NGO request to African Commission Working
Group of Experts on Indigenous Populations/Communities
30 October 2006
African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights
Working Group of Experts on Indigenous Populations/Communities
Kairaba Avenue
P.O. Box 673
Banjul
The Gambia
Request regarding the violations of the rights of indigenous peoples in the Democratic
Republic of Congo
Please find attached
a copy of a communication that highlights the widespread, persistent
and systematic violations of the rights of indigenous peoples in DRC
that have given rise to the threat of immediate and irreparable harm.
This communication is being submitted by the Forest Peoples Programme
(FPP) on behalf of Centre d’Accompagnement des Autochtones Pygmées
et Minoritaires Vulnérables (CAMV), Association Pour le Regroupement
et l’Autopromotion des Pygmées (ARAP), Collectif pour les Peuples
Autochtones au Kivu (CPAKI/RDC), Action Pour la Promotion des Droits
des Minorités Autochtones en Afrique Centrale (APDMAC), Solidarité
pour les Initiatives des Peuples Autochtones (SIPA), Union Pour l’Emancipation
de la Femme Autochtones (UEFA), and FPP. The accompanying
NGO report and annexes
provide detailed information in support of the Communication.
Based on the information contained in the attached documents, the submitting
organisations would respectfully request that the Working Group:
(a) organise a country visit to DRC to examine the situation of indigenous
peoples in that country;
(b) further its collaboration with other human rights mechanisms, including
the UN CERD, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental
freedoms of indigenous peoples, and the Independent Expert on the situation
of human rights in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in order to address the
human rights situation of indigenous peoples in DRC.
Sincerely,
Ms. Lucy K. Mulvagh
On behalf of the submitting organisations
Email: lucy@forestpeoples.org