The following constitutes a summary of information provided by both a representative of the Montreal-based Entraide missionnaire, who is the former managing editor of the Info-Congo/Kinshasa (1992-2001), and by the director of Promotion and Support of Women's Initiatives (Promotion et appui aux initiatives féminines, PAIF), a women's non- governmental organization based in Goma (North Kivu), during 5 and 6 May 2003 telephone interviews respectively.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (RDC), the term "société civile" is used to designate all non- governmental and apolitical organizations, including religious, women, youth, human rights, professional and grassroots organizations, in order to distinguish them from government institutions, political parties and rebel groups.

In South Kivu, the civil society's main coordinating body is based in Bukavu and is known as the Coordination Office of the Civil Society of South Kivu (Bureau de coordination de la société civile du Sud-Kivu). Strongly opposed to the presence of rebel groups and their supporters (Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi), the civil society of South Kivu, which is well-organized and active, was represented in different national forums, including the National Conference (1992) and the inter-Congolese dialogue (2003).

In a memorandum sent by representatives of South Kivu's civil society to the United Nations mission in the RDC, published on the Website of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) [a Congolese opposition party], the following individuals signed on behalf of the Provincial Coordination Office of the Civil Society of South Kivu (Bureau de coordination provinciale de la société civile Sud-Kivu): Joseph Muyengo Kyalangilwa, provincial president; Gervais Chirhalwira Nkunzimwami, vice-president; Rugarabura Ndulo Emmanuel, president of the monitoring council (Conseil de surveillance); Didace Kaningini Kyoto, member; Pierre Saidi Mulamba, permanent secretary; Bruno Bahati Barhalibiru, member; Kapupu Diwa Mutimanwa, treasurer; Deodatte Chishimbanji, secretary of the monitoring council; J.B. Ruhangamugabo, member; and Léon Baruani Misenga, secretary of the provincial office (12 Feb. 2000). Two other sources referred to Joseph Kyalangilwa as president of the Civil Society of South Kivu (Current Concerns 2001-2002; Unimondo 30 Apr.-2 May 1999).

Citing the office of the inter-Congolese dialogue facilitator, one report stated that five persons, including "traditional chief Mwami Kabare Rugenaninzi II of the Bahami community; Aurelie Bitondo, a representative of women's organisations; Pastor Jean Luc Kuye-Dondo, chosen from religious groups; and Enock Ruberangabo and Gervais Chiralwirwa, civil society representatives from the town of Bukavu," were selected to represent civil society organizations in the province of South Kivu at the dialogue (IRIN 18 June 2001).

Regarding the situation of members of civil society in South Kivu, the two oral sources stated during their telephone interviews with the Research Directorate that, because South Kivu is currently controlled by the authorities of the rebel Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD), members of the civil society, who are in general strongly opposed to the rebels' presence, are often arrested and detained (Entraide missionnaire 5 May 2003; PAIF 6 May 2003).

A 13 August 2001 presse release from La Voix des sans voix (VSV) referred to arrests of members of the civil society of the South Kivu, including Majaliwa Kananzi, the coordinator of the "Comité d'action pour le développement intégral" (CADI), also president of the "Bureau de coordination des ONG d'Uvura (BUCONG)," and "Madame Jeje," president of the "Association ELIMU."

A 4 May 2000 Amnesty International action alert noted that Bruno Bahati, a member of the Coordination Office of the South Kivu Civil Society, "an umbrella group of non-governmental organizations, including human rights groups, based in South-Kivu, in eastern DRC," was reportedly arrested and detained by Rwandan security forces [Rwanda is allied to the RCD rebel group].

Referring to the South Kivu region, Human Rights Watch (HRW) stated in its World Report 2002 that "anxious about challenges to their legitimacy, RCD authorities detained scores of Uvira residents, including leaders of civil society, when they sought to boycott a celebration of the August 2 anniversary of the RCD rebellion" (HRW 2002). In a 2 February 2000 report, the same human rights organization "condemned the ongoing crackdown by authorities of the rebel Congolese Rally for Democracy against civil society activists, and particularly human rights defenders in areas under rebel control in eastern Congo" (ibid. 2 Feb. 2000). HRW cited the case of Patient Bagenda Balagizi, "one of the main figures of the civil society" and chair of an anti-poverty organization, the Comité Anti-Bwaki, and the case of Gustave Lunjwere, a church leader, who were arrested and detained by the security forces in Bukavu; both men were members of the civil society of the South Kivu, (ibid.).

Information on the treatment of members of the civil society of the South Kivu by Congolese government authorities could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

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.

Amnesty International (AI). 4 May 2000. "Fear of 'Disappearance'/Fear of Ill-treatment and Tortured. Rwanda: Bruno Bahati, Civil Society Activist." http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAFR470162000?open&of=ENG-RWA [Accessed 5 May 2003]

Bureau de coordination provinciale de la société civile du Sud-Kivu [Bukavu]. 12 February 2000. "Mémorandum de la société civile du Sud-Kivu à la MONUC." http://www.udps.org/Textes-Forum/cojeski-120200.html [Accessed 5 May 2003]

Current Concerns [Zurich]. 2001-2002. "Democratic Republic of Congo: Systematic Plundering of the Country's Mineral Resources." http://www.currentconcerns.ch/archive/20011119.php [Accessed 5 May 2003]

Entraide missionnaire [Montreal]. 5 May 2003. Telephone interview with a representative and former managing editor of the Info-Congo/Kinshasa.

Human Rights Watch. 2002. World Report 2002. "Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)." http://www.hrw.org/wr2k2/africa3.html [Accessed 5 May 2003]

_____. 2 February 2000. "Crackdown on Civil Society Activists in Eastern Congo." http://www.hrw.org/press/2000/02/drc0202.htm [Accessed 5 May 2003]

Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN). 18 June 2001. UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). "IRIN Update 1202 for the Great Lakes. DRC: South Kivu Delegates Chosen for Dialogue." http://www.reliefweb.int [Accessed 5 May 2003]

Promotion et appui aux initiatives féminines (PAIF) [Goma]. 6 May 2003. Telephone interview with the director.

Unimondo. 30 April-2 May 1999. "Conference de Parma : ouverture de la conférence." http://www.unimondo.org/glf/docs/doc9905212fr.html [Accessed 5 May 2003

La Voix des sans voix (VSV) [Kinshasa]. 13 August 2001. "Communiqué de presse no 044/RDC/VSV/CD/2001: halte aux arrestations et intimidations au Sud/Kivu province occupée à l'Est de la RDC." http://www.congonline.com/vsv/communiques/2001/1308.htm [Accessed 5 May 2003]

Africa Confidential 1993-2003

Africa Research Bulletin 1993-2003

IRB Databases.

LEXIS/NEXIS

Resource Centre country file. RDC.

Rosenblum, P. 1994. The Status of Human Rights Organizations in the Sub-Saharan Africa. International Human Rights Internship Program and The Swedish NGO for Human Rights.

Websites, including:

Africatime

Allafrica

FIDH

HRW

ReliefWeb

UNHCR