Further memorandum submitted by the Foreign
and Commonwealth Office
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
Letter to Bill Rammell MP, Foreign and
Commonwealth Office, from the Chairman of the Committee, 21 May
2003
I am sure you are no less concerned than I to
see the latest distressing reports from Congo of mass killings
and brutality against the civil population. Much of this violence
appears to be rooted in long-standing conflicts between different
ethnic groups. Last week, Carla del Ponte suggested that the violence
amounts to genocide. As you well know, in cases of genocide the
international community is under an obligation to do what it can
to protect the victims and bring to justice the perpetrators.
I and my colleagues on the Committee would be
grateful to learn from you whether the FCO believes what is happening
in the DRC constitutes genocide; what legal and moral obligations
the FCO understands the United Kingdom and other developed countries
to be under in relation to the DRC arising from the present situation;
and what action the United Kingdom will take.
Chairman of the Committee
May 2003
Letter to the Chairman of the Committee
from the Minister for Africa, Foreign and Commonwealth Office,
17 June 2003
Thank you for your letter of 21 May to Bill
Rammell about your concerns over the situation in Democratic Republic
of Congo (DRC). I am replying as Minister for Africa.
We too are very concerned about the situation
in the DRC, especially recent events in the Ituri region. We have
been actively engaged with our African, EU and UN partners in
promoting a peaceful resolution to the conflict in the DRC.
You have asked specifically about what action
the UK is taking in the DRC. You have also asked if the FCO believes
what is happening in the DRC is Genocide and what the UK legal
and moral obligations would be if this were the case.
On the question of the legal aspect of genocide
and the UK obligations, we are consulting with our legal advisers.
I will provide you with a substantive reply shortly. But on the
issue of what action the UK is planning to take. I can confirm
that the UN Secretary General has asked the UK and others to participate
in a French-led rapid reaction force to stabilise the situation
in Ituri. The Prime Minister has committed the UK to contribute
to this Interim Emergency Multinational Force and we are working
closely with France and other EU partners on the issue.
The Military deployment will only have a sustainable
impact if there is progress on a political solution to the DRC's
problems. This is moving forward. Since agreement on the establishment
of a transitional national government (TNG) was reached on 2 April
in Sun City (South Africa), progress has been made on its formation
and we understand installation is envisaged in the course of next
month.
We will continue to play our part, as a member
of the International Committee for Support to the Transition,
which is tasked with supporting the transitional process in the
DRC, leading to elections in 2 years.
As part of our overall strategy, Britain has
already provided people and money for the military, political
and peace observation aspects of the 1999 Lusaka Peace Agreement,
including:
— 6 British Military Liaison Officers
to the UN observer operation for DRC.
— £160,000 to help get the Joint
Military Commission, responsible for supervising the Lusaka cease-fire
and military disengagement plan, up and running.
— Over £250,000 for the talks,
which concluded on 2 April 2003 including an expert to work with
the Facilitator, former President of Botswana, Sir Ketumile Masire.
Chris Mullin MP
Minister for Africa, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
June 2003
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