Contacts:
Dr. Alafuele M. Kalala
Mr. Rohan Carney
Phone: (202) 463-9373
Fax: (202) 463-9374
Email: cdzcrm@freewwweb.com

The Kabila regime demonstrating increased weakness has accelerated the viciousness of its attacks and intimidation against the Congolese people.   On Tuesday, January 27, 1998, Kabila’s military tribunal executed 21 Congolese 14 of whom were part of the military and 7 of whom were civilians including one woman.

In addition to the executions, the Kabila regime continues to arbitrarily arrest human rights activists and local leaders.  His military forces continue to publicly whip civilians.  On Tuesday, January 27, 1998 after 8:30 a.m., Kabila’s military stripped and whipped Mr. Makanda Zinga, simply because he was accused of being in the path of Kabila’s entourage.  The young pro-democracy leader Joseph Olenghankoy is still under arrest and is believed to be held in a remote area 1,000 miles from Kinshasa.  In addition to Olenghankoy, Mr. Athanase Oyumbu, national secretary for security in Olengankhoy's FONUS (Forces Novatrices Pour la Union) party, and Mr. Paul Kosango, party secretary for human rights have been arrested.  Recently, in an effort to crackdown, Mr. Kabila’s forces have arrested several local chiefs who criticized his government.
 Kabila’s military tribunal has sentenced two UDPS members (Professor Mathieu Kalele, chief national organizer and Jean-Francois Kabanda, the public relations chief of its youth wing) to two years in prison for spreading seditious rumors.  The military tribunal is now deliberating over the sentencing of Pastor Theodore Ngoy who has been accused of  ``subversive preaching verging on insulting the head of state and on threatening state security.''

The RNS deplores these barbaric acts and travesties of justice on the part of Kabila’s increasingly vicious regime.  We call upon the Congolese people, the Friends of Congo, the international community, the US government and people of goodwill to support the people of the Congo in their efforts to bring an end to their suffering under brutal dictatorships whether Mobutu’s or Kabila’s.
The RNS calls on Mr. Kabila and his government to immediately free all political prisoners.  The RNS further implores Mr. Kabila to put an end to the travesties of justice, particularly the trying of civilians in a military court.