Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 21st January 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 21st January 2009
President Sarkozy's three principles to end the scramble of Congo’s natural resources by its neighbours!!!
(21 January 2009) – Save the Congo deplores President Sarkozy’s recent call of a joint mining enterprise in the North Kivu, Eastern Congo, which would allow the Democratic Republic of Congo (RDC) and Rwanda to exploit the rich mineral resources for mutual benefit.
Recent UN investigations and reports have uncovered evidence directly implicating President Kagame’s close circle in financing Laurent Nkundabatware’s armed militia and stockpiling Congo’s Cassiterite (tin ore) Gold, Coffee, Diamond, Colten (an essential component of mobile phones, laptops and game counsels) and Wolframite (from which tungsen is derived)
"President Sarkozy's plan would exacerbate the present human tragedy, compounding its ills, and rewarding those who perpetrate such awful crimes against humanity... and against women and children" said the Director of Widows for Peace through Democracy, Margaret Owen.
In its first report published in 2001, the UN appointed Panel of Experts on the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources and Other Forms of Wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo have delivered groundbreaking reports unravelling large volumes of primary evidence implicating President Kagame’s close circle in the systematic plundering of Congo’s natural resources; and in its final, published on 12 December 2008, the Panel have yet again unraveled primary evidence directly implicating Rwanda’s military elites in supplying Laurent Nkundabatware with men, foods and medical assistance whilst waging a war which left around 500 000 killed; over 250 000 displaced between August 28 to December 12; and scenes of war crimes across North Kivu.
“As other parties, the Rwandan Army, in recent years, have made war crimes, deployment of sexual atrocities against women and young girls, systematic looting of Congo’s natural resources and mass human rights violations against the region’s population a hobby” said Save the Congo Director Vava Tampa.
“President Sarkozy’s plan of a joint mining enterprise by the very same individual partially responsible for human tragedy engulfing the Congo risk breeding more hatred and fear, deepen ethnic disharmony that has paved the way for the human tragedy that has gripped the Congo; and kept the Great Lake region and beyond hanging under the cloud of war for the past sixteen years” he added.
“President Sarkozy’s zeal to help restore the much needed peace in the Congo is very welcome, but we urge him not to place peace before justice. And to follow the leads exposed by the UN appointed Panel of Experts and take all appropriate judicial and other measures against individuals and cooperation fuelling the conflicts or harbouring those fuelling the conflict” said Vava Tampa, Director of Save the Congo.
For further information, please contact:
Vava Tampa +44 (0) 7960 705 829 (day or night)
vava.tampa@savethecongo.co.uk
http://www.savethecongo.co.uk/
Margaret Owen +44 (0) 7770 945 916 (day or night)
director.wpd@googlemail.com
Note to the editors:
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is home to vast expanses of pristine rain forest, rare animal species and a large potential for wealth in the form of an abundance of highly valuable minerals and natural resources. Yet is it one of the poorest and chaotic nations, ruined by war, sexual atrocities and humanitarian crisis that is estimated to have claimed over 6 millions of lives since 1998; left around 40% of all adult women widows; around 2 million internally displaced; 100 000s of women and young girls brutally gang raped; and million more remain trapped between warring parties.
The first report of the UN appointed Panel of Experts on the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources and Other Forms of Wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo was published on 12 April 2001
The Final report of the UN appointed Panel of Experts on the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources and Other Forms of Wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo was published on 12 December 2008 (S/2008/773)
On Friday French President Nicolas Sarkozy gave the broad outlines of a project to bring peace to the Nord-Kivu region in the east of the DRC, French daily Le Monde reported on Sunday.
The first element in the proposed peace initiative would involve a joint mining enterprise for the Nord-Kivu region which would allow the DRC and Rwanda to exploit the rich mineral resources for mutual benefit.
The other points involve land distribution in the Nord-Kivu province and also political representation for the Tutsi minority in the area.
For further information, please visit:
http://www.rfi.fr/actuen/articles/109/article_2672.asp
http://www.lemonde.fr/archives/article/2009/01/17/la-france-prepare-une-initiative-de-paix-pour-l-est-de-la-republique-democratique-du-congo_1143111_0.html
(21 January 2009) – Save the Congo deplores President Sarkozy’s recent call of a joint mining enterprise in the North Kivu, Eastern Congo, which would allow the Democratic Republic of Congo (RDC) and Rwanda to exploit the rich mineral resources for mutual benefit.
Recent UN investigations and reports have uncovered evidence directly implicating President Kagame’s close circle in financing Laurent Nkundabatware’s armed militia and stockpiling Congo’s Cassiterite (tin ore) Gold, Coffee, Diamond, Colten (an essential component of mobile phones, laptops and game counsels) and Wolframite (from which tungsen is derived)
"President Sarkozy's plan would exacerbate the present human tragedy, compounding its ills, and rewarding those who perpetrate such awful crimes against humanity... and against women and children" said the Director of Widows for Peace through Democracy, Margaret Owen.
In its first report published in 2001, the UN appointed Panel of Experts on the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources and Other Forms of Wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo have delivered groundbreaking reports unravelling large volumes of primary evidence implicating President Kagame’s close circle in the systematic plundering of Congo’s natural resources; and in its final, published on 12 December 2008, the Panel have yet again unraveled primary evidence directly implicating Rwanda’s military elites in supplying Laurent Nkundabatware with men, foods and medical assistance whilst waging a war which left around 500 000 killed; over 250 000 displaced between August 28 to December 12; and scenes of war crimes across North Kivu.
“As other parties, the Rwandan Army, in recent years, have made war crimes, deployment of sexual atrocities against women and young girls, systematic looting of Congo’s natural resources and mass human rights violations against the region’s population a hobby” said Save the Congo Director Vava Tampa.
“President Sarkozy’s plan of a joint mining enterprise by the very same individual partially responsible for human tragedy engulfing the Congo risk breeding more hatred and fear, deepen ethnic disharmony that has paved the way for the human tragedy that has gripped the Congo; and kept the Great Lake region and beyond hanging under the cloud of war for the past sixteen years” he added.
“President Sarkozy’s zeal to help restore the much needed peace in the Congo is very welcome, but we urge him not to place peace before justice. And to follow the leads exposed by the UN appointed Panel of Experts and take all appropriate judicial and other measures against individuals and cooperation fuelling the conflicts or harbouring those fuelling the conflict” said Vava Tampa, Director of Save the Congo.
For further information, please contact:
Vava Tampa +44 (0) 7960 705 829 (day or night)
vava.tampa@savethecongo.co.uk
http://www.savethecongo.co.uk/
Margaret Owen +44 (0) 7770 945 916 (day or night)
director.wpd@googlemail.com
Note to the editors:
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is home to vast expanses of pristine rain forest, rare animal species and a large potential for wealth in the form of an abundance of highly valuable minerals and natural resources. Yet is it one of the poorest and chaotic nations, ruined by war, sexual atrocities and humanitarian crisis that is estimated to have claimed over 6 millions of lives since 1998; left around 40% of all adult women widows; around 2 million internally displaced; 100 000s of women and young girls brutally gang raped; and million more remain trapped between warring parties.
The first report of the UN appointed Panel of Experts on the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources and Other Forms of Wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo was published on 12 April 2001
The Final report of the UN appointed Panel of Experts on the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources and Other Forms of Wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo was published on 12 December 2008 (S/2008/773)
On Friday French President Nicolas Sarkozy gave the broad outlines of a project to bring peace to the Nord-Kivu region in the east of the DRC, French daily Le Monde reported on Sunday.
The first element in the proposed peace initiative would involve a joint mining enterprise for the Nord-Kivu region which would allow the DRC and Rwanda to exploit the rich mineral resources for mutual benefit.
The other points involve land distribution in the Nord-Kivu province and also political representation for the Tutsi minority in the area.
For further information, please visit:
http://www.rfi.fr/actuen/articles/109/article_2672.asp
http://www.lemonde.fr/archives/article/2009/01/17/la-france-prepare-une-initiative-de-paix-pour-l-est-de-la-republique-democratique-du-congo_1143111_0.html
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