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Local civil society organizations working on conservation and protection of the
Environment and Human Rights ( CRE F Networ k CREDDHO, I DPE, SOPR)
condemn in the strongest manner the intimidations, arbitrary arrest, and torture of local
community members opposing oil developments in Virunga National Park.
The perpetrator of these intimidations is an army officer of the Armed Forces of the
Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), known as Major BURI MBI KI NGI
F ERUZI, T2 of the 8th Military Region of North Kivu.
The local organizations denounce these acts and recall that the constitution of the
Democratic Republic of Congo, as amended to date, prohibits any use of military
forces for private purposes
1
.
We would like to stress, as it has many times been stressed, that oil exploration and
exploitation in Virunga National Park continues to violate the laws of the Democratic

1
ArL 188 :Les lorces armees sonL republlcalnes. Llles sonL au servlce de la naLlon LouLe enLlere. nul ne peuL,
sous pelne de hauLe Lrahlson, les deLourner a ses flns propres. Llles sonL apollLlques eL soumlses a l'auLorlLe
clvlle.
Republic of Congo in terms of the conservation and the protection of the
environment
2
, as well as in terms of the international conventions duly ratified by the
DRC
3
. It is important to note that these conventions are legally binding for our
country.
Indeed, it is since the year 2012 that this senior officer of the FARDC has been used
by company SOCO International; his military status has been utilized to silence
anyone who has questions about the true impact of the oil project, in particular human
rights and environmental defenders.
In the wake of recent activities organized by SOC O I nternational targeting two
fisheries of Lake Edward, Kyavinyonge and Nyakakoma, it seems that the strategy is
to force locals to accept, at any cost, the oil exploration / exploitation plans in Virunga
National Park.
As a reminder, the same FARDC Senior Officer has already been involved in the local
engagement campaign oI SOCO in Virunga National Park; he supported SOCO`s
activities in the past, forcing the population to accept this project. The above-
mentioned facts have been listed and denounced by civil society actors in 2012
4
.
Recently, the following incidents have taken place:
1. Dated July 15, 2013, Mr. Marco K YANGWI MUSA K ARA, President of the
local Fisher`s Committee oI Nyakakoma has been the victim oI an arbitrary
arrest. The arrest was ordered by Major BURI MBI KI NGI F ERUZI. The
ground for the arrest was that he was part of the local delegation that visited
MOANDA in Bas-Congo. This mission/delegation went to Bas-Congo in order
to understand the local realities of oil exploration in an oil region; at his return
he denounced the negative impacts of the oil developments on the lives of
people and ecosystems.
2. Mr. MA CHO ZI MUPANZ A Daniel, a human rights activist of CREDDHO
was a victim of intimidations; the reason for this intimidation was that he is one

2
1>; L de l'Crdonnance-Lol de 1969 , ArL 13 eL 19 de la Lol n 011/2002 du 29 AoL 2002
3
La Convent|on de |'UNLSCC concernanL la proLecLlon du paLrlmolne mondlal, culLurel eL naLurel du 16
novembre 1972 eL slgnee le 23 novembre 1972 , la convenLlon de 8AMSA8
4
LeLLre de l'lnnovaLlon pour le ueveloppemenL eL la roLecLlon de l'LnvlronnemenL (luL) adressee a son
excellence Monsleur le Couverneur de la rovlnce du nord-klvu du 17 !anvler 2012 avec comme ob[eL : noLre
lnquleLude face au comporLemenL du caplLalne lL8uZl agenL de 12 Coma dans les pcherles du lac Ldouard
pour le compLe de SCCC lnLernaLlonal.
of the persons that have been identified as opponents of oil
exploration/exploitation project in Virunga National Park.
Other targeted people were forced to flee in fear of torture and ill-treatment from the
naval force elements that follow the orders of Major BURI MBI KI NGI F ERUZI.
Civil society actors urge the company SOCO I nternational and the Major BURI MBI
KI NGI F ERUZI, to remember that Congolese NGOs working on Human Rights have
the primary duty to defend and promote, at all times and everywhere, the rights of
citizens in the entire territory of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
These rights are civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights; citizens have the
right to peace and development; they have the right to keep future generations of the
negative consequences that may arise from any project that does not meet the national
and international norms and standards for the sustainable management of natural
resources. The exploitation of these resources must respond both to the principles of
economic, social and ecological sustainability.
It should be emphasized that under no circumstances, Human Rights and
Environmental defenders and their organizations should be compelled to abandon this
noble mission.
In the light of the above, the Consortium, composed of CRE F Networ k, CREDDHO,
I DPE and SOPR, recommends the following:
To the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo;
To enforce the law on those who divert the armed forces of the Republic for private
purposes;
To ensure the protection of human rights and environmental defenders
To the general auditor to the military court in North Kivu;
To initiate legal proceedings against Major BURI MBI KI NGI F ERUZI for acts of
intimidation, arbitrary arrest, and torture perpetrated against those who issue opinions
contrary to the oil exploration / exploitation plans in Virunga National Park;
To the company SOCO I nternational
- To stop using officers of the Armed Forces (FARDC) in its engagement
campaigns with communities that are already traumatized by unending conflicts
and war.
- Respect the texts and laws of the Democratic Republic of Congo as the guiding
principles of the EITI (Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative).
Signed in Goma, 24th of July 2013

For More Information Contact:
Mr. BANTU LUKAMBO : +243997704042

Mr. Isaac MUMBERE : +243995472018

Mr. Eddy KAMBALE : +243994029412

Mr. Alphonse MUHINDO VALIVAMBENE : +243998384839