With regard to whether the Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development (Mouvement congolais pour la démocratie et le développement intégral, MCDDI) political party is active in the Democratic Republic of Congo (RDC), a representative from the African Association for Human Rights (Association africaine de défense des droits de l'homme, ASADHO) in Kinshasa said, during a 14 May 2004 telephone interview, that MCDDI members probably took refuge in the RDC but that the party is not a political force there (14 May 2004).

The U.S. Committee for Refugees (USCR) reported that about 3,000 Congolese from Congo-Brazzaville took refuge in the RDC at the end of 2002 (2003). A representative from the Congolese Observatory of Human Rights (Observatoire congolais des droits de l'homme, OCDH) in Brazzaville stated that [translation] "among these refugees, there are many MCCDI members in exile" (OCDH 26 May 2004). That same OCDH representative stated that the MCDDI does not exist in the RDC (ibid.).

In addition, the Electionworld.org Website does not list the MCDDI as a political party in the RDC (23 Mar. 2004).

No mention of the treatment of MCDDI members by Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville) government authorities could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

However, a few sources refer to the Ninjas as forces loyal to Bernard Kolélas, the founder and former leader of MCDDI (ISS n.d.; University of Pennsylvania 17 Feb. 1999; Amnesty International 25 Mar. 1999). According to the OCDH representative, [translation] "normally, an MCDDI member is aware of the Ninja militia's actions" (26 May 2004).

No mention of a tie between the MCDDI and the Ninja militia could be found among the other sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

Three sources reported a split within the MCDDI; some members are loyal to Kolélas, and others rally around the new leader Michel Mampouya (RFI 21 Feb. 2002; Afrique-Asie Feb. 2001; OCDH 26 May 2004).

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 for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Afrique-Asie. February 2001. No. 137. "Congo-Brazzaville." http://www.afrique-asie.com/archives/2001/137%20fev/137congobrazza.htm [Accessed 21 May 2004]

Amnesty International (AI), London. 25 March 1999. "A Human Rights Crisis Rooted in Power Struggles." (AI Index: AFR 22/004/1999) http://web.amnesty.org/library/print/ENGAFR220041999 [Accessed 20 May 2004]

Association africaine de défense des droits de l'homme (ASADHO), Kinshasa. 14 May 2004. Telephone interview with a representative.

Electionworld.org. 23 March 2004. "Elections Around the World: Parties On the Web." http://www.electionworld.org/election/parties.htm#congo-kinshasa [Accessed 20 May 2004]

Institute for Security Studies (ISS). n.d. "Congo (Brazzaville) Fact file." http://www.iss.co.za/AF/profiles/Congo/congo1.html#politics_Anchor [Accessed 21 May 2004]

Observatoire congolais des droits de l'homme (OCDH). Brazzaville. 26 May 2004. Letter sent by the Executive Director to the Research Directorate.

Radio France internationale (RFI). 21 February 2002. "Élection présidentielle au Congo Brazzaville : un processus électoral contesté par l'opposition." http://www.rfi.fr/fichiers/MFI/PolitiqueDiplomatie/506.asp [Accessed 21 May 2004]

University of Pennsylvania, African Studies Center. 17 February 1999. "Congo-Brazzaville: Background on Militia Groups." http://www.sas.upenn.edu/African_Studies/Hornet/irin_21799.html [Accessed 21 May 2004]

U.S. Committee for Refugees (USCR), Washington, DC. 2003. "Country Report: Congo-Brazzaville." World Refugee Survey 2003. http://www.refugees.org/world/countryrpt/africa/2003/congo_brazzaville.cfm [Accessed 20 May 2004]

Additional Sources Consulted

Internet sites, including: Africa Focus, Africa: South of the Sahara (Europe), Afrique contemporaine, Afrique express, Altapedia, Asylum.org, Congo 2000, Congo Crisis, Congopage.com, Democraf.com, Infoplease, International Federation for Human Rights, International Freedom of Expression Exchange, Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent, Le Monde diplomatique, Observatoire congolais des droits de l'homme (OCDH), Mouvement congolais pour la démocratie et le développement intégral (MCDDI), New York Times, North-South Human Voice, Oxfam, ReliefWeb, Reporters sans frontières.