COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION REPORT THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO 30 JUNE 2009 UK Border Agency COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION SERVICE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO 30 JUNE 2009 Contents Preface Latest News EVENTS IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO , FROM 9 MAY TO 30 JUNE 2009 REPORTS ON THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO PUBLISHED OR ACCESSED SINCE 9 MAY 2009 Paragraphs Background Information GEOGRAPHY ........................................................................................... 1.01 Maps ............................................................................................ 1.04 ECONOMY ............................................................................................... 2.01 Corruption................................................................................... 2.05 HISTORY ................................................................................................. 3.01 Laurent Kabila regime ................................................................ 3.02 Joseph Kabila regime................................................................. 3.03 Transitional National Government (TNG).................................. 3.04 RECENT DEVELOPMENTS ......................................................................... 4.01 October – December 2008.......................................................... 4.01 January – May 2009 .................................................................... 4.03 CONSTITUTION ........................................................................................ 5.01 POLITICAL SYSTEM .................................................................................. 6.01 Human Rights INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ 7.01 SECURITY SITUATION ............................................................................... 8.01 Overview ..................................................................................... 8.01 Eastern Congo ............................................................................ 8.02 North / South Kivu.................................................................... 8.02 Orientale Province, including Ituri, and Katanga Province.... 8.11 Western Congo ........................................................................... 8.15 Bas Congo ............................................................................... 8.15 Kinshasa .................................................................................. 8.17 SECURITY FORCES .................................................................................. 9.01 Foreign forces............................................................................. 9.04 Abuses by the security forces................................................... 9.06 Arbitrary arrest and detention................................................... 9.09 Torture ..................................................................................... 9.14 Extra-judicial killings................................................................. 9.17 Avenues of complaint................................................................. 9.19 MILITARY SERVICE ................................................................................... 10.01 Forced recruitment ..................................................................... 10.03 Disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) of former non-government combatants into the Congolese armed forces ..................................... 10.04 ABUSES BY NON -GOVERNMENT ARMED FORCES ........................................ 11.01 ii The main text of this COI Report contains the most up to date publicly available information as at 8 May 2009. Further brief information on recent events and reports has been provided in the Latest News section to 30 June 2009. 30 JUNE 2009 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO Arbitrary arrest and detention / abductions and 'disappearances' .................................................................... 11.05 Torture / unlawful killings .......................................................... 11.06 Forced recruitment ..................................................................... 11.08 JUDICIARY .............................................................................................. 12.01 Organisation ............................................................................... 12.04 Independence ............................................................................. 12.11 Fair trial ....................................................................................... 12.16 Judges and lawyers ................................................................. 12.17 Trials and appeals.................................................................... 12.20 Customary justice....................................................................... 12.22 International Criminal Court (ICC) ............................................. 12.23 ARREST AND DETENTION – LEGAL RIGHTS ................................................ 13.01 PRISON CONDITIONS ................................................................................ 14.01 DEATH PENALTY ...................................................................................... 15.01 POLITICAL AFFILIATION ............................................................................ 16.01 Freedom of association and assembly ..................................... 16.04 Opposition groups and political activists................................. 16.05 Bundu dia Kongo (BDK)........................................................... 16.07 Liberation of Congo (MLC) ....................................................... 16.09 FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND MEDIA ............................................................. 17.01 Journalists .................................................................................. 17.10 HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS , ORGANISATIONS AND ACTIVISTS ................. 18.01 Treatment of human rights activists and humanitarian workers............................................................ 18.04 CORRUPTION .......................................................................................... 19.01 FREEDOM OF RELIGION ............................................................................ 20.01 Abuse of religious freedom........................................................ 20.03 Religious groups ........................................................................ 20.04 Bundu dia Kongo (BDK)........................................................... 20.04 Armée de Victoire (Army of Victory Church) ............................. 20.07 ETHNIC GROUPS ...................................................................................... 21.01 Indigenous Pygmy tribes ........................................................... 21.07 Banyarwanda / Banyamulenge / Tutsis .................................... 21.10 LESBIAN , GAY , BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER PERSONS ............................ 22.01 Overview ..................................................................................... 22.01 Legal rights ................................................................................. 22.02 Treatment by, and attitudes of, state authorities...................... 22.05 Societal treatment and attitudes................................................ 22.07 DISABILITY .............................................................................................. 23.01 WOMEN .................................................................................................. 24.01 Overview ..................................................................................... 24.01 Legal rights ................................................................................. 24.03 Political rights............................................................................. 24.05 Social and economic rights ....................................................... 24.07 Violence against women ............................................................ 24.10 Rape ........................................................................................ 24.13 CHILDREN ............................................................................................... 25.01 Overview ..................................................................................... 25.01 Education .................................................................................... 25.05 Child care .................................................................................... 25.09 Health issues .............................................................................. 25.11 Underage / forced marriage ....................................................... 25.15 Violence against children........................................................... 25.16 The main text of this COI Report contains the most up to date publicly available information as at 8 May 2009. iii Further brief information on recent events and reports has been provided in the Latest News section to 30 June 2009. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO 30 JUNE 2009 Children accused of ‘witchcraft’................................................ 25.21 Child labour................................................................................. 25.23 The mining industry.................................................................. 25.27 Child soldiers.............................................................................