United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa)
Eoin Young
5 December 2007
Kinshasa — Mr. Titinga Frederic Pacere, the UN Independent Expert on Human Rights for the DRC, visited the country for eight days, to assess the current human rights situation.
In a press conference on 5 December 2007, he said that "the situation was alarming," and the support of the international community was essential to resolve the problems.
During his third visit to the DRC, the independent expert met with the presidents of the National Assembly, the Senate and the High Military Court, as well as the Auditor General, the Justice and Defence Ministers, and the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Mr. Pacere also visited Bukavu in South Kivu province, where he met the provincial governor, provincial assembly ministers, as well as civil, judicial and military authorities.
During the course of many meetings, he called on the governmental, legislative and judicial authorities to invest in the fight against impunity and sexual violence, two plagues which are undermining the DRC's reconstruction.
In an interview held at MONUC headquarters on 5 December 2007, Mr. Pacere said that he told the UN General Assembly on 26 October 2007 that the human rights situation in the DRC was "difficult".
"This is because it's a vicious circle, particularly in the east. It needs to be tackled and addressed, because in most of the country the situation is alarming. There is also the problem of sexual violence, which has nothing to do with the culture of this country," he said.
Mr. Pacere said that the state of the DRC justice system was also "alarming, because as long as there is impunity, it breeds more impunity."
Furthermore, he said that the creation of an international penal court for the country is needed, "to deal with the high level of criminality."
He also proposed the creation of five special criminal courts to be placed around the entire country.
"For example, these courts would consist of three magistrates, two Congolese and an external magistrate. Any appeals would go to the Supreme Court in Kinshasa."
Mr. Pacere said that during his visit he observed the efforts on the part of the public authorites and other actors.
"But the deficiencies and challenges are enormous in this domain, and the international community, through their support at all levels, must find a solution to the human rights problems," he concluded.
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