Decision 3 (51) on the Democratic Republic of the Congo : Democratic Republic of the Congo. 20/08/97.
A/52/18,para.19(2). (Decision)

Convention Abbreviation: CERD
COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION
OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
Fifty-first session

Decision 3 (51) on the Democratic Republic of the Congo

1. The concluding observations (CERD/C/304/Add.18), adopted by the Committee on 21 August 1996, in particular the grave concern expressed therein, are reiterated. The recommendations made by the Committee in this context remain valid.

2. The Committee is disturbed by reports of massacres and other grave human rights violations, including violation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Such reports, in particular the report submitted by the joint mission established by the Commission on Human Rights in its resolution 1997/58 of 15 April 1997, charged with investigating allegations of massacres and other human rights violations occurring in the eastern part of Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) since September 1996 (A/51/942 of 2 July 1997) were discussed. The findings in that report, according to which there were "reliable indications that persons belonging to one or other of the parties to the conflict in eastern Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, probably committed serious violations of international humanitarian law ...." (para. 95); that "crimes seem to be sufficiently massive and systematic to be characterized as crimes against humanity" (para. 95); and that the "ethnic identity of most of the victims is a matter of record" (para. 96) were particularly noted.

3. The Committee is alarmed about reports of the disappearance of very large numbers of refugees in the eastern part of the country and ongoing human rights violations.

4. The Committee hopes that the new investigative team established by the Secretary-General may be able to act effectively and that the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo will cooperate with that team.

5. The Committee decides to remain seized of the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo under its agenda item on prevention of racial discrimination, including early warning and urgent procedures. It will discuss it at its fifty-second session (2-20 March 1998) on the basis of all relevant information to be provided by the Secretariat and expresses the hope that the State party concerned will be present at the next examination of this situation.

1240th meeting
20 August 1997