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ACTION REQUEST

Congo-Brazzaville: Mass violations to human rights

General Appeal regarding the current situation in Congo-Brazzaville
                                  
                          Case COG 121198


The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT 
intervention regarding the following situation in Congo-Brazzaville.

Brief description of the situation

The Observatoire Congolais des Droits de l'Homme (OCDH), a member of 
the OMCT network, has expressed its grave concern over the general 
situation of human rights in Congo-Brazzaville.

According to information received, following the end of the civil war of 
1997, General Denis Sassou Nguesso (head of the Patriotic and 
Democratic Forces-FDP) came into office.  Since then, summary 
executions, arbitrary detentions and harassment have become a common 
pattern in several areas of Congo-Brazzaville.

During the months of October and November, armed gangs committed 
several acts of violence in the area of Pool.  In response to these events, 
members of the Congolese Army Forces (Forces Armées Congolaises -
FAC-) and the National Police, in complicity with members of the MCDDI 
(a private army group allegedly belonging to the political faction of the 
former Prime Minister in exile, Bernard Kolelas), using the excuse of 
restoring public order, are alleged to have destroyed and looted houses, 
raped young and elderly women, as well as summarily executed every 
man they considered to be a member of an armed gang.

As a result of these acts, people from the area have been forced to 
abandon their homes and hide in the forests.  Official agents have taken 
advantage from this situation by clearing the houses and later selling the 
goods in public markets.

Moreover, on October 4 1998, agents of the Public Force (Force 
Publique), looking for gang members, carried out indiscriminate 
interrogations of the inhabitants of the Pool area and systematically beat 
and threatened their life.  A person known as Makkis (his real name is 
unknown) was summarily executed.  On the same day, people traveling 
from Mabaya to Brazzaville and from Madzia to Brazzaville were forced 
out of their cars and searched.  Young men were wounded with knives.  
Mr. Dikamona Ngoma, aged 22, from the neighborhood Kingouari in 
Brazzaville was severely wounded in the stomach.  Mr. Igor Mayetala, 
aged 19, Mr. Jean Kimounga, aged 22 and Mr. Pacome Tchakaka were 
also wounded.  Furthermore, a minor, Ms. Laeticia Bayouloula, aged 16, 
was kidnapped and raped.

Arbitrary detentions

Since October numerous persons allegedly belonging to the political 
opposition or accused of having political or even familial connections 
with the former President, have been arrested without warrant and 
detained at several locations, mainly, at the "Commissariat Central", the 
"Commissariat de la Gare Centrale", the "Camps de la Gendarmerie" and 
the "Camps de la Base Aérienne".  According to the OCDH, they have 
been held without trial, in violation of the administrative detention law 
stipulating a maximum 72-hours term.  Furthermore, they have been 
denied access to visits and conditions are extremely poor.

Moreover, nineteen officials of the Congolese Army Forces are still 
being held in detention without charges in the Military Academy 
facilities.  The OCDH also informed the International Secretariat of the 
illegal detention of two former high ranking civil servants, Mr. Henri 
Marcellin Ndzouma-Nguelet (counselor of former President Pascal 
Lissouba) and Mr. Jean Michel Ebaka (former Governor of Cuvette)

The complete list of  the detainnees is available at the International 
Secretariat.

 Summary executions

According to information received from the OCDH, a great number of 
persons have been summarily executed during the course of this year.  
Mr. Moukoli Mayouma and Mr. Aaron Louniema-Banimba were arrested 
and executed at the Itatolo cemetery, in the North of Brazzaville by 
unidentified armed persons in military clothes.  Up until November 6, 
1998, no legal investigation had been opened.

On September 12 1998, Lieutenant-colonel Jean Serge Djobeza was 
executed at the Central Police Station (Commissariat Central) by 
policemen of the "Compagnie d'Intervention" in response to his 
disapproval of "irregular" acts committed by this "Compagnie". 

On September 30 1998, Mr. Tomas Mvoutou, aged 28, was shoot dead by 
a unidentified member of the military.

On October 18 1998, Mr. Christian Wilfried Ballou Loemba, aged 25, 
was executed in public by a well known police agent belonging to the 
Intervention Group of the National Police (GIPN) in the Municipal 
Stadium of Pointe-Noire.  Up until November 6, 1998, no charges had 
been brought against him.

All the aforementioned events are having a serious impact on freedom of 
expression in the country.  According to the information, several 
journalists and news paper agencies have also been subjected to 
harassment and illegal searches and looting. 

OMCT expresses its deep concern over the increasing disregard for the 
rule of law and the continuous human rights violations in Congo-
Brazzaville.  

 Action requested

Please write to the authorities of Congo-Brazzaville urging them to:

i.- guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all 
    detainees, including the aforementioned persons, in Congolese 
    detention facilities at all times, and allow detainees to have 
    immediate access to legal counsel and medical care;

  ii.-order their immediate release if they are held in detention 
    without any valid charges or, in the event that they have been 
    charged, bring them immediately before a competent and 
    impartial tribunal and guarantee their full procedural rights as 
    well as their right to legal counsel at all times, in conformity with 
    the international human rights standards;

  iii.-abolish the practice of illegal or arbitrary detention and put an 
    end to the practice of torture, ill-treatment and summary 
    execution;

iv.-ensure prompt and impartial investigations into these facts, in 
    order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply 
    the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by 
    law;

v.- guarantee all human rights and fundamental freedoms and 
    conform their actions to the international standards as 
    established in international pacts and covenants.

Addresses :

General Denis Sassou Nguesso, President de la Republique, Presidence 
de la Republique, Brazzaville
Republique du Congo, Fax (+ 242) 83 50 67

Colonel Pierre Oba, Ministre de l'Interieur, Ministere de l'Interieur, 
Brazaville, Republique du Congo

Geneva,  12 November 1998, Fax : + 242 835 121


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The Human Rights Action Network, a part of Derechos Human Rights, distributes appeals on behalf of victims of human rights violations. You are invited to join the network. Please check the date of the present action and do not write if it's over a month old.