Members of Congress Urge Treasury Dept to Pressure Congo President
Kabila toward Timely, Peaceful Elections
Posted by Enough Team on Aug 31, 2016
Note: This blog was co-authored by Rachel Finn and Sasha Lezhnev.
On Friday, a group of bipartisan Members of Congress sent a letter to
Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew. In the letter, Representatives Pittenger
(R-NC), McGovern (D-MA), Cicilline (D-RI), Donovan (R-NY), Moore
(D-WI), and Rooney (R-FL) urge him to expand sanctions and impose
additional penalties, including anti-money laundering initiatives,
against key officials in Congolese President Joseph Kabila’s regime
responsible for undermining peace and democracy.
According to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)’s constitution,
President Kabila is supposed to hold national elections on November
19th, 2016, and then step down and hand over power to his successor on
December 19th. Congolese people and civil society activists are
demanding to see this process happen so that Congo can experience the
first ever democratic transition of power in its history.
Despite recent events that initially appeared to be steps toward
democratization, unfortunately there is no real indication that the
Congolese government is moving to hold elections anytime soon, thereby
undermining democracy. Instead of organizing elections, Kabila has
attempted to amend an unamendable provision in the Constitution,
grossly under-funded the electoral commission, issued an arrest
warrant for his main opponent, violently disrupted peaceful
protesters, and given no indication that elections will occur anytime
soon.
Furthermore, his regime has continued to repress independent civil
society. After jailing several civil society activists, Kabila's
regime kicked out Human Rights Watch, Global Witness, and the Congo
Research Group. And while some Congolese civil society groups were
released this week, the charges against several of them were not
dropped, meaning the activists could be re-arrested at any time on the
same trumped-up charges. This includes the leading Lucha and Filimbi
activists Fred Bauma and Yves Makwambala. Moreover, the vast majority
of the opposition and civil society will not be participating in the
Kabila-organized Dialogue, and UNC Secretary General Jean-Bertrand
Ewanga who was head of his party's delegation to the Dialogue today
announced his resignation from both his party and from the dialogue.
He denounced that the dialogue would be a forum to validate the
extension of Kabila's term.
In the letter, the Representatives affirm that the U.S. must “use its
substantial financial leverage to address human rights and compel
foreign governments to correct abuses.” They make reference to the
authorities that already exist under U.S. law via Executive Order
13413 on Congo to utilize targeted sanctions as a means of pressure on
those who commit human rights abuses or suppress democracy.
Last week, Enough joined with other NGOs to send a similar note to
U.S. Government officials.
U.S. Congress has been a strong supporter of timely, free, and fair
elections in Congo for many months now. Both chambers introduced
resolutions, which passed out their respective committees before the
August recess, urging respect for the constitution.
Read the Letter here >
Take Action: Urge your Member of Congress to Support H.Res. 780 >
Eastern Congo
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