Declaration of the Congo Bar Association

DECLARATION
OF THE CONGO BAR ASSOCIATION


Given the situation of war in which Congo-Brazzaville has been plunged since June 5, 1997 which has paralysed the economic and social of the country,
Being conscious of the dramatic development of the hostilities,
The Congo Bar meeting in a Special General Assembly,
In face of the cruelty of the acts committed, the Congo Bar denounces the genocide and the crimes against humanity perpetrated against the Congolese people,
The Bar calls on the national and international community to relieve the antagonists of their functions.
In fact this holocaust must remain imprinted on the collective memory of the Congolese in order to prevent a future repetion of this situation of war and to permanently prevent the atrocious habit of impunity.

In this regard, the Bar quotes the following constitutional provisions :

ARTICLE 10 : "The human person is sacred and has a right to life. The State has absolute pbligation to respect and protect the person".
In addition, the Bar recalls with firmness the combined provisions of articles 16 and 49 of the Constitution :

ARTICLE 16 : "Every act of torture and cruel treatment is inhuman and degrading and must be prohibited. Whoever is guilty of the acts set forth in the present article must be punished in conformity with the law."

ARTICLE 49 : "War crimes and political crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide are imprescriptible".

Consequently, the Congo Bar Association exhorts the belligerents to put an immediae stop to the hostilities so that the Congolese people may enjoy their "RIGHT TO PEACE" laid out in article 53 of the Constitution.

Written at Pointe-Noire, 9 August 1997

For the General Assembly
The National President of the Bar
on behalf of the Interim National President of the Bar

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