Congo - Chronicle 19

March 2 - March 15, 1998

sources: ACP, Reuters, Le Soir

KIVU

ACP reported on March 2 about a message from representatives of the civil society in Butembo concerning grave insecurity around Butembo and Lubero (North Kivu). In a letter to the governor of North Kivu, Kanyamuhanga, they mention a number of serious crimes committed by the military: in some villages 90 houses were set in fire in January, and last year in December in some other villages 65 houses were burnt down. The civil society asks the governor to start an investigation on the behaviour of the military and to have the offenders tried by military court.

In another part of North Kivu, namely Walikale, Kanyamuhanga has just finished an inspection visit. He says that the people there gave him a warm reception. The chefs coutumiers (tribal chiefs) are prepared to cooperate for the security of the region. The governor has promised to supply communication means for the local authorities to get the region out of isolation. The road from Walikale to Masisi and Sake will be reconstructed. Furthermore a children vaccination programm against polio, rubella and whooping cough will be executed in Walikale.

ACP reported on March 10 that Kanyamuhanga has talked with the leader of the Hutu rebels in the region of Masisi, Ntibaturana, who assured him that the Hutu people are prepared for peace and would surrender of their arms to the authorities.

The mayor of Goma, Kisuba Shebeani, has communicated to ACP, also on March 10, that his town is calm again.

In South Kivu were serious riots last month between Banyamulenge and the Congolese army, the FAC. Meanwhile, according to a report on March 14, the chief staff of the FAC, James Kabare, has reached an agreement with the leaders of the Banyamulenge. Commandant James declares that there is no war nor foreign occupation in Kivu. There are indeed ethnic tensions, but he asked the whole population to use all its efforts to fight racial prejudices. His commando will identify the instigators of ethnic problems and make an end to illegal weapon possession.

The human rights group AZADHO reported that more that 300 people were killed in the Butembo region during fights between the Congolese army and the Mai-Mai in the end of February.

Mining

ACP reported (March 2) that the Congolese government has negotiated two conventions with foreign companies.The Canadian Barrick Gold Corporation signed an agreement for the exploitation of gold and silver in the East Province. The capital shares are: Congolese State 58% and Barrick Gold 42%. The contract contains conditions for a social plan: a good salary for the employees, equipment for hospitals and schools, and the improvement of roads. The second agreement is with the Australian Anvil Mining; it concerns the exploitation of copper in Katanga, near the village Pueto. The ownership ratio is: Congolese State 51%, and Anvil Mining 49%. The contract provides for the creation of 500 jobs, roads and hospital reconstruction, and agricultural projects.

The richess of minerals in Congo is well known (often one speaks of a "geological scandal"), but again and again new sources of minerals are discovered. E.g. in the region of Kwango ( South Bandundu, at the border of Angola) diamond exploitation will be taken up again. And in Bas-Congo, near Boma, some investigations by Congolese researchers showed possibilities for gold, cassiterite and diamond winning.

The minister of Mining, Kibassa Maliba, visited Canada (March 8 - 13) on invitation of the Association Canadienne des Prospecteurs et Entrepreneurs Miniers. In Toronto he gave a discourse to clarify the Congolese mining policy. First of all there will be a new mining code, which is worked out with help of the Worldbank within a few months; mining agreements will henceforth correspond to international juridical rules.Severity and transparence are the government's devices concerning the mining policy, fraud and corruption will be contested at every level. Private enterprises are heartily invited to invest in Congo and to engage in joint-ventures. Some Canadian companies are already present in Congo; TENKE MINERAL CORP., BARRICK GOLD CORP., AFRICAN MINERAL CORP., FIRST QUANTUM MINERALS.
ACP reported later that still more Canadian companies have shown interest to invest in Congo.

Government's projects / monetary questions

The minister of Transport, Henri Mova, participated at the meeting of the Great Lakes Authority for Transit in Mombasa (Kenya). Mova argued in favour of economic integration of African countries. This could be promoted by the "Corridor Nord", a network of roads linking the most important commercial centres in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Congo and Tanzania. The improvement of the traffic routes has the highest priority to the Congolese government. Repair of harbours, like the harbour of Kisangani (East Congo), is also necessary, Mova said.

The minister of Public Works, Bishikwabo, has inspected in Katanga the progress of the road building. The costs for the reconstruction of roads in Katanga are estimated at $ 700 million. Two roads are being repaired now: the road connecting Lubumbashi to Kolwezi, in the North, and the road from Lubumbashi to Kasumbalesa, near the Zambian border.

The governor of the National Bank, Masangu, explained in an interview with ACP in which way the monetary problems have to be solved. First aim is to reach an equilibrium in the value and the same rate of exchange of the Congolese currency in the whole country. When this uniformity is attained, the new Congolese franc will be introduced. At the same time a purification of the banking system of the country will be effectuated, insolvable banks will be closed. The Congolese government will not agree new debts with the international monetary institutions, IMF and Worldbank.

At the moment the government budget is in equilibrium, at a level of $ 765 671 404. The BNP is about $ 6 billion, it is expected to grow 2.5% in 1998, at 12.5% inflation. The mean rate is 130 000 NZ (new zaire) for 1 $. The tax burden is 11.1%.

Women's day March 8

On the occasion of the International Women's Day, several Congolese women associations were made the centre of attention at a meeting in Kinshasa. The government promised $ 500 000 to support their activities.

International contacts

Belgium promised to reserve 50 milion BF for the automation of the ministry of Civil Service. The service has not been able to work for decennies by lack of means. For that reason the Belgian branch of Siemens will pay a visit to Kinshasa at the end of March.
The Netherlands have, by way of the ambassador mr Fred Racke, promised to support the reconstruction of Congo. At a meeting with the minister of International Cooperation, mr Luanghy, on March 11, Racke said that the Netherlands agree with viewpoints of the Congolese government about development cooperation, indicated as 'responsable partnership'.
A delegation of German entrepreneurs of the Afrika Verein has visited Kinshasa and has expressed the intention to invest in agriculture, mining and transport.

Friends of Congo

On March 6 a follow-up conference of the so-called Friends of Congo took place in Stockholm. It concerns Belgium, Canada, USA, Great Brittain, Netherlands, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Switserland (rich industrialized countries) and some international institutions. The first meeting of this kind was held on December 3/4 last year in Brussels under the direction of Worldbank; it was organised in view of financial assistance for the reconstruction of Congo.
Reuters reports (8/3) that the donor countries have promised $ 32 million for the trust fund for Congo. [note:The amount contrasts sharply with the financial support voted by the rich countries to tackle the problems in the South-East Asian countries. There, the promises sometimes amount to more than $ 100 billion, to South Korea e.g., wereas poverty in those countries is far less than in Congo.]
Great Brittain is said to have deposited $ 10 million in the trust fund for health care, education, supply of drinking water etc. Worldbank expects that the fund will receive more money in the time to come.

SADC

Contacts with African neighbouring countries are of great importance for Congo. President Kabila attended a meeting in the beginning of March in Maputo (Mocambique) of the 13 African countries which are members of the SADC (Southern Afircan Development Committee). At this summit problems were discussed of countries as Angola and the Comores, and the border conflict between Namibia and Botswana. An other important subject was the mutual economic cooperation. Kabila is a warm supporter of an "African common market".

Constitutional Commission

The Constitutional Commission has started its plenary sessions on March 5.In the next weeks the plenary assembly will discuss a total of 250 articles worked out by 3 subcommissions. The 1st subcommision will present articles about general dispositions, fundamental rights and freedom, the 2nd subcommission : political regulations, the 3rd : transitional measures and specific questions.
The Constitutional Commission prefers a unitarian state with elected president and vice-president, and with an important part of autonomy for the provinces. Legislative, executive and judicial powers ought to be independent.
One expects that the definitive text of the Constitution will be ready at the end of March and will be presented to the President on March 31. Then, a Constituante will be formed to discuss the text and after the official publication by the President a referendum will be held.

Human Rights

The minister of Foreigh Affairs opened on March 11 a two days seminary about human rights for high functionaries of all ministries.It is organized together with the representative in Congo of the UN High Commissioner's office for the Human Rights, Frej Fenniche. The member of the corps diplomatique assisted the opening. The aim of the seminary is to start the promotion of human rights in national level and to institute an inter-ministerial committee for the Human Rights. During the meeting the UN representative encouraged the government to a dialogue with the ngo's for the human rights and to actively promote justice. The UN plans to bring together in May the representatives of the government and ngo's, and national and international experts to stimulate a good human rights practice.

UN investigation

The investigations by the UN team to the murder of Hutu refugees continues. The American Human Rights Watch has sent a letter to the Secretary General of the UN, Kofi Annan, about insecurity for the informants of the UN team. According to HRW some informants were hold by the Congolese security service after speaking with the UN team.

Executions

Some media reported about executions which took place in Lubumbashi. They say that people have received death penalty and were executed publicly. ACP reported (March 4) with reference to these executions a.o. the following: the military court in Lubumbashi has condemned 7 persons to death and 2 persons to prison.This persons were members of a gang and were accused of murder and armed robbery. ACP mentions their names and the names of their victims. (noot: the western media reported the execution, but not that it concerned criminals. So they suggest wrongly that executions take place arbitrarily in Congo)