Jimmy Deenihan
Question:33 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the Amnesty International report detailing violence against women in the Congo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30028/04]
View answerWednesday, 24 November 2004
Questions (55, 56)
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:144 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the situation in regard to democracy and human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30686/04]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 33 and 144 together.
The recently issued report by Amnesty International, entitled Democratic Republic of Congo: Mass Rape — time for remedies, highlights the continuing and serious problem of human rights violations in that country and the extent to which women and young girls have been particular victims of the conflict in the DRC. While there has been a considerable measure of political progress in the DRC since the signing of the Sun City peace accords in 2002, state institutions and the administration of justice still remain critically weak, contributing to the country's continuing poor human rights record.
The Amnesty International report has drawn attention to the way the existence of a culture of impunity in the DRC is contributing to the crime of rape being committed on an unacceptable scale. There is no doubt that more needs to be done "by all involved" to tackle impunity and to ensure that those responsible for human rights violations are brought to account. The transitional national government has a particular responsibility in this regard. Greater progress needs to be made in accelerating the transition process and particularly in establishing an effective national justice system and an integrated national police force, both of which are essential in bringing to justice human rights violators.
The European Union is making a major contribution in support of security sector reform in the DRC. The EU, in particular, has helped to establish an integrated police unit in Kinshasa which is currently undergoing training. Ireland has contributed €75,000 towards the costs of establishment of this unit. Further assistance with police training and assistance to the Congolese ministries in charge of security is also under consideration. It is also important to acknowledge the valuable role being performed by the UN peacekeeping operation, MONUC, in monitoring and reporting on those human rights violations which are occurring.
The European Union has remained active in ensuring that international attention continues to be focused on the need for improvement in the human rights situation in the DRC. The Irish EU Presidency successfully pursued an initiative at this year's session of the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, which resulted in adoption of a consensus resolution on the human rights situation in the DRC and provided for appointment of an independent UN expert to continue monitoring and reporting on the situation. The European Union has also tabled a resolution on the human rights situation in the DRC at the current session of the UN General Assembly in New York. This resolution, inter alia, specifically calls on the transitional national government to do more to tackle impunity and to carry out an urgent and comprehensive reform of the judicial system in the DRC. The draft resolution also condemns the widespread use of sexual violence and urges all parties in the DRC to take special measures to protect women and children from such violence.
The efforts to end the culture of impunity in the DRC have also been greatly assisted by the decision of the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court last June to launch an investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the DRC. This is a development I very much welcome. It is also encouraging to note that the ICC investigation is being undertaken at the specific request of the transitional national government and is both a welcome demonstration of renewed commitment on the DRC's part to improving their human rights situation as well as a warning to all those who may have been involved in serious human rights violations in the DRC that they cannot expect impunity for their crimes. An investigating team from the Office of the ICC Prosecutor visited the DRC at the end of July and further visits will take place in the coming months as the investigation process develops.