Zaire (Hansard, 2 November 1995)

§ Mr. Tony Lloyd
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about the alleged killings of peaceful protesters during a rally in Kinshasa, Zaire on 29 July. [40599]

§ Mr. Hanley
An unauthorised demonstration was held on 29 July in Kinshasa by the Unified Lumumbist party—PALU—close to the transitional Parliament buildings. Demonstrators clashed with the gendarmerie and, most regrettably, 10 people died: one gendarme and nine demonstrators.

§ Mr. Lloyd
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information and representations he has received about the human rights situation in Zaire. [40598]

§ Mr. Hanley
Through the British embassy in Kinshasa we are in regular contact with a broad range of human rights organisations and political parties in Zaire. We receive information on a regular basis about human rights issues from non-governmental organisations, the press and political parties.

§ Mr. Lloyd
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Zaire about protection of human rights in the country. [40600]

§ Mr. Hanley
We remain concerned at the human rights situation in Zaire. Through the British embassy in Kinshasa we keep in close touch with the Zairean authorities over the need to improve respect for human rights, including issues that affect refugees in the great lakes region.