According to a 6 April 2003 document on the Yabili Web site, the Bundu dia Kongo (BDK) sect is one of the "churches of Blacks" (Églises des Noirs) of the Bas-Congo region. This source also reported that:

[translation]

The Bakongo include ... the Bundu dia Kongo (Bdk), the Papa Honda sect (whose members wear bags, do not wash, and sprinkle themselves with ashes), the Mpadisme (supporters of Mpadi Simon, a former associate and disciple of Simon Kimbangu), the Church of Blacks in Africa (Église des Noirs en Afrique) and the Spiritual Church of Blacks in Africa (Église spirituelle des Noirs en Afrique, Esnaf).

...

Blacks explain the creation of the world as follows. In the beginning, the Divine Creator assigned geographical regions to the following four Divine Gods: Nzambi Mpungu for Blacks and the original Black parents, a man and a woman of the Black race, as well as angels of the same race. Another Divine, Izzuara Nirvana, was to take care of the Asians, while Divine Allah was to watch over the red race. Divine Elohim Jehovah was to take care of the white race.

...

Members of the political-religious association Bundu dia Kongo were arrested following public demonstrations commemorating the fortieth anniversary of the creation of Kongo Central province. They were brought before the State Security Court for conspiring to change the constitutional regime of the Democratic Republic of Congo and violating the integrity of the national territory, inciting ethnic hatred, offending the Head of State, spreading false information, organizing unauthorized public demonstrations, and attempting to relaunch the activities of a suspended non-profit organization (Yabili 6 Apr. 2003).

However, according to the Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN), members of Bundu dia Kongo were allegedly among the 70 prisoners released when an amnesty was granted by President Joseph Kabila in April 2003 (28 Apr. 2003).

According to Yabili,

[translation]

The Bundu dia Kongo (Bdk) doctrine, which is compiled in the "Kongo Dieto," is a hodge-podge of ideas. It covers religion, philosophy, pure science, history, geography and politics. It is tailored to the Bakongo, the chosen people of the worldwide Black race. They are convinced that the RDC is composed not of a single people, but of a heterogeneous group of diverse and sometimes contrasting cultures. This is why they demand an ethnic-based federalism, which has nothing to do with separatism (6 Apr. 2003).

Three other sources stated that four to ten people were allegedly killed and several others wounded in July 2000 confrontations between the security forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (RDC) and Bundu dia Kongo members in the province of Bas-Congo (West), in Lozi (350 km from Kinshasa) and Moanda (Agence France-Presse 22 July 2002; Country Reports 2002 31 Mar. 2003; IRIN 26 July 2002). Referring to an open letter to President Joseph Kabila from a unionist in Bas-Congo, Agence France-Presse indicated that

[translation]

security forces allegedly fired at demonstrators and "extorted goods" from sect members ...

At the same time, several sect members were arrested in Kinshasa, also according to the open letter to President Kabila.

The members of "Bundu dia Kongo," who are concentrated mainly in Bas-Congo and Kinshasa, were protesting the "injustice, discrimination and ethnic-tribal segregation" they claimed to suffer. The Bundu dia Kongo sect is regularly targeted by the Congolese police and justice system for the anti-government declarations it broadcasts at its gatherings.

The sect, an animist movement governed by self-proclaimed king Bernard Mizele Nsemi, a fugitive, demands the restoration of the kingdom of Kongo. This kingdom included southwestern Congo (Brazzaville), the western part of former Zaire, as well as northwestern Angola (22 July 2002).

Moreover, according to Country Reports 2002, the government reportedly banned the Bunda dia Kongo sect in 2002 (31 Mar. 2003).

No information on the treatment of women by the Bundu dia Kongo sect, or whether the members of this sect may have several wives, could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints for this Response.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Agence France-Presse (AFP). 22 July 2002. "Affrontement secte-police en RDCongo : 4 tués, 8 blessés." (Courrier AFP/NEXIS)

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2002. 31 March 2003. United States Department of State. Washington, DC. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2002/18177.htm [Accessed 9 Oct. 2003]

Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN). 28 April 2003. "Congo Kinshasa : Military Order Court Abolished; 70 Prisoners Granted Amnesty." (Africa News/NEXIS)

_____. 26 July 2002. "DRCongo: Police Shoots Dead 14 Bas-Congo Autonomy Demonstrators in Southwest." (BBC Monitoring 27 July 2002/NEXIS)

Yabili. 6 April 2003. Archive 20. "Les 'Églises des Noirs' arrivent du Bas-Congo!" http://katgate.free.fr/kg/Archives_Yabili/Archive20.htm [Accessed 9 Oct. 2003]

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