Communiqué   modifié le 13-01-2022 16:27 par Tournons la Page

TLP-DRC is deeply concerned by the assassination attempt of which was victim Maitre Timothée MBUYA, President of JUSTICIA Asbl, a member organization, in the night of January 11 to 12, 2022 in Lubumbashi.

It all started with the publication of a report by Justicia Asbl, the organization he heads, on September 30, 2022. The report entitled: "Spoliation of the Upemba and Kundelungu parks: serious risks on the animal species and violations of environmental rights" revealed the project of construction of a dam in the heart of the Upemba park by the company Kipay and the accompaniment of a part of the Kundelungu park by the farm Espoir, property of Josheph Kabila, former president of the DRC.

Faced with the uproar caused by these revelations, he sent a direct summons for "defamation" against Me Timothée. The hearing took place on January 10 at the Peace Court of Lubumbashi, which rejected the request for procedural irregularities. The courageous decision of the Lubumbashi Peace Court, which TLP-RDC welcomes, did not please certain personalities close to the former president and senator for life Joseph KABILA, who qualified it as humiliating and would be at the root of the armed attack on the residence of Maitre Timothée MBUYA.

Indeed, people in Congolese national police uniforms and carrying AK 47 firearms entered his residence around midnight and began to utter death threats to his wife and children after having proceeded to a systematic search of the entire house to ensure that Timothée MBUYA was present. When they did not find him, they ransacked the house and took away some valuable goods.

TLP-RDC strongly condemns this attack, which is a consequence of the work of human rights and environmental rights activist Timothée MBUYA and is undoubtedly linked to the legal case initiated by the Espoir Sarl farm against him.

TLP-RDC asks the provincial government of Haut-Katanga and the Congolese national police to take all necessary measures to ensure the protection of Maitre Timothée MBUYA, his family and the members of JUSTICIA Asbl.

TLP-RDC recommends that the Superior Military Prosecutor's Office at the Military Court of Haut-Katanga open judicial investigations to find the perpetrators of this attack and eventually bring them to justice.

TLP-DRC seized this opportunity to remind the office of the National Assembly to give priority to the processing of the proposed law on the protection of human rights defenders at the next parliamentary session in March 2022 so that they can benefit from the protection of human rights. of March 2022 so that they benefit from a real legal protection in their daily activities.

Me Jean Dominique KIMENGELE ULEDI, general rapporteur

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