Democratic Republic of the Congo (Hansard, 10 June 2004)

§ Mr. Drew
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and what discussions he has had with the(a) Democratic Republic of the Congo Government and (b) Government of Rwanda on the situation in Bukavu. [177977]

§ Mr. Mullin
The situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is of great concern. Events in the east and violent demonstrations in Kinshasa and other major cities have placed the transition process under serious strain. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has spoken to President Kabila of the DRC and Present Kagame of Rwanda. We have been in508W constant contact with the key players to press for restraint and to urge them to work constructively to achieve a peaceful solution.
I had a meeting with Kabila's envoy on Monday 7 June.

§ Mr. Drew
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on attacks upon UN personnel in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and if he will make a statement. [177978]

§ Mr. Mullin
There have been a number of attacks on the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) in recent weeks. An unarmed Military Observer was killed in South Kivu on 31 May and two South African peacekeepers were killed and several others were injured in an unrelated incident in North Kivu on 2 June. On 2 and 3 June MONUC was targeted by violent demonstrations in Kinshasa and other towns across the DRC. The UK supports the efforts of the UN to achieve the military and political stabilisation of the DRC.

§ Mr. Drew
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of abuse of women, including rape and other sexual offences, by UN peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [177979]

§ Mr. Mullin
We are deeply concerned about press reports alleging serious sexual abuse by peacekeepers of the UN Mission in the DRC (MONUC), including against children. MONUC have launched an urgent internal investigation into the allegations. If these are confirmed, we will press MONUC to take all necessary steps to prevent such abuses from re-occurring.