Catholic Information Service for Africa (Nairobi)
9 November 2007
Kinshasa — A worldwide coalition of non-governmental organizations this week launched an international appeal demanding publication of a government report on mining contracts in Congo.
The appeal was issued Wednesday by organisations from Europe, North America and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and is aimed to examine partnership contracts and their impact on national development in DRC.
A commission to review mining contracts was created by the government on April 20, 2007. It began work in mid-June and was given a period of three months, which was extended until the end of October.
Reports say the commission has finished the technical and legal study of over 60 mining contracts and has finalized its observations and recommendations.
"It is imperative that the government make the full report public now in order to put an end to the uncertainty and suspicion which are tarnishing the mining sector and to enable all concerned to respond publicly," the coalition of NGOs said.
"Furthermore, the authorities should announce the measures that will be taken to follow up the commission's recommendations as well as the rules which will govern the pending renegotiation of mining contracts."
Reports from Congolese press say the commissioners are under pressure to make changes on the report and this has had a negative effect on some companies and led to police investigations.
The coalition said the current uncertainty and the pointless search for the guilty parties would doubtlessly have been avoided with clearer and more diligent management of the process.
It asked international financial institutions to provide support necessary to ensure that the process launched by the governmental commission proceeded properly.
The coalition said if the commission revealed any gross illegalities, the DRC government should take action against those companies involved.
The DRC's natural resources have fuelled the conflicts in country since 1996 and continue to do so. The national Catholic bishops' conference of Congo has said that "instead of contributing to the development of our country and providing benefits to our people, minerals, oil and forests have become the causes of our misfortune."
Mining contracts signed during the wars and the period of political transition were negotiated in conditions which were unfavorable to national interests and majority are not designed to contribute to the country's reconstruction, nor have they benefited the Congolese population.
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