Inga Community Rep Harassed After World Energy Council Forum

Mr. Gerald Doucet [via email]

Secretary General, World Energy Council

Dear Mr. Gerald Doucet,

We are writing to alert you of threats received by Mr. Mpila Vangu, one of the traditional chiefs of the Inga region in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mr. Vangu reported to Congolose NGOs that he was harassed and threatened by local security forces after returning home from Botswana, where he participated as a representative of the local Inga communities in the forum organized by the World Energy Council on development of Grand Inga. We believe that Mr. Vangu was threatened in response to his participation as a representative of the local community and the assertion of their rights in the early stages of further hydro development at Inga. Please find attached the letter sent to government officials by Congolese NGOs raising these concerns.

The Congolese government has a duty to ensure the security of Mr. Vangu and all representatives of the Inga community who choose to speak out and participate in the rehabilitation and further development of Inga. Likewise, the government has a duty to ensure the security of all members of civil society, such as the staff of Avocats Verts, CEPECO, and REPEC who also speak out and participate. The international partners of the Congolese government also have a duty to ensure that neither the Congolese government nor their partner groups involved in the rehabilitation and development of Inga are directly or indirectly involved in violations of human rights, including intimidation of members of the local community, NGOs or other members of civil society. In particular, the WEC has a duty to ensure that local community representatives do not suffer any harmful consequences for their participation in WEC events.

We therefore urgently request that you denounce, publicly and to the Congolese government, any harassment of Mr. Mpila Vangu and that you support an investigation into this matter. We also urge you to assist local communities to continue their engagement in Inga development in an atmosphere of full security and protection of their rights.

Kind regards,

Ms. Terri Hathaway, International Rivers, US/ Cameroon

Mr. Baruti Amisi, Centre for Civil Society and School of Development Studies, South Africa

Mr. Bryan Ashe, Earthlife Africa eThekwini, South Africa

Cc:

Dr. Latsoucabé Fall, Africa Coordinator, World Energy Council

Mr. Pedro Alba, Country Director, World Bank

Mr. Philippe Benoit, World Bank

Mr. Amadou Thierno Diallo, African Development Bank

Mr. Martin Curwen, European Investment Bank

Hr. Josée Verner, Canadian International Development Agency

Mr. Pat Naidoo, Eskom / Westcor

Mr. Richard Taylor, International Hydropower Association