MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the Democratic Republic of Congo: the case of Floribert Chebeya Bahizire

15.6.2010

with request for inclusion in the agenda for the debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 122 of the Rules of Procedure

Michał Tomasz Kamiński, Charles Tannock, Tomasz Piotr Poręba, Adam Bielan, Ryszard Antoni Legutko on behalf of the ECR Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B7-0376/2010

B7‑0381/2010

European Parliament resolution on the Democratic Republic of Congo: the case of Floribert Chebeya Bahizire

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on Congo and on the killings of human rights activists,

- having regard to the statements issued by the Congolese Minister of Interior Adolphe Lumanu on 3 June (ordering the State security services to investigate the troubling deaths of these two men in unclear circumstances) and 6 June 2010 (on the suspension of inspector general John Numbi),

- having regard to the Statement by the spokesperson of High Representative Catherine Ashton on the death of Floribert Chebeya Bihizire, Executive Director of the organisation "La Voix des Sans Voix," on 3 June 2010,

- having regard to the Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the Democratic Republic of Congo on 3 June 2010 and the statements issued by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions Philip Alston and Alan Doss and the head of the UN peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC),

- having regard to the Open Letter to President Joseph Kabila regarding Commission of Inquiry on the death of Floribert Chebeya Bahizire signed by over 50 human rights organizations,

- having regard to Rule 122(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

 

 

A. whereas Floribert Chebeya Bahizire, 47, a prominent human rights activist in the Democratic Republic of Congo, was found dead in his car on the outskirts of Kinshasa under suspicious circumstances on 2 June 2010, one day after he was summoned to meet with the national police chief,

 

B. whereas Fidèle Bazana, the driver of Mr Chebeya, is still missing,

 

C. whereas Mr Chebeya had received regular threats and harassment from the police and was under surveillance by security forces over the last 20 years, and was deemed at risk by Amnesty International in a report this year,

 

D. whereas Mr Chebeya was the founder and executive director of one of Congo's largest and most respected human rights organizations, the Voix des Sans Voix (Voice of the Voiceless), based in Kinshasa, and the Executive Secretary of the Réseau National des ONG des Droits de l’homme de la République démocratique du Congo (Democratic Republic of Congo National Network of Human Rights NGOs, RENADHOC),

 

E. whereas Mr Chebeya’s work in the defence of democracy and human rights in the Democratic Republic of Congo since the 1990s, which included corruption in the military, links between militias and foreign political forces, upholding of the constitution, illegal arrests, arbitrary detention and improvement of prison conditions, has earned him the respect and admiration of his compatriots and of the international community,

 

F. whereas the Congolese government has denied international participation in the investigations of the death of Mr Chebeya and the disappearance of Mr Bazana,

 

G. whereas there is increasing oppression through constant intimidation, harassment and killing of human rights defenders, journalists, political opponents, victims and witnesses in the Democratic Republic of Congo,

 

 

1. Expresses sincere sympathy and condolences to the family and friends of Mr Chebeya;

 

2. Calls on the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo to conduct thorough, transparent and independent investigations into the killing of Mr Chebeya and the disappearance of Mr Bazana,

 

3. Takes note that the Congolese interior ministry has ordered the State security service to investigate the death of Mr Chebeya and the disappearance of Mr Bazana and that the national police chief John Numbi has been suspended and various police officers have been arrested in connection with the killing of Mr Chebeya as steps towards conducting impartial investigations;

 

4. Welcomes the Congolese authorities’ agreement to the participation of Dutch forensic experts in the autopsy;

 

5. Calls for a fair trial based on evidence and rule of law of suspects involved with the killing of Mr Chebeya and the disappearance of Mr Bazana;

 

6. Calls for an end to impunity in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Calls on the Congolese government to hold those involved in and responsible for Mr Chebeya’s death accountable and to bring them to justice;

 

7. Condemns the constant oppression of human rights activists, journalists, political opponents, victims and witnesses in the Democratic Republic of Congo;

 

8. Calls on the Congolese authorities to respect the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to ensure the safety and protection of human rights defenders and their families;

 

9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the UN Secretary-General, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo.