UNION
POUR LA DÉMOCRATIE
ET LE PROGRÈS SOCIAL

Press Release

The political crisis in the DRCongo

M. KABILA HAS FORBIDDEN Mr. TSHISEKEDI FROM GOING OUT OF THE CONGO

Ref : RBL/UDPS/PR/084/98

It is with much indignation and deep regret that the Representation Office of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) in Belgium, the Great Duchy of Luxemburg and to the international institutions in Belgium (BELUX) informs the public opinion that M. Kabila has just refused on Saturday 24 oct. 98 to deliver to Mr Etienne Tshisekedi the authorization of leaving the Congo.

Invited by the European Parliament to come and explain his peace plan in favour of a peaceful settlement of the congolese crisis, Mr Tshisekedi had to travel by the Sabena flight on Saturday and was expected in Brussels on Sunday morning 25 October 1998. His speech was foreseen on Monday october 26 in the afternoon.

Seizing the opportunity offered to him by this invitation, M. Tshisekedi was coming, delegated by the people , to thank the international community for all the passed, present and to come initiatives and actions in favour of the Congo and his people about the instauration of a democratic state with rule of law, the respect of liberties and human rights, the liberation unfortunately still uncomplete- of political and opinion prisonners among whom himself...

He was also bringing to the international community the message of distress of our people, seen the crisis is aggravating instead of being resolved. War and violence are intensifying with as consequence death, desolation, anguish, mass human rights violations, difficulty of circulation of first necessity goods for the population, famine, hates and divisions cristallizations, destruction of all the infrastructures, hospitals, schools, transport, industries, .

Lastly, Mr Tshisekedi was bringing a message of hope, because he had a peace plan in his luggage. He was meant to meet and listen to the international community, so that from these contacts with our partners , concrete and positive results in favour of the interests of our countries and peoples should be issued.

Apostle of peace ad Delegate by our people, Mr Tshisekedi was thus going out for the Higher interest of the Nation and for the interest of our partners.

That's why Mr.Tshisekedi had wished to meet as many partners as possible all around the world. So many peoplle have spontaneously accepted to revise their agenda in view to meet him. The UDPS makes his apologies to all these partners.

By refusing to Mr Tshisekedi the authorization to leave Congo, Mr Kabila continues to defy the international community , preferring war and violence and has just demonstrated, if still necessary, that Congo is still a wide prison where the dictator brings everyone into subjection of his arbitrary will and that Mr Tshisekedi is sill Mr Kabila's prisonner. It's up to the international community to draw all the political and logical consequences of this deed up to the end.

Brussels, 24 october 1998.

Dr François Tshipamba MPUILA
Representative

Contacts Addresses:

- Representative : Dr François Tshipamba Mpuila
8 Pachthof, B-3010 Leuven tel/fax :32.(0)16 25 97 81, Mobilephone 32(0)75 33 89 34
- Vice-Representative: Ir Victor Nzuzi Kabamba
16A Rue de Moscou, 1060 Bruxelles Tel/Fax: 32(0à2 539 05 36
- Director of Cabinet : Dr Ir Grégoire Mbuyi Kamba
48/301 Rue Verte 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve Tel:32(0)10 45 22 12 fax : 32(0)10 45 33 82
E-mail: repre.udps.belux@pophost.eunet.be
- Consellor: Ir Raphaël Kashala Mutambayi
30 Pastoor Dergentstraat 3200 Aarschot Tel/fax :32(0)16 57 22 62, Mobile 0477 68 08 77
E-mail : r.kashala@skynet.be
- Site :http//www.udps.org
- Compte bancaire : 001-2916880-69