Setting up an inquiry into the death of the Congolese human rights defender Floribert Chebeya Bahizire, stepping up support to human rights organisations, tackling illegal exploitation of minerals and putting an end to sexual violence against women and girls, were the key demands of MEPs at Thursday's Human Rights Subcommittee hearing on the human rights situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Setting up an inquiry into the death of the Congolese human rights defender Floribert Chebeya Bahizire, stepping up support to human rights organisations, tackling illegal exploitation of minerals and putting an end to sexual violence against women and girls, were the key demands of MEPs at Thursday's Human Rights Subcommittee hearing on the human rights situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
"In the Democratic Republic of Congo, between December 2007 and March 2010, thousands of civilians were killed and abducted (...). The country is experiencing one of the world's worst humanitarian crises with over 1.9 million people internally displaced", said Subcommittee Chair Heidi Hautala (Greens/EFA, FI), in her opening remarks.
The Human Rights Subcommittee and Development Committee hearing took place on 30 June, the 50th anniversary of the independence of the DRC, a state where democracy has lost many battles and where extrajudicial killings, impunity and sexual violence are constant phenomena. The invited guests included Secretary General of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the President of the Congo Electors' League NGO Mr Paul Nsapu Mukula.
The case of Floribert Chebeya Bahizire
Mr Mukula called for an independent inquiry into the killing of Floribert Chebeya Bahizire and Fidèle Bazana, and protection, including European financial support, for their families and other human rights defenders.
Sexual violence against women
"We must fight this form of misogyny which denies human dignity as we are approaching the dimension of genocide (...) Women are morally and physically exterminated", said MEP Leonidas Donskis (ALDE, LT), commenting on reports 160 women are raped each week in DRC.
Illegal exploitation of natural resources
In order to put an end to the plundering of natural resources, there must be better administrative control of exports, mines should be demilitarised and the traceability of minerals improved, said International Crisis Group representative Chiara Biscaldi. Charles Tannock (ECR, UK) suggested building on the Kimberly diamond model, by extending "conflict-free" certification also to other minerals extracted in Africa.
A more structured dialogue with the Congolese authorities
To follow up the hearing, MEPs asked that the human rights situation be addressed at the next ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, on 2-5 December 2010 in Kinshasa. Charles Goerens (ALDE, LU) called for the establishment of a preventive mechanism in the form of an ACP-EU joint standing committee, which should take action when abuses of human rights take place.
"The question of human rights should be at the heart of EU-DRC dialogue", said Mr Mukula, who recommend stepping up the involvement of civil society organisations, and especially human rights defenders, in the preparation of the human rights dialogue.
Possible EP mission to the DRC
Besides passing urgent resolutions, Parliament should a mission to the DRC to highlight the issues of sexual violence and the illegal exploitation of natural resources as well as demonstrating support for human rights defenders, said Ana Gomes (S&D, PT).