Asylum Access is in the process of preparing an appeal submission for a
male, Banyamulenge asylum claimant ("AC") in his late 20s, born in
Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo ("DRC"). We are seeking expert
advice (as detailed below) on DRC and/or Banyamuenge.
Background
The AC was executive staff with the Rally for Congolese Democracy
("RCD") for 4 years. He has subsequent associations, albeit forced, with
Nkunda. He has also been involved with The Congolese Patriots Party. The
AC was detained and tortured by FARDC but managed to escape and hide in
a rural village in DRC for approx. 2 years before leaving the country.
UNHCR's accepts that if the AC were to return to Bukavu, he could be
persecuted by the local community who are aware of the AC's Bunyamulenge
origins and his past work with Nkunda. However, UNCHR claim that this
fear is highly localized and that the AC could live in Kinshasa.
Advice/Opinions Sought
Broadly we are seeking expert advice/opinions regarding the following:
* Status of Banyamulenge in Kinshasa? Are they persecuted? What
rights do they have?
* Are the Banyamulenge regarded as stateless in DRC? Can they
obtain the rights of citizens in Kinshasa, including obtaining passports
and ID cards?
* Banyamulenge community organization in DRC; how well do
Banyamulenge from different parts of the country know each other?
* Status of Banyamulenge in Kinshasa who are known/perceived to
support Nkunda and Rwanda; are they persecuted?
* Status of former RCD members/Banyamulenge not in government in
Kinshasa.
* Loyalties of former RCD members/Banyamulenge in government in
Kinshasa. Are they against Nkunda? Are they in alliance with Bosco Ntaganda?
* FARDC arrest protocols/modus operandi; standards of detention,
treatment and release.
* Knowledge or status of The Congolese Patriots Party (not Union of
Congolese Patriots).
Thank you,
Sanjula Weerasinghe
[log in to unmask]
*Please send replies to: [log in to unmask]*
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Note: The material contained in this communication comes to you from the
Forced Migration Discussion List which is moderated by the Refugee
Studies Centre (RSC), Oxford Department of International Development,
University of Oxford. It does not necessarily reflect the views of the
RSC or the University. If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post this
message please retain this disclaimer. Quotations or extracts should
include attribution to the original sources.
List Archives: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/forced-migration.html
RSS: https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?RSS&L=forced-migration
Subscribe/unsubscribe: http://tinyurl.com/fmlist-join-leave
|