Lettre a la Communaute internationale : english version

LETTER TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

Dear friends,

The European and Overseas Union's Permanent Representation of the Congolese Opposition, Personal Representative for M. Bernard KOLELAS, Spokesman for the Collective of Congolese Intellectuals and Scholars Abroad, aknowledging the continuing degradation of Congo-Brazzaville's tragic situation (over 10.000 dead), a situation aggravated by the proliferation of arms trafficking and occult (sic) political influences, hereby denounces and condemns with the utmost indignation the silence, the apathy and the lethargy of the international community, which is repeating in Congo-Brazzaville the same strategies that it used in ex-Yougoslavia, Rwanda, ex-Zaire, etc...

Furthermore, we demand that the United Nations, the European Union, and the O.U.A. (the whole International community) take firm measures aimed at forbidding the supply of weapons to the two groups in conflict.

In consequence, and since the oil money available to the Congolese government is only being used to maintain a state of war and enrich the merchants of death, it is urgent that the European Union, especially France and Italy -- two countries who pay oil royalties to the Congo-- take their share of responsibility for the massacres that are taking place.

Thus, given the intransigeance of the belligerants and in spite of the efforts of nternational and national mediators, we propose, having consulted with non-belligerant parties and individuals of the Congo, six urgent measures to be taken :

1) The U.N., the European Union, the O.U.A. (the whole international community), together with the World Bank , the I.M.F, etc. must immediately freeze all private and public assets of the fratricidal war lords of the Congo and those of their local accomplices. Not abiding by this call would seriously jeopardize the international community's relation with African and particularly Congolese peoples.

2) The establishment in the Congo of an international peace-keeping force of intervention that would insure security and oversee election procedures until the election of the country's next president.

3) The F.I.B.A. (Elf's banking affiliate put in charge by the Congolese government of managing Congolese assets ) and Western banks must also freeze all accounts and assets until all agreements concerning the current crisis are approved and respected by the two parties at war.

4) The appointment of a Congolese official who will be nominated by the mediators themselves, and who will be free from interference (i.e. pression and corruption from the petro-financial lobbies).

5) The public condemnation of the structures, firms and countries that supply weapons to the two belligerants, D. Sassou Nguesso and Pascal Lissouba.

6) The isolation of the belligerants D. Sassou Nguesso and Pascal Lissouba and their prosecution, within the jurisdiction of an international court, for war crimes and crimes against humanity, if not genocide. With the will and determination, the International community can accomplish this.

With this goal in mind, and counting on your vigourous action in favor of the ravaged population of the Congo-Brazzaville, please be assured of our most respectful consideration.

Strasbourg (France), 26 August 1997

J-Cl. Mayima-Mbemba

Permanent Representative of the Congolese Opposition

to the European Union

French version