IN 2013

January 2014 – but dated 31-10-2013

On 31st October 2013, the Director of Science and technology at the ICCN, Mr. Guy Mbayima, addressed an unnumbered letter to the General Director of the ICCN after the workshop that was held in Goma on the 31st of January 2014, threatening local civil society opposing oil exploration in Virunga. Members of civil society who expressed themselves at the workshop on 31st of January 2014 are currently under threat and fear for their security. These threats as stated in the letter are:

(i) Members of civil society are accused of wanting to create new armed groups and of opposing the authority of the state.

(ii) Civil society is also reproached of inviting the population to civil disobedience, sabotaging the state’s authority, using children in a demonstration at Kyavinyonge and planning a deadly coup against the Director of Technology and Science at the ICCN.

(iii) The threat to shut-down offices of civil society organizations and to prohibit the execution of activities in certain zones of North-Kivu