Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09KINSHASA369
2009-04-13 17:25:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kinshasa
Cable title:  

HUMAN RIGHTS MINISTER ACKNOWLEDGES ABUSES BY

Tags:  PHUM PREL PGOV KTIP CG 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO8576
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #0369/01 1031725
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 131725Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9480
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000369 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/2019
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV KTIP CG
SUBJECT: HUMAN RIGHTS MINISTER ACKNOWLEDGES ABUSES BY
SECURITY FORCES

Classified By: Ambassador William Garvelink for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000369

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/2019
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV KTIP CG
SUBJECT: HUMAN RIGHTS MINISTER ACKNOWLEDGES ABUSES BY
SECURITY FORCES

Classified By: Ambassador William Garvelink for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
.


1. (C) Summary: Charge d'Affaires and poloff presented the
French translation of the 2008 Human Rights report to the
Minister of Human Rights on April 9. The Minister readily
acknowledged that Congolese security forces, specifically the
Republican Guard, commit human rights violations. He said
the DRC needs to concentrate on training its security forces
in human rights and that it needs technical assistance and
financial support. We also presented a French translation of
the 2008 Trafficking in Persons report. The Minister
expressed interest in our recommendation that the GDRC
develop comprehensive anti-trafficking legislation and was
surprisingly frank. The Minister was refreshingly open in
discussing Congolese human rights abuses. It is uncertain,
however, whether the Ministry of Human Rights has significant
influence over the nation's security forces. End Summary.


2. (SBU) Fulfilling a promise he made several weeks earlier,
Charge d'Affaires, accompanied by poloff, presented the
French translation of the 2008 Human Rights report to Human
Rights Minister Upio Kakura Wapol on April 9. Kakura
expressed appreciation, noting he had already read the
original English version but looked forward to reading the
French to fully understand the report. The Minister welcomed
the USG's concerns and its interest in promoting human rights
in the DRC.


3. (C) In response to Charge's review of the report's
highlights, the Minister acknowledged that there are still
many human rights problems with the Congolese security forces
in general and, specifically, with the Republican Guard, the
elite unit of the military that reports directly to the
president. He explained that it was difficult to maintain
control over every individual in the security forces,
implying that human rights abuses by the military, when they
occurred, were the result of individuals acting alone and not
in response to orders from above. Charge made the point
that, while the U.S. had issued a report outlining the
Congolese military's human rights abuses, we did not just
criticize. We were also active in helping to improve the
military's human rights record through training programs,
such as the leadership training program, which included
courses on human rights and the military code of conduct. We
would also include a large human rights component in the
upcoming Rapid Reaction Force training program, to begin this
summer in Kisangani. Kakura expressed gratitude for our
emphasis on human rights in USG-sponsored military training
programs. He also expressed interest in our recent
international visitor program for parliamentary Defense and
Security Commission members. Kakura suggested that a human
rights visitors program be set up for parliamentary Human
Rights Commission members as well.


4. (SBU) Referring to the recent UN Human Rights Council
decision to abstain from naming an independent human rights
expert, the Minister said that more experts and reports are
not needed. The causes and problems of human rights abuses
are already known. The DRC needs to concentrate on training
soldiers, police, and intelligence services agents on human
rights. He said that the GDRC needs technical assistance and
financial support in this effort.


5. (SBU) We also presented Kakura a copy of the 2008
Trafficking in Persons report with the corresponding French
translation. He acknowledged human trafficking problems
exist in the DRC and expressed a desire to collaborate with
the USG in addressing TIP. He was interested in our
suggestion of developing comprehensive anti-trafficking
legislation. In addition, Kakura shared with us the Human
Rights Ministry's internal action plan for 2009. The
Ministry has planned employee training seminars in six
provinces promoting awareness of the 2006 Law Against Sexual
Violence and the newly passed 2009 Child Protection Code.


6. (C) Comment: The Minister was surprisingly open and
engaged in a frank discussion with us on human rights abuses
committed by state security forces. He showed eagerness to
search for solutions to preventing human rights abuses and
protecting civilians. However, he deflected our suggestion
to allow International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN
Joint Human Rights Office access to National Intelligence
Agency (ANR) and Republican Guard holding cells and prisons.
Despite the high interest level in human rights expressed by

KINSHASA 00000369 002 OF 002


Kakura, we question his influence vis-a-vis the security
forces and are uncertain to what extent he is able to effect
meaningful reform. End comment.
GARVELINK