CONGO

CERD A/54/18 (1999)

108. At its 1313th meeting, on 5 March 1999 (see CERD/C/SR.1313), the Committee reviewed the implementation of the Convention by the Congo on the basis of information from United Nations and other sources. The Committee notes with regret that the initial report of the Congo has been overdue since 10 August 1989.

109. The Committee also notes with regret that the State party was not able to respond to its invitation to participate in the meeting and to furnish relevant information.

110. The Committee considers that the armed conflicts of 1997 had an important ethnic dimension.

111. The Committee deplores the part played by mercenaries and the impunity that has been enjoyed by those responsible for the many violations of human rights and the displacement of populations. It notes that members of Pygmy groups continued to suffer from ethnic discrimination.

112. The Committee requests the State party to investigate the violations of human rights, in particular acts of racial discrimination, to bring offenders to trial, to offer compensation to victims' families and to discontinue the employment of mercenaries.

113. The Committee requests the State party to provide it with relevant information on the implementation of legislation prohibiting and sanctioning racial discrimination. It also wishes to receive information on immigration, on the demographic composition of the population and on measures taken to ensure that perpetrators of acts of violence related to racial discrimination are not benefitting from impunity.

114. The Committee urges the State party to open a dialogue with the Committee as soon as possible.

115. The Committee suggests that the Government of the Congo, if it wishes, may avail itself of the technical assistance offered under the advisory services and technical assistance programme of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, with the aim of drawing up and submitting as soon as possible a report drafted in accordance with the reporting guidelines.