Verontrusting in het Oosterlijk gedeelte van Congo vanwege serieuze schendingen van  de mensenrechten

U.N. Human Rights Experts concerned about serious Human Rights Violations in Eastern DRC

 

 

Sorry, dit artikel is in het engels. Het is echter gemakkelijk te lezen, evenwel met een droeve achtergrond!

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KINSHASA, Dem. Rep. of Congo (DRC) November 28, 2008. African Press Organization (APO) United Nations Human Rights Experts concerned about serious Human Rights Violations in Eastern DRC

DE SITUATIE VERSLECHTERT MET DE DAG!

“The humanitarian and security situation in the East of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has once again worsened as fighting in North Kivu has resumed. Civilians are at risk as we continue to receive reports of serious violations of human rights and grave breaches of international humanitarian law from the region.”, a group of independent experts mandated by the United Nations Human Rights Council said today, as the Council was preparing to hold a special session on the human rights situation in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Mr. Philip Alston, Special “rapporteur” on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, added: “I have received numerous reports of extrajudicial executions, and killings of civilians, including massacres. These reports need to be thoroughly investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice.” He also expressed the need for commanders on the ground to take immediate action to put an end to these killings.

ALGEMENE VERONTWAARDIGING

Ms. Yakin Ertürk, Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, is alarmed about an apparent surge in rapes committed by armed men in Eastern DRC. Echoing concerns expressed by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Navi Pillay, on the occasion of the International Day on the Elimination of Violence against Women.

The Special Rapporteur said: “Rape continues to be used as an instrument of war, and women and girls are left without protection. The scourge of violence against women in the Democratic Republic of Congo will only end if rape is punished. Perpetrators thrive on a climate of impunity, which must be challenged and stopped. I am further concerned that activists defending women’s rights are themselves under serious threat.”

Mr. Walter Kälin, Representative of the Secretary-General on the human rights of internally displaced persons, highlighted that at least 250,000 people have been newly displaced in Eastern Congo since the crisis began.

BESCHRIJVING VAN GEWELD

“Civilians must flee fighting for a safety that remains elusive. In some cases, they are attacked by rebel forces. In other cases, the soldiers who were meant to protect them have instead pillaged their towns and villages. The result is massive displacement,” said Mr. Kälin while expressing concern about repeated reports of IDPs being attacked in their camps.

Ms. Margaret Sekaggya, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders also expressed concerns: “According to reports I received, human rights defenders, including journalists and civil society activists, have been subjected to threats, attacks as well as arbitrary arrest and detention since the resumption of hostilities.”

The independent experts highlighted that pillaging of a town or place, rape and murder committed during armed conflict amount to war crimes: “Military and armed group commanders who are aware that their subordinates are committing such crimes but do nothing to stop them incur personal criminal responsibility and have to be brought to justice.”

OPROEP TOT RESPECT VOOR MENSENRECHTEN

“We call –said the group of UN experts- on the parties to the armed conflict to respect human rights and international humanitarian law, uphold ceasefire commitments and provide humanitarian agencies free, unimpeded and secure access to populations in need in conformity with international law.”

“The international community has a responsibility to protect and should provide MONUC, the peacekeeping mission of the United Nations in the DRC, with the capacity to protect civilians at risk, where and when State authorities fail to do so,” the independent experts concluded.

INTERNATIONALE DAG VOOR DE

UITROEIÏNG VAN GEWELD TEGEN VROUWEN

Toespraak van minister Koenders op 25 november jongstleden: http://www.minbuza.nl/nl/actueel/speeches,2008/11/geweld-tegen-vrouwen.html

 

Women's activists have marked November 25 as a day against violence since 1981. On December 17, 1999, the United Nations General Assembly designated 25 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (Resolution 54/134). The UN invited governments, international organizations and NGOs to organize activities designated to raise public awareness of the problem on this day as an international observance. Women around the world are subject to rape, domestic violence and other forms of violence, and the scale and true nature of the issue is often hidden.

This date came from the brutal assassination in 1960, of the three Mirabal sisters, political activists in the Dominican Republic, on orders of Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo (1930-1961).

There is more information about the history of this day, and UN publications relating to violence against women, at the UN's Dag Hammarskjöld Library. The UNIFEM (United Nations Development Fund for Women) also has a regular observance of the day, and offers suggestions for others to observe it.

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SOURCE : Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)