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Ambassador: Congo Will Investigate Activistâs Death

   Peter Clottey 03 June 2010

   A  Congolese  envoy told VOA that President Joseph Kabilaâs government
   will  soon  launch  a full-scale investigation into the death of human
   rights  activist Floribert Chebeya, who was found dead in the capital,
   Kinshasa, Wednesday.

   Bene  MâPoko,  who  is  Congoâs ambassador to South Africa, called for
   calm  as the government investigates the circumstances surrounding the
   death of the human rights campaigner.

   âWe  donât  need  the  head  of  the  United Nations to tell us how to
   conduct  this  kind  of business because the government itself is very
   concerned  and  has  called for an investigation. We are going to do a
   full  investigation  into  the  death of Floribert. Floribert was very
   well  known,  very well respected human rights activists and his death
   has left a vacuum,â he said.

AFP Photo

   Congo's President Joseph Kabila

   The  U.N. Mission to the DRC (MONUC) called for an investigation after
   Amnesty International called Floribert Chebeyaâs death suspicious.

   But,  Ambassador  MâPoko  said  the  administration  is  determined to
   ascertain  the  circumstances  that  led  to  the  death of the rights
   activist.

   âThe  government has called for a full investigation because the cause
   of death has not yet been determined. All we know is that the body was
   found  in  the  car,  but  there  was  no gun wound (and) there was no
   evidence of any force being inflicted on him,â Ambassador MâPoko said.

   Congoâs  media  quoted  the  police  as saying that Chebeyaâs body was
   discovered  in  the  back  of  his  car in the Mitendi neighborhood of
   Kinshasa  Wednesday  morning  in circumstances that suggested a sexual
   link.

   Ambassador  MâPoko  dismissed  speculations  of foul play in Chebeyaâs
   death.

   âItâs  very sad when respected organizations come out with those kinds
   of  statements.  They  were not there (and) they were not eyewitnesses
   when this happened (and) when the body was found there was no evidence
   (of)  any  force  being  inflicted  upon Floribert,â Ambassador MâPoko
   said.

   Until  his  death,  Floribert  Chebeya  was  the  head of the National
   Network  of  Human Rights, Non-Governmental Organizations in Congo, as
   well as the Voice of the Voiceless rights group.

   Supporters  have  previously complained that the rights campaigner was
   often  harassed  and intimidated by the Congolese authorities, charges
   officials sharply deny.

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