SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNS RECENT KILLING IN KISANGANI, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

Security Council

4544^th Meeting (PM)

SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNS RECENT KILLING IN KISANGANI,

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

Council Also Reiterates Demand for Demilitarization of Kisangani;

Asks Secretary-Generalto Weigh Possibility of Increased MONUC Deployment in City

The Security Council this afternoon strongly condemned the killings, in particular of civilians, that recently took place in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and called for an immediate cessation of all violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. 

In a statement read out by its President, Kishore Mahbubani (Singapore), the Council also reiterated its demand that the city be demilitarized in accordance with relevant resolutions and with the pledge made by Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie-Goma to the last Security Council mission.  It also called on the parties to cooperate in the full reopening of the Congo River, including to commercial traffic. 

Further to the statement, the Council invited the Secretary-General to consider whether a temporary increase in the deployment in Kisangani of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), within the current authorized troop level, might contribute to easing tensions.  The Council also requested MONUC to continue to monitor reports of extrajudicial violence and report to it.

In addition, the Council drew the attention of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to the seriousness of the events that took place in Kisangani on

14 May and immediately thereafter. 

The meeting began at 1:46 p.m. and adjourned at 1:50 p.m.

Statement

The full text of presidential statement S/PRST/2002/17 follows:

“The Security Council strongly condemns the killings, in particular of civilians, that recently took place in Kisangani.  The Council calls for an immediate cessation of all violations of human rights and international humanitarian law.  It reiterates its demand that the city be demilitarized in accordance with relevant resolutions, in particular resolution 1304 (2000), and with the pledge made by Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie-Goma to the last Security Council mission.  The Council also calls on the parties to cooperate in the full reopening of the Congo River, including to commercial traffic.

“The Security Council invites the Secretary-General to consider whether a temporary increase in the deployment in Kisangani of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), within the current authorized troop level, may contribute to easing tensions.  The Council requests MONUC to continue to monitor reports of extrajudicial violence and report to the Council.

“The Security Council draws the attention of the High Commission for Human Rights to the seriousness of the events that took place in Kisangani on 14 May 2002 and immediately thereafter.

“The Security Council stresses the importance of MONUC assisting, within the current mandate, in the full demilitarization of Kisangani.  It this respect, the Council welcomes the proposal by the Secretary-General in paragraph 50 of its tenth report of 15 February 2002 (S/2002/169), in accordance with resolution

1355 (2001) of 15 June and 1376 (2001) of 9 November 2001 to reinforce MONUC’s civilian police unit with 85 officers to assist in the training of the local police.

“The Security Council expresses its intention to consider expeditiously any further recommendation that the Secretary-General may deem necessary.”

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