SC/7421
 6 June 2002

IN PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENT, COUNCIL CONDEMNS ANTI-UN ACCUSATIONS, INTIMIDATION BY RALLY FOR CONGOLESE DEMOCRACY-GOMA IN GREAT LAKES REGION

NEW YORK, 5 June (UN Headquarters) -- The Security Council this afternoon strongly condemned acts of intimidation and unfounded public statements against the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), particularly by the Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie-Goma (RCD-Goma).

In a statement read out by its President, Mikhail Wehbe (Syria), the Council condemned RCD-Goma attempts to ban the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and expel several MONUC and other United Nations personnel from areas under its control. It reaffirmed its full support for the Special Representative and the dedicated staff of MONUC.

The Council reiterated its condemnation of the killings and attacks against civilians and soldiers following events that took place on 14 May and thereafter in Kisangani. It held the RCD-Goma responsible for bringing to an end all extrajudicial executions, human rights violations and harassment of civilians in Kisangani and all other areas under its control.

By further terms of the text, the Council demanded that RCD-Goma immediately cease harassing United Nations officials, assist in the deployment and operations of MONUC, cooperate fully in investigating violence in Kisangani and surrounding areas, and comply fully with relevant Council resolutions, in particular by demilitarizing Kisangani.

The Council called upon Rwanda to exert its influence in having RCD-Goma meet without delay the above demands, as well as its obligations under Council resolutions.

It encouraged the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Mouvement pour la Libération du Congo (MLC) and RCD-Goma to hold new discussions as soon as possible to reach an all-inclusive agreement on the political transition.

At the beginning of the meeting, Mr. Wehbe expressed, on behalf of the Council, profound grief and sorrow at the death of Ambassador Joseph Nanven Garba, the former Nigerian Foreign Minister and President of the United Nations General Assembly.

The meeting began at 4:20 p.m. and adjourned at 4:35 p.m.

Presidential Statement

The full text of presidential statement S/PRST/2002/19 reads, as follows:

"The Security Council condemns in the strongest terms the acts of intimidation and unfounded public statements against the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) and other United Nations personnel, in particular attempts by Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie-Goma (RCD-Goma) to ‘ban’ the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and the ‘expulsion’ of several MONUC personnel from areas under its control. It reaffirms its full support for the Special Representative and for the dedicated staff of MONUC.

"The Security Council considers that these unjustifiable attacks are directly contrary to the process of peace and national reconciliation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and to RCD-Goma’s interest.

"The Security Council reiterates its condemnation of the killings and attacks against civilians that followed the events that took place on 14 May in Kisangani and looks forward to receiving the joint MONUC/Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) report and recommendations on the violence in Kisangani. The Council holds the RCD-Goma, as de facto authority, responsible for bringing to an end all extrajudicial executions, human rights violations and arbitrary harassment of civilians in Kisangani and all other areas under the RCD-Goma’s control.

"The Security Council demands that RCD-Goma immediately:

"-– cease its harassment of United Nations officials and assist with the deployment and operations of MONUC;

"-- fully cooperate with all investigations of violence in Kisangani and the surrounding areas;

"-- comply with all relevant resolutions of the Security Council, in particular by demilitarizing Kisangani.

"The Security Council calls upon Rwanda to have RCD-Goma meet without delay all its obligations under the resolutions of the Security Council and this statement of its President.

"The Security Council encourages the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mouvement pour la Libération du Congo (MLC) and RCD-Goma to hold new discussions as soon as possible and in good faith, taking into account the progress in the inter-Congolese dialogue achieved in Sun City, in order to reach an all-inclusive agreement on the political transition. In this respect, the Council welcomes the appointment by the Secretary-General of Mustapha Niasse as his Special Envoy for the inter-Congolese dialogue."

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