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The Situation of Human Rights Defenders in Africa: A Continuous Nightmare?
Centre for Human Rights & Democracy Studies and Research
April 20, 2004

Human rights defenders "form the base that regional and international human rights organizations and mechanisms build upon in the promotion and protection of human rights" and that "as a result of their involvement in the struggle for human rights, the defenders are often the first victims of human rights violations."

Africa in general and particularly the DRC is characterize by the persistence of actions that directly or indirectly prevent or hinder the work and security of individuals, groups or organisations working to promote and protect human and peoples' rights, including the growing risks faced by human rights defenders and their families. Some efforts, improvements have been made to protect human rights defenders. However, in practice we note with deep concern that impunity for threats, attacks and acts of intimidation against human rights defenders persists and that this impacts negatively on the work and safety of human rights defenders and even on human rights generally.

In the fight against the culture of impunity and looking for mechanisms to protect human rights defenders, the Centre d'Etudes et de Recherche en Droits de l'Homme et Démocratie (CERDH), (Centre for Human Rights and Democracy Studies), a Congolese organization in charge of promotion and protection of Human Rights based in Lubumbashi, DRC expresses deep concern over the continued persecution of human rights defenders in Africa, particularly in DRC and calls upon other organisations and the international community to look upon all adequately measures to ensure the protection of human rights defenders; Thus, recognising their crucial contribution to the protection and promotion of human and peoples' rights in the continent, we urges political authorities to take all necessary measures to ensure human rights defenders can carry out their activities freely.

Furthermore, the CERDH has decided to share its expertise to assist and support individuals, groups or organisations working to promote and protect human and peoples' rights against actions that directly or indirectly prevent or hinder their work and security. In that way, the CERDH propose to take complaints to the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights for recent human rights violations against Human Rights Defenders in DRC (Tortures, inhuman treatment, arbitrary detention, violation of freedom of expression, association, etc). The notorious case is for M. Dieudonné BEEN MASUDI KINGOMBE, Executif Director of CDH (Centre des Droits de l'Homme et du Droit Humanitaire) Human Rights NGO based in Lubumbashi DRC, was kidnapped on 10 April 2004 at 18:00 where he was kept in seclusion until 20:00, beaten up, and tortured, after which he was released with no charge and or explanation to his ordeal.

For more information and your support please contact
Mr YAV KATSHUNG Joseph on behalf of the CERDH
Phone: +27 72 43 42 896
Fax: +1-501-638-4935
E-mail: cerdh@best.cd or joyav22@yahoo.fr
Web site: www.cerdh.tk

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