Strong Contingent of Peacekeepers needed in Congo-Kinshasa

MONTREAL - May 24, 2000 - Rights & Democracy is calling on the international community to support the deployment of a large and well-equipped United Nations peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

"The experience of Sierra Leone has demonstrated that peacekeeping requires more than good intentions. It requires a large contingent of well-trained, well-equipped peacekeepers and a serious commitment to see the process through," said today Warren Allmand, President of the International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development, now known as Rights & Democracy.

Mr. Allmand joined the leader of the major opposition party in the DRC, ?tienne Tshisekedi, in calling for the deployment of the long-awaited peacekeeping force in a news conference earlier today. They discussed the peace process and implementation of the Lusaka peace accords.

Mr.Tshisekedi, leader of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress, is in Canada this week as part of a North-American tour to meet government officials and business people in a bid to build support for the peace process. Under the terms of the Lusaka accords signed last summer, 5,537 UN troops are set to be deployed in the former Za?re as early as June to maintain peace in the country. The peacekeeping is seen as a first step, which will allow the country to begin rebuilding its democratic institutions after years of strife.

While the UN has promised the peacekeeping force, there is no firm agreement on the date of the deployment. "It is now obvious that much more than 5,537 troops will be required to maintain peace in Congo," Mr. Allmand said noting that in Sierra Leone, the UN Security Council originally agreed to send 11,100 troops to oversee implementation of the peace process between the government and the RUF rebels. Now UN Secretary Kofi Annan wants to add at least 5,000 more troops. "The Democratic Republic of Congo is much larger than Sierra Leone and it will require considerable resources if the peace accords are to be implemented."

Mr. Allmand agreed with Mr. Tshisekedi that donor countries, such as Canada, must honour their commitments and make available the funds and resources they have promised to Sir Ketumile Masire, the former president of Botswana who was appointed by the Organization for African Unity to facilitate the National dialogue. Canada has promised $1 million dollars, but the funds have yet to be transferred for "technical reasons".

Rights & Democracy is supporting the participation of civil society in the Inter-Congolese dialogue, a first step in the normalization of relations between the citizens of the former Za?re and the present government. The hope is, Mr. Allmand said, that this dialogue will lead to the adoption of a new constitution and eventually the holding of free and democratic elections.

Mr. Tshisekedi will travel to Ottawa and Toronto to meet senior government officials and members of his community who have found refuge in Canada. In co-operation with Rights & Democracy, he will hold a public meeting in Montreal Saturday afternoon.