UNION
POUR LA DÉMOCRATIE
ET LE PROGRÈS SOCIAL

THE ARBITRARY ARREST OF MR JEAN-BAPTISTE MULUMBA

PRESS RELEASE OF THE OFFFICE OF THE UNION FOR DEMOCRACY AND SOCIAL PROGRESS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

The Office of Representation of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress would like to inform the International Community of the arbitrary arrest on 15th August 2002 of Jean-Baptiste Mulumba, the senior economic Adviser of Mr. Etienne Tshisekedi, the Leader of the opposition in Congo/Kinshasa.

BACKGROUND

A professional auditor who owns his private firm, Mr. Jean-Baptiste Mulumba set out on 16 May 2002 for a business journey to Katanga when he was first arbitrarily arrest on his arrival from Kinshasa at Luano airport in Lubumbashi.

Released without charge twelve weeks later, he returned to his family home just to learn that when arrested his family went through an ordeal by the multiple police et security services.

One of his son named Jimmy Mulumba was briefly detained when the police failed to locate the whereabouts of Mr Mulumba's wife who went on hiding as she was informed of the police elements at their home.

The price paid by Mr Mulumba family is as high as their family car (nissan bluebird) was taken away by unidentified police and a lump sum of $5000 US was stolen by a group of police elements who stormed the family home without a search warrant.

Mr Mulumba's family has then resorted to friends generosity for living as the private audit firm they own was closed and seriously ransacked.

Informally, Mr Kabila officials accused Mr Mulumba to have allegedly travelled to Katanga to liaise with the rebels groups and to prepare for a "would be" an attack to conquer the territory under Mr Kabila control. Though these allegations have never been substantiated all along his illegal detention.

THE CURRENT POLITICAL SITUATION IN CONGO

Despite the efforts by the International Community to bring a peaceful end to the long and deep crisis that is engulfing our region, Mr Kabila regime is still cultivating a political climate of terror to a number of its critics.

A number of journalists and political actors and activists are still facing arbitrary arrests, intimidation or other forms of human rights violations.

As this can be read, Mr Kabila has fully endorsed his predecessors and friends culture of silencing his opponents.

OUR NON-VIOLENCE MEANS OF FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY

Over the last twenty years, our organisation has adopted the "Non-Violence" as the civilised premise or method to express our opinions and to voice our concerns.

We do believe in this method as the International Community encourages it to avoid losses of human lives and damage on properties.

Unfortunately, from Mr Joseph Mobutu to Mr Joseph Kabila, our non-violent nature has always been interpreted as a weakness and have repeatedly abuse of our rights to silence our members.

RECOMMANDANTIONS

In the light of the above facts by the regime of terror of Mr Kabila, the Office of Representation of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress in the United Kingdom urges:

- The International Community to exert considerable pressure on Mr Kabila's regime to open up the political arena to allow citizens of Congo to perform their political activities freely;

- And to press Mr Kabila to unconditionally release Mr Jean-Baptiste Mulumba as no charges have been brought against him.

Philippe Mandangi
UDPS Representative in the United Kingdom
34 Granard House
Bradstock Road
London E9 5BN
Tel 0208 986 34 74
Mobile 0775 925 0963