Information on the current whereabouts of the former Prime minister Lunda Bululu; and the treatment of him, his family members and his acquaintances by the Kabila régime could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

However, a 11 May 2000 article stated that "two senior members of the RCD-Goma faction [one of the armed factions, based in Goma], Mr. Lunda Bululu and Mr. Alex Tambwe Mwamba, reportedly defected from the movement last week and are now in Brussels" (The East Africa African).

Contacted in Brussels on 18 September 2000, a Belgian journalist and specialist on the Great Lake's region of Africa for Le Soir stated that while she was not aware of any official defection of Lunda Bululu, she was also not aware of any statement (déclaration) from him as RCD-Goma coordinator for around six months. The Belgian journalist also indicated that she did not know if Lunda Bululu is now living in Belgium, but it is known that he often come in Brussels where his daughter lives.

Section 5.5.5 of a December 1998 Research Directorate paper entitled Democratic Republic of Congo: The August 1998 Rebellion and Affected Groups, available in Regional Documentation Centres, states that, when the civil war started in August 1998, "family members of current RCD coordinator Lunda Bululu [had] been arrested and detained by the National Intelligence Agency (ANR) in Lubumbashi for varying periods [while] FAC soldiers pillaged Lunda Bululu's residence in the Jamaïque district of Kintambo Commune."

RDC34731.F of 6 July 2000 also provides names of four persons arrested between 27 January and 10 February 1999 and tortured by the Kabila's Presidential Special Security forces (GSSP) because of belonging to the same ethnic group as Lunda Bululu, one of RCD-Goma's senior leaders.

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.

References

The East Africa [Nairobi]. 11 May 2000. Levi Ochieng. "Congo-Kinshasa; Bitter Rivalry Led to Latest Fight Over Kisangani." (Africa News Service/NEXIS)

Le Soir [Brussels]. 18 September 2000. Telephone Interview with a journalist, specialist on the Great Lakes region of Africa.

Additional Sources Consulted

Africa Confidential 1998- August 2000.

Africa Research Bulletin 1998-2000.

Country Reports. 1999-2000.

Info-Congo/Kinshasa 1998-June 2000.

Jeune Afrique 1998-Septembert 2000.

Keesing's Record of World Events 1998-May 2000.

LEXIS/NEXIS.

NewAfrican 1998-1999.

Le nouvel Afrique-Asie 198- 2000.

World News Connection (WNC).

Internet sites, including:

Africa Intelligence.

Amnesty International Online.

ASADHO.

Congo2000.

Human Rights Watch Online.

International Crisis Group (ICG).

Panafrican News Agency (PANA).

Observatoire de l'Afrique centrale.

ReliefWeb.

La Voix des sans voix (VSV).