Some sources reported the existence of a [translation] "Committee of Goodwill and Facilitation for National Consensus" (Jeune Afrique 6-12 Oct. 1998, 6; The Sowetan 1 June 2000; Congonline n.d.). Jeune Afrique indicated that this committee was composed of six permanent members, including Victor Nendaka Bika, Alexis Kadima, Jean-Claude Vuemba and André Alain Atandu Liongo, former executive director of Gecamines and [translation] "chief of Zaire's security services" (6-12 Oct. 1998, 6). Other committee members included Adeito Bagbeni (Congonline n.d.) and Muamba Mulunda, former finance minister under Mobutu (Le Phare 20 Jan. 2004).

In its 1-7 June 1999 issue, Jeune Afrique reported that [translation] "the initiatives taken by the Committee of Goodwill seem to confirm that the leaders' return is imminent and that the presence of André Atundu and Jean-Claude Vuemba in the Congolese capital last February was seen as a positive sign."

In a 20 January 2004 e-mail sent to the Research Directorate, the editor-in-chief of the Congolese daily Le Phare, published in Kinshasa, indicated that

[translation]

a group of Congolese exiles led by Nendaka Bika, former national security chief in 1960, former minister and former vice-president of the Central Committee of MPR under Mobutu, and including Atundu Liongo, former external security chief and former deputy executive officer of Gecamines, and Muamba Mulunda, former finance minister, had indeed undertaken a kind of goodwill mission in order to bring together the rebels and the government of Laurent Désiré Kabila.

He also indicated that, with the exception of Nendaka, who died in Brussels in 2002, and Atundu Liongo, who returned to the country and created a new party called Convention for Democracy and the Republic, [translation] "which appears to be critical of President Joseph Kabila," there is no news about the other members of the Committee (Le Phare 20 Jan. 2004).

According to Jeune Afrique, the objective of [translation] "the Committee of Goodwill and Facilitation for National Consensus" was to [translation] "facilitate the return to the country [RDC] of exiled figures-whether or not they supported Mobutu-with guarantees of complete safety and in view of national reconciliation" (6-12 Oct 1998, 6).

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.

Congonline. n.d. Kawata Ahem Tem. "Si on allait jusqu'au bout..." http://www.congonline.com/Forum1/Forum01/Ashem01.htm [Accessed 20 Jan. 2004]

Jeune Afrique [Paris]. 1-7 June 1999. No. 2003. Francis-Marie Lewa. "RD Congo : mis en congé lors de l'arrivée au pouvoir de Laurent-Désiré Kabila, il y a deux ans, les dignitaires de l'ancien régime aspirent, de nouveau, à jouer un rôle." http:/www.jeuneafrique.com [Accessed 4 June 1999]

_____. 6-12 October 1998. No. 1969. "RD Congo : Kabila, les exilés et le 'club francophone'."

Le Phare [Kinshasa]. 20 January 2004. E-mail sent to the Research Directorate by the editor-in-chief.

The Sowetan [Cape Town]. 1 June 2000. "Outwaiting the Warriors." (AN/Dialog)

Africa Confidential 1999-2003

Africa Research Bulletin 1999-2003

Belgium. October 2002. Documentation Centre for Asylum Agencies (CEDOCA). Rapport de mission à Kinshasa (République démocratique du Congo) du 16 juin au 5 août 2002.

Dialog

Info-Congo/Kinshasa 1999-2001

The International Who's Who 1999-2004

IRB Databases

Jeune Afrique 1999-2000

Mondes rebelles. 2001

Resource Centre country file. RDC

Internet sites, including:

Africatime

Allafrica

Digitalcongo.net

European Country of Origin Information Network (Ecoi.net)

ReliefWeb

Le Soir [Brussels]