CONGO/B: SUPPORTING HUMAN RIGHTS AND

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000243

SIPDIS

FROM BRAZZAVILLE EMBASSY OFFICE

FOR DRL/PHD - MICHAEL ORONA

E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV ELAB KDEM KSEP CF HURI
SUBJECT: CONGO/B: SUPPORTING HUMAN RIGHTS AND
DEMOCRACY: THE U.S. RECORD (2004-5 REPORT)

REF: 04 STATE 267453


1. As requested in Reftel, here is the 2004-5 report on
Supporting Human Rights and Democracy: The U.S. Record
for the Republic of Congo (Congo/Brazzaville).


2. BEGIN TEXT:

The Republic of Congo is ruled by a government in which
most of the decision-making authority is vested
directly in the Executive Branch. Denis Sassou-Nguesso
was elected President in March 2002, and in May and
June of that year legislative elections were held for
the Senate and the National Assembly in all
jurisdictions, except for the Pool region where most of
the 1997-2002 civil war and instability occurred. Both
the presidential and legislative elections were
determined "not to contradict the will of the people"
by independent monitors.

In March 2003 the government signed a peace accord with
the rebel forces known as Ninjas of Pasteur Ntumi, and
the country has been relatively stable with a fragile
calm since then. Uncontrolled and unidentified armed
elements have remained active in the Pool region,
despite an ongoing demobilization and reintegration
(DR) program.

For most of 2004 the Government's human rights record
had improved but major challenges and problems still
remained. There were reports that security forces were
responsible for extrajudicial killings, as well as
summary executions, rapes, beatings, physical abuse of
detainees and citizens, arbitrary arrest and detention,
looting, solicitation of bribes and theft. Prison
conditions were poor. The judiciary continued to be
overburdened, underfunded, and subject to political
influence, bribery and corruption.

Promoting respect for human rights served as the basis
for U.S. embassy programs with the government, press
and NGOs, and international organizations.

Through civil-military dialogue and military training
exchanges sponsored by the Department of Defense (DOD),
the U.S. Government encouraged greater military
discipline, professionalism, and respect for human
rights. A high commission was established in 2002 for
the reinsertion of former rebel militia members (some
into civil society, some into the military) using World
Bank (WB) funds. Some reinsertion programs continued
into 2004 under WB funding, and a new DR program began
in 2004 under UNDP administration with European Union
funding to address the Ninja combatants from the March
2003 accords. The March 2003 peace accords included a
commitment from President Sassou that former Ninja
militia would receive amnesty if they laid down their
arms. In addition, the Embassy continued to support a
DOD-funded English-language training program for
military officers intended to facilitate other types of
training. Medical equipment was provided to
Brazzaville civilian hospitals from Excess Defense
Articles. DOD Humanitarian Assistance funds were used
to provide vocational training for ex-combatants from
the Pool region.

To promote worker rights, the U.S. Department of Labor
helped fund a two-year regional initiative by the
International Labor Organization's International
Program for the Elimination of Child Labor with the
goal of demobilizing and rehabilitating child soldiers
and reintegrating them into their former communities.
U.S. Secretary Chao traveled to the region in December
2003 to officially launch the program.

In order to build general awareness of human rights
among the population, the Embassy focused its efforts
on youth, women and minorities. The Embassy used the
Democracy and Human Rights Funds for programs on the
rights of key minority groups such as the pygmies and
prevention of trafficking in children. Through the
Education for Development and Democracy Initiative
(EDDI) and African Education Initiative, the Embassy
supported funding of a local NGO to assist with
scholarships for girls and girls' HIV/AIDS education.
The success of this program resulted in an Appreciation
Award of $143,750 in special additional funding in
November 2003. Other grants provided funds for
educating the minority pygmy population about their
rights and protecting their environment and traditional
ways for the next generations; for anti-corruption
seminars; for refugee assistance; for job training for
women (particularly abused women) and orphans, for food
production, sheltering and schools supplies for IDPs in
the Pool, and trafficking in persons projects. Grants
have amounted to about $400,000 over three years.
To promote good governance, the Mission provided a DHRF
grant to a local NGO to conduct seminars on anti-
corruption education for regional government officials
and administrators. It also organized a Public
Diplomacy Speaker Program on anti-corruption for 30
government and NGO officials. Although the Government
organized an Anti-Corruption Day in late 2003 and
instituted an Anti-Corruption Office reporting directly
to the Presidency during 2004, it abolished the Anti-
Corruption Office during a reorganization of cabinet
ministries in January 2005.

Through demarches, discussions with the government and
cooperation with the international community, the
Embassy continued to stress the need for the Government
to increase transparency in accounting for oil revenues
and other public funds. After initial difficulty, the
government met minimal requirements for a Poverty
Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF). However, the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) stated that the
Government still needs to improve accounting and
transparency practices, particularly in the oil sector.
We agree with the IMF assessment on this issue.

The Embassy sponsored a national conference on
preventing the blight on cassava that sought to promote
food security by formulating a national policy to
combat the diseases and improve production of this
staple crop.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture donated excess U.S.
agricultural commodities for a program administered by
a U.S. NGO that sells them on the local market and uses
the revenues to fund micro-finance lending for small
business enterprise, expanding the private sector.

END OF TEXT.


3. Brazzaville Embassy Office - Indyke.
MEECE