(Note: Monusco is UN’s peacekeeping force in Congo.)
Now, I’ve read the report Joshua gave us yesterday properly. It’s bad enough that the money to buy food etc is taken. Although we are not very surprised over this after all the experience we’ve had with the drama in Congo for over 2 years now. BUT what’s really scary in Joshua’s report is the behavior to the four officers from MONUSCO – UN’s peacekeeping force in Congo. If it’s true that they are UN officers, UN has a lot to answer for.
First and foremost I wonder if the four officers really came from Monusco. What was their role in the prison? What was the mission? Were they just going to observe the prison authorities as they searched the cells in the Central Prison for cell phones after an inmate complained about lacking justice?
UN’s officers’ behavior towards Joshua and Tjostolv is reprehensible despite the fact that the two Norwegian prisoners said they could search their cell and didn’t object to that.
BUT, Joshua and Tjostolv asked for the following:
-That they had a lawyer present both during the search and body visitation. This was denied them for long, before they finally could borrow a cell phone and call their local lawyer Likwela. They were entitled to have a lawyer present. Likwela didn’t arrive before after the search was in motion or over. It was the woman in particular who didn’t want them to have a lawyer present.
-They asked for names and titles of the four officers. They never gave them that information. They were not presented with any identification of the Monusco-officers.
-They asked for phone numbers and names for the officers’ supervisors. They didn’t get it.
-They asked to see the prison rules regarding the fact that the female officer said that they could search their cell without a lawyer present. (The way I understand the report) They didn’t get it.
-They didn’t want to leave the cell during the search because the chance of someone leaving something in the cell that could give them problems was high. Not to mention that so much more would be stolen.
-The female Monusco-officer wanted to know how much money they had. The two Norwegian prisoners asked that the money wasn’t counted in front of 13 people, but just a few people present, like the Monusco-officers. Was it really the Monusco-officers place to ask if they had money and how much? Is it really this female Monusco-officers place to decide who is going to take “care” of them, first she wanted one of the wardens in the prison to take “care” of them, then major Bwamulunda, then colonel Shomari took them.
We don’t expect to see this money again.
These questions and demands from the two Norwegian prisoners provoked the Monusco-officers so much that:
-The older Monusco-officer wanted them disciplined, and insinuated that four/five police- and military guards should take them out in the prison yard and carry out the mission.
The discipline in the prison is usually carried out in one or two ways:
a. Prisoners are beaten with canes (Joshua has treated several prisoners after this discipline method. The prisoner often gets fractures)
b. The prisoner is held on the ground by four others, and other inmates jump on the prisoner on the ground and kick him. This is another discipline method who leads to several injuries.
-In addition the younger Monusco-officer screamed at them very severally with racist overtones.
The mood was threatening in many ways.
In addition to this, the two Norwegian prisoners were severally yelled at by the Congolese authorities.
There is a lot more to be said about the envoys from the UN.
Here are just a few questions:
Can really UN envoys refuse to show ID? Is it really UN envoys’ place to be threatening and threat with discipline? Refusal to have lawyer present, and severely abuse verbally when Joshua and Tjostolv wants a lawyer present. Ask them how much money they have? Deciding who is going to take “care” of the money? Impound tobacco etc to the two Norwegian prisoners and be eager during the search? Isn’t it a fact that these envoys (if it’s correct that they were that) only have status as observers? Instead it seems like they have taken the authorities side in harassing the prisoners.
The Foreign Ministry is working all they can on this case.
We are anxiously waiting for an answer from Monusco/UN.
If these four officers really are from Monusco UN has a huge cleaning process to do, because this is probably not a single event.
Kari Hilde French, June 8th 2011
