Problem In The Democratic Republic Of The Congo
Congo, Republic of
The Republic of Congo is ruled by a government in which most of the decision-making authority is vested directly in the President and his administration. Denis Sassou-Nguesso was elected President in 2002, and legislative elections were held in 2002 for the Senate and the National Assembly in all jurisdictions, except for parts of the Pool region where an insurgency was active. The President's Congolese Workers' Party won the May and June 2002 legislative elections and controlled 129 seats in the 137-seat National Assembly. Both the presidential and legislative elections were determined "not to contradict the will of the people" by independent monitors; however, there were some flaws and irregularities in the administration of these elections. Uncontrolled and unidentified armed elements remained active in the Pool region, despite an ongoing demobilization and reintegration program following the March 2003 Peace Accord between the Government and Pasteur Ntum ... [Read More]
V. Country Narratives -- Countries A through G
Cyprus is a destination country for women trafficked from Eastern and Central Europe for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Traffickers who forced women into prostitution continued to fraudulently recruit victims for work as dancers in cabarets and nightclubs on short-term "artiste" visas, for work in pubs and bars on employment visas, or for illegal work on tourist or student visas. There was increasing evidence of Chinese women being trafficked for sexual exploitation in Cyprus. The Government of Cyprus does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. Cyprus made some progress in its anti-trafficking efforts over the past year. The new police anti-trafficking unit produced successful results and showed vigilance in combating the problem. Government recognition of the problem improve ... [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]
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]
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]
U.S. Hosts Meeting to Foster Peace in African Great Lakes - US Department of State
More than three and a half million people have died as a result of deprivation and conflict in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo over the past six years. This is the highest death toll in any conflict since the end of World War II. Although conditions have improved, there are continuing incidents of violence in eastern Congo and the situation remains volatile. It is urgent that the countries of the region, with the support of the international community and the United States, take action to address the causes. ... [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 Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is nominally a highly centralized republic with extensive powers vested in President Joseph Kabila, head of a national Transitional Government, which was formed in June 2003 and is composed of former belligerent factions, including representatives from the former government, former rebel groups, civil society, and the political opposition. President Kabila came to power in 2001 after the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire Kabila. There have not been free elections since independence in 1960; however, the Transitional Constitution, which resulted from political negotiations that ended 4 years of war in the country, provides for national general elections in 2005. Elections may be delayed for two 6-month periods with Parliament's approval. Although the law provides for a unified, strong central government, in practice the Government remained divided and weak. The country remained effectively divided into territor ... [Read More]
2004
1111--12/03/04 Conflict in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo ... 1111--12/20/04 Conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo ... 1111--12/16/04 Saudi Arabia: Authentication of Alleged Audiotape of the Attack on the U.S. Consulate in Jeddah (Taken Question) ... [Read More]
Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement
10.1 In accordance with the terms of the Agreement and following the inter-Congolese political negotiations, there shall be a mechanism taking into account, among others, the physical check of troops, the precise identification of troops, the precise identification of all elements with regard to their origin, date of their enlistment, the units to which they belong, as well as the identification of terrorists and the count of weapons of war distributed in the framework of irregular ("parallel") civil defence groups, for the formation of a national army, restructured and integrated, including the forces of the Congolese Parties signatories to the Agreement, on the basis of negotiations between the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Congolese Rally for Democracy and the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo. ... [Read More]
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