DR of Congo: Security Council condemns killings in Kisangani

Meeting on the latest developments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the United Nations Security Council today strongly condemned the killings that had taken place in Kisangani, and called for an immediate stop to all violations of human rights and international humanitarian law.

The current President of the Council, Ambassador Kishore Mahbubani of Singapore, made a statement at a formal meeting on behalf of all 15 members reiterating their demand that the Kisangani be demilitarized in accordance with the Council's relevant resolutions, in particular resolution 1304, and with the pledge made by the Rally for Congolese Democracy (RCD) to a recent Council mission to the region.

The Security Council also urged the parties' cooperation in fully reopening the Congo River, including to commercial traffic.

Through its statement, the Council invited UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to consider whether a temporary increase in the deployment in Kisangani of the UN Organization Mission in the DRC (MONUC) might contribute to easing tensions. The Council asked the Mission to continue to monitor reports of extrajudicial violence and to inform the Council of such actions.

The Council also drew the attention of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to the seriousness of the events that took place in Kisangani on 14 May and immediately thereafter.

Stressing the importance of MONUC in assisting in the full demilitarization of Kisangani, the Council welcomed the Secretary-General's recent proposal to reinforce the Mission's civilian police unit with 85 officers to help in the training of local police.