PRESS CONFERENCE BY FOREIGN MINISTER OF DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
Press Briefing
PRESS CONFERENCE BY FOREIGN MINISTER OF DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
19971002
The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo would help the United Nations human rights investigative team in any way, its Minister for Foreign Affairs, Bizima Karaha, said at a Headquarters press conference today. He added that the team had many questions to look into, including how many refugees came from Rwanda, how many went to Brazzaville, Uganda and other surrounding areas, and how many stayed in the eastern part of his country. His Government had a vested interest in those questions.
In response to a question about the human rights team being restricted from beginning its investigation in Mbandaka, where the team suspected killings had occurred, Mr. Karaha said the team should begin the investigation in the camps that were established in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. That was where the refugees spent two-and-a-half years and where many of those who were accused of committing genocide in Rwanda were kept with the victims.
He said these eastern camps were treated as refugee camps when they should have been treated as military camps. His Government believed that the team should start its investigation in that area, and it should start establishing responsibility for the problems in the eastern part of the country.
When asked whether the United States Government had pressured his Government to cooperate with the United Nations investigation, he said many government wanted the team to carry out its investigation. His country had assured the United States that it would help the team do its work. His Government welcomed the team, it would assist the team and would provide it with security.
On the situation in Brazzaville, Mr. Karaha stated that his Government had met with the former leaders of the Congo and agreed to send some soldiers to the area. Since those soldiers were sent, the firing on Kinshasa had stopped. But the situation in Brazzaville remained chaotic. The troops of the Democratic Republic of the Congo were there not only to make sure that there was peace in their own capital, but also to help the people of the Republic of the Congo achieve peace in their country.
Back on the issue of the United Nations human rights team, he was asked if the location where the investigation began was the reason for the team's delay. He said some of the delay had been caused by logistical arrangements that needed to be made. But his Government had allowed the team to begin its investigation. If the team did not want to begin in the eastern area of the country, however, it must justify the decision to his Government.
Republic of Congo Press Conference - 2 - 2 October 1997
In response to a question about the role of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the Organization of African Unity (OAU), he said his country had the support of the OAU and the support of the countries in the region. That support had come because countries understood that the change of government in his country was the second most important event in African history after the end of apartheid. The OAU understood that a stable, democratic and successful Democratic Republic of the Congo would help stabilize and give a new image to Africa.
When asked about a new Pan-African movement, he said that Africa had realized that, after 30 years of independence from European countries, it still did not have a real independence. "We Africans realized that we deserve better than what we had", he said. African countries were beginning to come together, and his country would help the process. His country used to be unable to sustain any development, peace and stability. Now that Zaire was no longer there, there would be a better future for Africa, especially since Africans realized that the destiny of the continent was in their hands.
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