EXTERNAL (for general distribution)AI Index: AFR 22/01/94

Distr: UA/SC

14 January 1994

Further information on UA 391/93 (AFR 22/03/93, 4 November 1993) - Fear of extrajudicial execution

CONGO: At least 95 political killings since December as fighting continues

Amnesty International is gravely concerned that continuing fighting in the Congolese capital, Brazzaville, between government security forces and armed opposition supporters, has resulted in at least 95 political killings since December 1993. At least 160 people, mostly civilians, are reported to have been killed in on-going political violence since June 1993. The organization is concerned that many of those killed were extrajudicially executed by government forces and supporters of President Pascal Lissouba. Armed opponents of the government are also responsible for many political killings. It fears that the killings will continue unless the government and its opponents take immediate measures to end the violence.

Much of the fighting has taken place in the opposition strongholds of Bacongo and Makélékélé. Some civilians appear to have been targeted by the security forces because of their support for opposition parties. For example, on 3 November, Clément Massengo, an opposition supporter, and his family, were attacked in their home by members of the security forces who entered the house firing indiscriminately. His wife, Emilie Massengo, and daughter Cheraldine were extrajudicially executed. It seems the family was targeted because of Clément Massengo's membership of the Mouvement congolais pour la démocratie et le développement intégrat, MCDDI, the Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integrated Development, the political party of opposition coalition leader, Bernard Kolelas. Clément Massengo also worked for a clandestine opposition radio station known as Radio-Alliance.

In early December, Colonel Jean-Pierre Mouanda and his wife were attacked and killed in their home by opposition supporters. Colonel Mouanda was killed as he tried to stop his wife being raped. The attack was one of a series of retaliatory attacks between opposition and government supporters sparked off by the kidnapping of an government supporter by opposition supporters. In an earlier incident in November, Laurent Bisset, a journalist close to President Lissouba's Mouvance présientielle, Presidential Movement, was kidnapped and killed by opposition supporters.

Despite appeals for calm by President Lissouba and Bernard Kolelas, sporadic fighting is continuing. President Lissouba has also opened negotiations with the opposition in an attempt to end the violence.

FURTHER RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send telegrams/telexes/faxes and airmail letters in French or your own language:

- expressing concern at reports of the continued apparent indiscriminate use of lethal force, including heavy weapons, and extrajudicial executions carried out by the security forces;

- urging the authorities to take immediate steps to prevent extrajudicial executions and other human rights abuses and to curb persistent use of lethal weapons by the security forces against unarmed civilians and to make them accountable for their actions;

- condemning unlawful and deliberate killings and other abuses committed or condoned by opposition groups;

- urging that leaders of political parties take immediate steps to stop and prevent human rights violations, including arbitrary and unlawful killings, being committed by their supporters;

- reminding the government that it has a duty not to order or condone unlawful killings by its supporters or the security forces and to take all measures necessary, including setting up an independent and impartial commission of inquiry into the violence, to ensure that those found responsible, including its opponents, are brought to justice. Their accountability is not diminished by national security considerations or by the fact that opposition groups commit similar acts

APPEALS TO:

1) The President

Son Excellence

Monsieur Pascal LISSOUBA

Président de la République

Présidence de la République

BP 2006, BRAZZAVILLE, République du Congo

Telegrams: President Lissouba, Brazzaville, Congo

Telexes: 5210 KG, 5287 KG, 5519 KG

Salutation: Monsieur le Président de la République / Dear President

2) Chief of Defence Staff

Général Marcel ETA-ONKA

Chef de l'Etat Major des forces armées

Etat major des forces armées

Ministère de la Défense

BRAZZAVILLE, République du Congo

Telegrams: Chef de l'Etat Major des forces armées Eta-Onka, Brazzaville, Congo

Salutation: Monsieur le Chef de l'Etat Major / Dear Chief of Defence Staff

3) Head of opposition coalition

Monsieur Bernard KOLELAS

Président du MCDDI

Assemblée Nationale

BRAZZAVILLE, République du Congo

Telegrams: Monsieur Kolelas, Assemblée Nationale, Brazzaville, Congo

Salutation: Monsieur/Dear Mr Kolelas

COPIES OF YOUR APPEALS TO:

1) Prime Minister

Général Jacques Joachim YHOMBY-OPANGO

Premier Ministre et chef du gouvernement

Bureau du Premier Ministre

BP 2096, BRAZZAVILLE, République du Congo

2) Minister of Justice

Monsieur André MATSIKA

Ministre d'Etat, président du Comité de la Législation, des

affaires juridiques et de la réforme administrative

Comité de la Législation

BRAZZAVILLE, République du Congo

3) Newspaper

Rédacteur en chef

La Semaine Africaine

BP 2080, BRAZZAVILLE, République du Congo

and to diplomatic representatives of CONGO accredited to your country.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 25 February 1994.