AFRICA - House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats

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morning (see Section 1.c.). Police provided no explanation for their arrest. On October
11, security agents abducted seven other UDPS members from a street corner
in Kinshasa. They reportedly continued to be detained at Camp Kokolo at year’s end
and were subjected to daily beatings (see Section 1.c.).
On March 8, security agents from the DGM detained Joseph Olenghankoy, president
of the opposition party FONUS, as he was departing Kinshasa for Brazzaville,
Republic of the Congo. The security agents confiscated his documents and prevented
him from leaving the country (see Section 2.d.).
On March 16, security agents prevented a planned demonstration by the FSD in
the Ndjili district of Kinshasa (see Section 2.b.). Immediately prior to the event, police
arrested some FSD members who gathered for the demonstration; all were released
the same evening or the following morning. The police commandant severely
beat the president of the FSD, Eugene Diomi, when he arrived at the precinct in
Ndjili to inquire about the arrests. Police also arrested a woman whom they wrongly
thought to be Diomi’s wife; she later was released. On November 15, security forces
arrested Diomi after he questioned whether the aggression against the country
began in 1998 when Rwanda invaded or in 1996 when the AFDL took over the country
with the help of Rwanda. He was released from Makala prison on December 7.
On March 20, in the town of Pusuku, Bandundu Province, an altercation between
a police officer named Masango and a young man named Kituku escalated after villagers
intervened to assist Kituku. The police officer initially fled; however, federal
police from the Mungindu station returned to the town the same evening and destroyed
Kituku’s home. The police arrested any persons who approached the house
and forced them to pay bribes to secure their release.
On April 22, police arrested Francois Lumumba, President of MNC–L, during a
party meeting at his home (see Section 2.b.). He was detained without formal
charges at the Palais du Peuple in Kinshasa until May 3.
On May 1, security forces arrested Raphael Ghenda, the Secretary General of the
CPP’s. The Government released Ghenda several days later, but provided no explanation
for his arrest or detention.
On May 5, police arrested four tax authority employees, Blaise Banzwa Kabo,
Albano Mopipi, Andre Yoba Mbesi, and Kakale Makala, and detained them for 10
days for ‘‘endangering state security’’ (see Section 6.a.).
On May 25, security forces arrested Kinshasa University students Placide Nkoso
and Jean-Pierre Mofila Mboma for involvement in a student demonstration on May
17 (see Section 2.b.). Both were detained on the charge of suspected collaboration
with MLC rebel leader Jean-Pierre Bemba. Both Mofila and Nkoso remained in detention
at Makala prison at year’s end (see Section 2.a. and 2.b.). It was unknown
at year’s end whether the students had been charged. On July 18, security force
agents arrested a Kinshasa University student known only as Kosso, in connection
with a student demonstration on July 17 (see Section 2.b.). Kosso remained in jail
at year’s end.
On May 29, the National Intelligence Agency (ANR) arrested Felicien Malanda
and Georges Nazimbika, leaders of the National Council of Development NGO’s
(CHONGD), and detained them until June 27 without formal charges.
On June 3, ANR agents arrested Felicien Malanda Nsumba, executive secretary
of CNONGD, and detained him at the BinzaMacampagne facility in Kinshasa. He
was released later in June but received no explanation for his arrest.
On June 3, police arrested Jeannot Bemba Saolona, Minister of Economy and Industry
and father of MLC rebel leader Jean-Pierre Bemba, Badimanyi Mulumba,
Minister of State for Planning, and Frederic Kibassa-Maliba, Minister of Mines;
President Kabila released the three on July 5. On June 10, government authorities
arrested Victor Mpoyo, Minister of State for Petroleum Affairs. Bemba was accused
of misappropriating hard currency; however, no specific charges were given for the
other arrests.
On the night of June 10, in the Masina district of Kinshasa, there were
unconfirmed reports that soldiers forcibly entered the home of Reverend Placide
Tshisumpa Tshiakatumba, president of the International Society for Human Rights
(ISHR). Under the pretense of searching for ‘‘suspicious’’ documents, the soldiers allegedly
systematically searched Tshisumpa’s belongings and stole jewelry, money,
and a camera. The soldiers reportedly then blindfolded and bound Tshisumpa, abducted
him in their jeep, and drove him around Kinshasa until 3 a.m. (see Section
1.f.).
On June 23, security police arrested Jonas Mukamba Nzemba, former governor
of Eastern Kasai Province and head of an Mbuji Mayi diamond company, and 33
guests at his home. Mukamba was released on December 7; the others were released
in small groups prior to Mukamba’s release.
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