|
||||||||||
DemocracyAlertsFrom time to time, the World Movement for Democracy issues alerts concerning participants and other colleagues who are, or may be, facing personal danger due to their work on behalf of democracy and for whom a vigorous response from around the world may be critical. To see previous alerts go to www.wmd.org/democracyalerts/democracyAlerts.html. (June 20, 2004) Congolese Human Rights Activists Detained in Kinshasa World Movement participant Robert Ilunga Numbi, president of Les Amis de Nelson Mandela pour le Défense des Droirts de l'Homme (the Friends of Nelson Mandela for the Defense of Human Rights) and his colleagues Rodolph Mafuta, president of Bana Kalamu, Kally Kalala, president of Bana Matonge, and Kalema Lems, a member of Bana Matonge have been detained in a prison in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, since Monday, June 7, 2004. According to The Headlight and L'Observateur, Numbi, Mufuta, Kalala, and Lems were arrested because they demolished a wall of a playground, located behind the Kalamu police station. Mr. Martin Matiaba is the owner of the land on which the playground is located, and in the past few weeks his purchase from the government has come under scrutiny. The local people became upset with Matiaba when he began building a wall around the property, restricting access to the playground. As a result of the ongoing investigation, Governor Jean Kimbunda, armed with a petition signed by the local people, ordered Matiaba to halt construction on the land. Despite the order, Matiaba continued to erect the wall. Les Amis de Nelson Mandela has been a leading force in voicing the people's opposition to the continuance of Matiaba's construction, and is calling for the immediate release of its President and his companions. The World Movement encourages you to address your concern that those detained be given a fair and impartial hearing For more information, please visit:
|
||||||||||
|
|| || Site map || |
||||||||||
