ICC - ICC extends outreach to victims of conflict to the south of Bunia, Ituri (DRC)
Press Release
ICC extends outreach to victims of conflict to the south of Bunia, Ituri (DRC)
ICC-CPI-20080909-PR351
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On 7 and 8 September 2008, the Outreach Unit of the International Criminal Court (ICC) held two information days for the populations of Mwanga and Gongo villages, located more than 25 km to the south of Bunia (in Ituri).
Over 280 persons – mainly female victims of war, members of civil society, elders, and members of Catholic and Protestant congregations – were, for the first time, able to receive information on the role and activities of the ICC in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in general and in Ituri in particular. This was also an opportunity for them to express their interest in the fight against impunity and their concerns regarding issues such as the mechanisms for identifying victims and modalities governing victim participation in the various stages of the proceedings, as well as the slow pace of judicial proceedings and the prosecution of other warlords in Ituri.
This exchange of information was followed by a lively debate, largely concerning the current state of affairs in the Kivus. The debate enabled a number of issues to be addressed at the same time as providing an opportunity to gauge the expectations of the participants. The villages of Mwanga and Gongo are inhabited largely by the Lendus and Babiras, and were the scene of deadly attacks during the armed conflicts in Ituri.
For further information please contact Nicolas Kuyaku, Field Information and Outreach Assistant on + 243 99 80 11 418 or by email: [email protected].