The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Wednesday rejected a report by Human Rights Watch alleging it killed at least 500 suspected political opponents in the last two years.
The New York-based rights campaigners accused President Joseph Kabila’s government of ”brutal repression” in the report published on Tuesday, saying ”about 1 000 more” have been detained since July 2006 elections aimed at bringing democracy to the vast Central African nation.
The NGO also said many of those held reported having been tortured.
”It is a politicised report that is stuffed with approximations,” government spokesperson and Communications Minister Lambert Mende Omalanga said.
”We have received this report with great disappointment because it casts opprobrium and discredit on institutions that emerged from the 2006 elections,” he added.
The aim is ”to paint black the human rights situation in the west [of DRC] to cover up what is happening in the east”, where government forces are combating rebels, Mende said.
Noting that the report was issued just ahead of a session of the United Nations Human Rights Council on DRC, he said: ”It seems clear to us that the aim of this NGO, which hitherto we have viewed with great respect, is to convince its donors in order to benefit from new funds.” — Sapa-AFP