For Immediate Release
Friday, February 13, 1998
Contacts:
Dr. Alafuele M. Kalala
Mr. Rohan Carney
Phone: (202) 463-9373
Fax: (202) 463-9374
Email: cdzcrm@freewwweb.com
Kabila Rebuffs Reverend Jackson and Arbitrarily
Arrests Etienne Tshisekedi, Long-time Pro-democracy
Proponent
The Kabila regime continues its assault on pro-democracy forces in
the Democratic Republic of Congo. Two days after refusing to meet
with the Reverend Jesse Jackson who went to the Congo as President Clinton’s
special envoy for democracy and human rights in Africa, Kabila has arrested
Etienne Tshisekedi, president of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress
(UDPS). Self-declared President Laurent Desire Kabila canceled meetings
with Reverend Jackson who arrived in Kinshasa on Monday with a message
of national reconciliation, respect for human rights, independent judiciary,
cessation of arbitrary arrests, the lifting of the ban on political activity
and an end to trying civilians in military tribunals. Kabila showed
a disdain for these principles expressed by Reverend Jackson. He
was also angered by the fact that Reverend Jackson met with Etienne Tshisekedi,
a broad range of leaders from the religious community, non-governmental
sector, political parties and other pro-democracy forces.
The arbitrary arrest of Tshisekedi is yet another in scores of arrests
by Kabila which include leaders such as Joseph Olengankhoy of FONUS (Forces
Novatrices Pour L’Union et Solidarite) and Professor Mathieu Kalele, chief
national organizer of the UDPS.
The RNS calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Etienne
Tshisekedi and all other political prisoners. The RNS also calls
on the people of the Congo, friends of the Congo, the US government, human
rights organizations and members of the international community to call
for an end to the arbitrary arrests and military tactics being used by
Kabila against the Congolese people