Contacts:
Dr. Alafuele M. Kalala
Mr. Rohan Carney
Phone: (202) 463-9373
Fax: (202) 463-9374
Email: cdzcrm@freewwweb.com
Paranoid and Insecure, Kabila Regime Clamps Down on Pro-Democracy Forces in Congo
The Kabila regime lacking coherence, direction and vision has stepped
up its campaign of
repression against long-time pro-democracy forces in the Democratic
Republic of Congo. Kabila has apparently been emboldened by the timid
rebuke from the December Friends of Congo meeting and the visit by Secretary
of State Madeleine Albright, whose visit many Congolese view as strong
support by the US for Kabila’s Military regime.
Kabila has sent notice that anyone violating the ban on political activity will now be tried in a military tribunal. Even Mobutu did not go to this extreme. Kabila has also claimed that any non-governmental organization suspected of operating as a cover for political parties be summarily shut down and prosecuted.
The Kabila government has followed through on its new repressive steps
by breaking up
a new years event by Etienne Tshisekedi (a nonviolent, pro-democratic
stalwart against the
Mobutu regime) who attempted to address his UDPS followers. A
number of his UDPS members were jailed by the Kabila military.
On Monday, January 20, 1998, Kabila sent his military troops to arrest long-time nonviolent, pro-democratic activist Joseph Olenghankoy.
The RNS vehemently denounce these repressive, retrograde actions of
the rudderless
Kabila government. The government’s increased penchant for utilizing
military force against its
own people is further indication of its internal weakness and lack
of popular support among the
Congolese people.