Protection of rights workers called for

The human rights body Amnesty International has called on DRC peace negotiators currently in the Zambian capital, Lusaka, to include the protection of human rights workers and defenders on the talks’ agenda. In a statement received by IRIN on Wednesday, Amnesty said it was concerned that members of several groups in both eastern and western regions of the country - including the Voix des sans voix (VSV) in Kinshasa and Groupe Jeremie in Bukavu - were “at risk of ill treatment and imprisonment this week” because of their human rights work.

Amnesty asked the regional ministers meeting in Lusaka to urge the DRC government and its armed opponents to prevent the persecution of human rights activists. “There can be no peace in a country where human rights workers cannot carry out their activities on behalf of victims, without fear of being abused themselves. The protection and promotion of human rights including those of human rights defenders must be central to the peace process going on in Lusaka,” Amnesty International said.