DRC Struggles After Assassination of Politician

June 5, 2009 - PRLog -- KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo (April 24, 2009)The assassination of Daniel Boteti, Vice President of the Kinshasa provincial assembly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in early July last year has heightened tensions across the country and especially in its capital.
Following the incident, DRC's Interior Minister Denis Kalume issued a public statement claiming the assassination "cannot be linked to politics as there are no political motives in the murder." However, the assassins are suspected to be deserters of the Armed Forces of the DRC (Forces Armees de la Republique Democratique du Congo) disguised as Republic Guards. Since July, the DRC has been in a state of instability with the rate of crime rapidly increasing. There is also speculation of military and legal officials fueling internal insecurity by covertly working against the current government.

According to SWA members in Kinshasa, the current government and the Agence Nationale de Renseignement (ANR), a government intelligence agency, do not tolerate opponents. Consequently there is a constant violation of human rights through oppressing freedom of expression and physical harassment, even murder.

Suspects of Boteti’s assassination have yet to be brought to justice and the public has lost confidence in the military courts that are failing to convict or arrest criminals.

Suppressing free speech and the right to speak out against the government demonstrates the undemocratic practices of the DRC government and is against what SWA stands for. SWA hopes members will be protected from persecution for publicly promoting democratic ideals and protesting for human rights.

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