Congo government: 'We want democracy'

U.S. envoy demands human rights investigation

June 7, 1997
Web posted at: 2:13 p.m. EDT (1813 GMT)

LUBUMBASHI, Congo (CNN) -- The new Congolese government is fully committed to improving its human rights record and furthering democracy in the Central African nation, Congo's foreign minister said Saturday.

"We want to establish democracy. We want to establish lasting peace. We want to enter a phase in which human rights will be respected," Bizima Karaha said.

Karaha made his comments in a meeting with Bill Richardson, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Richardson was to meet privately Saturday in Lubumbashi with President Laurent Kabila, whose rebel army swept to power in the former Zaire, now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Kabila made no comments before heading into the talks but joked with reporters, saying: "Let's hope they give us a good report this time."

Ahead of the private meeting, Richardson promised U.S. help in rebuilding Congo from the ruins of former President Mobutu Sese Seko, who became a billionaire during his three-decade authoritative rule while the country became impoverished.

But Richardson also was expected to press Kabila on his human rights record, which the United States has made clear will be tied to future aid for the new government.

Concerned about allegations that Kabila's troops massacred refugees, Richardson was to fly later Saturday to eastern Congo to look into the conditions of thousands of Rwandan Hutu refugees in the region.

"We want the reports of those massacres investigated. We want those involved in these massacres to be punished," Richardson said upon arrival in the capital Kinshasa Friday.

Kabila's government has backed down from earlier assertions it had nothing to do with the alleged massacres of Rwandan refugees. It now has acknowledged some may have been killed in cross fire during the civil war, which began in the east.

For his part, Kabila has pledged an independent investigation into the alleged massacres and agreed this week to designate a Cabinet minister to deal with the United Nations on the plight of refugees.

He also promised Saturday to allow access to U.N. investigators.

Hundreds of thousands of refugees remain in eastern Congo. Nearly all of the refugees are Hutus who fled Rwanda fearing reprisals for the 1994 slaughter of a half-million Tutsis by militant Hutus in Rwanda. Refugees have accused Kabila and his army -- heavily backed by Rwanda's Tutsi-led government -- of targeting them.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.  

• Newsmaker Profiles: Laurent Kabila - President, Democratic Republic of Congo
• Newsmaker Profiles: Mobutu Sese Seko - Former Zairean President
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