Sources reporting on events in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) corroborated that, on the night of 10 June 2004, plans for a coup d'état led by Major Éric Lenge, an officer in the Special Presidential Guard (Groupe spécial de la sécurité présidentielle, GSSP), were thwarted (Le Potentiel 12 June 2004; AFP 15 June 2004; Libération 12 June 2004; Africa Research Bulletin 26 August 2004, 15844).

The same sources, citing government authorities, related that an estimated 20 rebels alleged to have participated in the coup were arrested by security forces (ibid.; AFP 15 June 2004; News24 21 June 2004). Citing the Congolese non-governmental human rights organization Voice of the Voiceless (Voix des sans voix, VSV), sources reported that Major Éric Lenge had been extradited from Brazzaville, Republic of Congo (Business Day 6 July 2004; WMRC Daily Analysis 6 July 2004), and placed "under official custody" (ibid.).

No additional information on the fate of the suspects involved in the coup of the night of 10 June 2004 or on the treatment of their family and friends could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

However, a news article alluding to the 10 June 2004 coup attempt indicated that [translation] "the people arrested are still awaiting trial" (Le Potentiel 8 Sept. 2005). Also, a report from the Congolese non-governmental organization Action Against Impunity for Human Rights (Action contre l'impunité pour les droits humains, ACIDH), cited by the Congolese newspaper Le Phare, claimed that the 10 June 2004 coup attempt was yet another incident for which investigation results have not been made public, despite promises from the government (30 May 2005). Moreover, the same Congolese newspaper indicated in a 24 May 2005 article that, in [translation] "the Éric Lenge case and many others that have dominated the country's political news since the beginning of the transition [in July 2003], the government launched investigations without however presenting its findings before legal authorities" (Le Phare 24 May 2005).

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

Africa Research Bulletin [London]. 26 August 2004. Vol. 41, No. 7. "Alleged Coup Leader Extradited"

Agence France-Presse (AFP). 15 June 2004. "Huit nouvelles arrestations après la tentative de coup d'État de vendredi." (Courrier AFP)

Business Day [Johannesburg]. 6 July 2004. "Reputed Congo Coup-Bid Leader Extradited." (AllAfrica/Factiva)

Libération [Paris]. 12 June 2004. "Échec d'une tentative de coup d'État en RDC." (Dialog)

News24 [Cape Town]. 21 June 2004. "DRC Army Chief Axed." http://www.news24.com/news24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_154548,00.html [Accessed 19 Sept. 2005]

Le Phare [Kinshasa]. 30 May 2005. "À propos de la 'Sécession du Katanga, du premier mai 2005': Rapport d'enquête de l'ACIDH sur la sécession du Katanga." (AllAfrica/Factiva)

_____. 24 May 2005. "Le gouvernement viole la constitution et gêne les enquêtes préjuridictionnelles." (AllAfrica/Factiva)

Le Potentiel [Kinshasa]. 8 September 2005. "État des lieux de la situation des droits de l'homme dans la ville-province de Kinshasa." (AllAfrica/Factiva)

_____. 12 June 2004. "Coup d'État manqué: Éric Lenge, le chef des putschistes, toujours en fuite." http://www.digitalcongo.net/fullstory.php?id=38485 [Accessed 16 Sept. 2005]

World Markets Research Centre (WMRC Daily Analysis). 6 July 2004. "Suspected DRCongolese Putschist Under Arrest Following Extradition." (Factiva)

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: The president of the Association africaine de défense des droits de l'homme (ASADHO) in Kinshasa and the executive secretary of the Centre des droits de l'homme et du droit humanitaire (CDH) in Lubumbashi did not respond to requests for information within the time constraints for this Response.

Publications: Africa Confidential, Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent, Resource Centre country file.

Internet sites, including: AllAfrica, Amnesty International, Association africaine de défense des droits de l'homme (ASADHO), Digitalcongo.net, European Country of Origin Information Network (ECOI.net), Human Rights Watch (HRW), International Crisis Group (ICG), International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), IRIN, MISNA, ReliefWeb, United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC).