“Catastrophic” human rights situation reported

The human rights situation in Congo-Brazzaville has become “catastrophic” over the past six months, the International Federation of Human Rights Leagues (IFHR) said. In a report dated 17 June, received by IRIN on Wednesday, IFHR said there had been a progressive and visible deterioration in the country’s human rights situation, characterised by arbitrary executions, arrests, looting, rape and harassment of civilians by government forces and private militia groups. Based on personal testimonies, IFHR estimates that between 5,000 and 6,000 people were “methodologically and deliberately massacred” during the conflict between government forces and Ninja militia allied to former prime minister Bernard Kolelas in southern Brazzaville between 18-23 December alone. Armed groups killed unarmed civilians they suspected of sympathising with their opponents, the report said. A member of Congo’s National Transitional Council has contested the reports findings, RFI reported on Sunday.