandan Hutu militiaman, some of whom took part in the 1994 genocide of Tutsis in Rwanda and who fought the Tutsi-dominated Government of Rwanda; the Mai Mai, a loose association of traditional Congolese local defense forces, which primarily fought Rwandan government forces and their Congolese allies; the Alliance of Democratic Forces (ADF), made up of Ugandan opposition forces supported by the Government of Sudan, which fought the Government of Uganda but largely was inactive during the year; and several groups of Hutu ... [Read More]

2004

1111--05/10/04   Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo Apprehends Genocide Indictee ...

External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. ...

1111--04/05/04   U.S. Delegation to Rwanda for the 10th Commemoration of the Rwandan Genocide ... [Read More]

Congo, Republic of

A local FM radio station rebroadcast Radio France International, VOA, and the BBC. Radio and television broadcasts from the Democratic Republic of the Congo were received in Brazzaville. The private independent radio station, Radio Liberte, continued to broadcast as well as the new privately owned radio station DR-Radio. Local rebroadcasts of the Gabon-based Africa Number One also continued during the year. A Christian missionary group in Pointe Noire broadcast during daylight hours; it voluntarily provided its material to the Government prior to broadcast. Government broadcast media primarily focused their attention on the activities of government officials, but also provided news on other activities by international and local NGOs. During the year, the broadcasts included airing of alternative political views of some opposition members in talk show format, but overall opposition political parties did not have access to the governme ... [Read More]