DRC Elections 2011 Watch: 1) Electoral Scandal: Walikale Constituency (North Kivu) Independent MP Candidate No. 18 Ntabo Sheka is an alleged Mass Rape perp (HRW); and 2) UDPS lied about government airspace closure to Tshiskedi's planes

1) Electoral Scandal: Walikale Constituency (North Kivu) Independent MP Candidate No. 18 Ntabo Sheka is an alleged Mass Rape perp (HRW)

 Independent MP candidate No.18 Ntabo Sheka

Walikale Constituency (North Kivu)

Electoral Commission official photo

(Credits)

On Wednesday, November 2, Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a statement titled "DR Congo: Arrest Candidate for Mass Rape: Mai Mai Leader Sheka Campaigning While Arrest Warrant Goes Unenforced "

According to HRW, the candidate in question is Ntabo Ntaberi Sheka, who had been issued an arrest warrant by Congolese authorities on January 6--a warrant that "thas yet to be enforced." 

 

Excerpt from HRW statement:

 

“Congolese authorities should be arresting Sheka for mass rape whether he is running for office or not,” said Anneke Van Woudenberg, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The failure to arrest someone who is out publicly campaigning for votes sends a message that even the most egregious crimes will go unpunished.” 

Sheka is the leader of a militia known as the Mai Mai Sheka, which operates in remote Walikale territory, North Kivu province, in eastern Congo. In July 2011, the United Nations published a detailed report documenting the rapes of at least 387 civilians – 300 women, 23 men, 55 girls, and 9 boys – between July 30 and August 2, 2010, in 13 villages along the Kibua to Mpofi road in Walikale territory. The UN report said the Mai Mai Sheka was among a coalition of three armed groups responsible for the mass rape, and named Sheka individually as one of the leaders who carried command responsibility. 

Sheka is among the 65 candidates vying for the 2 parliamentary seats of the Walikale constituency (149,576 registered voters) in the North Kivu Province.

Congolese media give the name of the alleged mass rapist perp as Ntabo Ntaberi aka Sheka or Cheka. His ID on CENI registers reads:

"Bulletin Number: 18

First Name: Sheka

Name: Ntabo

Post-Name: Ntaberi

Gender: M

Date of Birth: 04/04/1976

Place of Birth: Walikale

Political Party: Independent

Profession: Trader"

Confronted by this scandal, CENI Deputy Chair Jacques N'Djoli said:

"If there's proof of Mr Sheka's condemnation, Human Rights Watch or other organizations or individuals should have brought the matter to the Supreme Court of Justice to thus seek the invalidation of his candidacy."

N'Djoli failed to say whether Mr Sheka would continue to campaign unmolested, as the deadline for the Supreme Court of Justice to hold hearings on registration contentions has gone by. If so, this electoral scandal would stink to high heaven for years to come.

2)  UDPS lied about government airspace closure to Tshiskedi's planes
Etienne Tshisekedi has recently claimed he was given by supporters 3 aircrafts: 1 jet, 1 DC-3, and 1 copter. Yesterday, UDPS Secretary General Jacquemain Shabani claimed that Congolese authorities have closed DRC airspace to those aircrafts--a claim made amid reports that chartered planes South African Airlines will be flying Tshisekedi throughout the Congo during his campaign and the persistent rumor alleging that Tshisekedi's war chest has been embezzled by his family and his entourage.

But yesterday, Lambert Member, Communication Minister, and Richard Nyangwile, head of the Autorité de l’Aviation Civile Congolaise (AAC)--the Congolese Civil Aviation Authority, accused UDPS of lying: no one from UDPS has so far applied for the flights of those aircrafts over DRC airspace, they claimed.

(And even if they did, the red tape in these matters in the DRC is such that it would take at the very least 2 years to see that permission granted).

Mende and other MP stalwarts are accusing UDPS of not being ready for the elections; hence, those lies.