UNO: Vatikan protestiert gegen Menschenrechtsverletzungen im Kongo
Derr Heilige Stuhl protestiert gegen Menschenrechtsverletzungen im Kongo. Am vergangenen
Freitag beklagte Erzbischof Silvano Tomasi vor dem Menschenrechtsrat in Genf die Rekrutierung
von Kindersoldaten, die zahlreichen Fälle von Folter sowie die Massenvergewaltigungen
von Frauen durch beide Konfliktparteien. Die internationale Gemeinschaft müsse schleunigst
handeln, um den schweren Menschenrechtsverletzungen Einhalt zu gebieten, so der Vatikanvertreter.
(rv
01.12.2008 mc)
Wir dokumentieren hier den Redetext des Vatikanvertreters PERMANENT
MISSION OF THE HOLY SEE
Statement by H.E. Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi,
Permanent Representative of the Holy See to the United Nations Office and
other International Organizations in Geneva at the Eighth Special Session
of the Human Rights Council on The situation of human rights in the East
of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Geneva, 28 November
2008 Mr. President,
The daily reports on human suffering
in the North Kivu district of the Democratic Republic of Congo are deeply troubling
to the Delegation of the Holy See. Death, rape, lootings, forced recruitment and displacement
of civilian population have become a daily reality in that country. The international
community cannot stand by idle and needs to speak out clearly. In fact, with a view
on the growing consensus behind the responsibility to protect, it is of utmost importance
for the international community to restore the rule of law and to search for the common
good.
The Holy See condemns the large-scale occurrence of serious violations
of human rights and of humanitarian law. It deplores the recruitment of children and
adolescents as soldiers. It is alarmed by the many cases of torture and other cruel,
inhumane and degrading treatment, including the frequent occurrence of sexual violence
against women and girls by all parties to the conflict. The international community
needs to act swiftly in the face of these grave infringements of human rights. Moreover
the Holy See denounces the illicit trade of weapons, and in particular of small arms
and light weapons in the DRC. They increase the intensity of violence and threaten
the life and the integrity of a unacceptable number of innocent people.
The
Congolese Bishops issued a Statement saying that the Congolese people “are living
through a genuine human tragedy that, as a silent genocide, is being carried out under
everyone’s eyes”. While the Holy Father, Benedict XVI, called upon “all to work together
to restore peace, respect for law and the dignity of every person to that land, for
too long martyred”.
Latest figures show that about 2,000,000 people are forcibly
displaced in the DRC. Their right to food, water, decent work, adequate housing, education,
and health is seriously jeopardized. Many of these displaced end up in camps, where
they can be assisted by the international aid organisations. Others, however, are
less fortunate and cannot be reached by humanitarian agencies because of on-going
fighting between the different factions. It was recently reported that about 200,000
people are living in the bush and little is known about their situation.
A
positive step has been allowing the ICRC to carry out its humanitarian mandate. In
the same spirit, international humanitarian and human rights organizations and agencies
should be welcomed to carry out their respective roles to eliminate suffering of people.
Moreover, international organizations and in particular the African Union should strengthen
their efforts to achieve a peaceful solution to the crisis in the DRC. My Delegation
calls upon the warring parties in the Democratic Republic of Congo to respect the
cease-fire that has been reached, and to comply with the Peace agreements that have
been signed in the past. The people of Congo, like all the people of our planet, have
a “sacred right to peace”. In order to achieve a stable peace it has to be based upon
dialogue and reconciliation as peace can only be achieved through justice.
Thank
you Mr. President. Conférence Episcopale Nationale du Congo, Déclaration du
Comité permanent des évêques sur la guerre dans l’Est et dans le Nord-Est de la RD
Congo, La RD Congo pleure ses enfants, elle est inconsolable, 13 Novembre 2008,
. 2 Benedict XVI, After the Angelus of 9 November
2008, . 3
un General Assembly, Declaration on the Right of Peoples to Peace, un
Doc. A/39/51 (1984), p. 1.