•  Home
•  Who We Are
•  What We Do
•  Media Centre
•  Publications
•  Humphrey Award
•  Reference
•  Links
•  Contact Us

Hope for Peace in Congo-Kinshasa

The International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development today hailed the appointment of a mediator in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) civil war, as an important breakthrough.

MONTREAL - December 17, 1999 - The International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development today hailed the appointment of a mediator in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) civil war, as an important breakthrough.

"We sincerely hope that the appointment of this credible and able mediator, the former president of Botswana Sir Ketumile Masire, will prompt all factions to put an end to the fighting and to work seriously toward the development and implementation of a truly democratic r?gime in Congo-Kinshasa," said Warren Allmand, President of the ICHRDD.

The International Centre, through its Africa programme, has been working for more than a year with representatives of civil society within the DRC and those living in exile, to promote a true "national dialogue" which would pave the way for an inclusive participatory peace process and democracy in Congo-Kinshasa.

The Organization of African Unity (OAU), in announcing the appointment, said Masire would organize and preside over negotiations on a new "political order" between the government of Laurent-D?sir? Kabila, rebel groups, political opposition and other leaders in the country.

The negotiations will centre on the formation of a new army, new governing institutions, holding elections and the drafting of a constitution. The same demands were put forward by representatives of civil society when they formed an independant commission on a national dialogue in the RDC, last January following a three-day meeting in Montreal, sponsored by the ICHRDD.

Mr. Allmand acknowledged that the agreement is ambitious but stressed that all parties must work toward its fulfillment in order to prevent another humanitarian crisis in the African Great Lakes region. The Lusaka peace accord came into force August 31, 1999 but has failed to halt fighting. It also sets the timetable for the "national dialogue" to start 30 days after the appointment of the mediator.

The International Centre hopes that Masire's appointment will pave the way for the deployment of 500 United Nations military observers, and the possible arrival of 20,000 troops to maintain peace in the DRC.