Democratic Republic of Congo: Union for the Congolese Nation (Union pour la
nation congolaise, UNC), including
origins, structure, political platform, and leadership; information on membership cards and fees; treatment of UNC
members by authorities (2011 - September 2015)
Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 25 September 2015
Citation / Document Symbol COD105316.E Related Document
République démocratique du Congo : information sur l'Union pour la nation congolaise (UNC), y compris sur ses origines, sa structure, son programme politique et ses dirigeants; les cartes de membre du parti et les droits d'adhésion; le traitement réservé aux membres de l'UNC par les autorités (2011-septembre 2015)
Cite as
Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Democratic Republic of Congo: Union for the Congolese Nation (Union pour la nation congolaise, UNC), including origins, structure, political
platform, and leadership; information on membership cards and fees;
treatment of UNC members by authorities (2011 - September 2015), 25 September 2015, COD105316.E, available at:
http://www.refworld.org/docid/563c64324.html [accessed 9 November 2015]
Disclaimer
This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
1. Origins
UNC is a political opposition party that was formed in 2010 by Vital Kamerhe (UNC 25 July 2013; PHW 2015). Vital Kamerhe was formerly part of the ruling People's Party for Reconciliation and Development (Parti du peuple pour la réconciliation et le
développement [Parti du peuple pour la reconstruction et la démocratie], PPRD) (ibid.;
UNC 25 July 2013), as the Secretary General of that party and the speaker of the
National Assembly from 2004-2007 (ibid.). According to the UNC's website, he was seen by many as being the [translation] "architect" of Joseph Kabila's electoral victory in 2006 (ibid.).
Sources report that Kamerhe was forced out of his position within the PPRD and as
speaker of the assembly in 2009 after he criticized Kabila's joint military operations with Rwanda against armed militants in eastern DRC (PHW 2015; Radio Okapi 14 Dec. 2010).
Kamerhe then formed the UNC in 2010 as a new political party, drawing defectors from the PPRD (ibid.; PHW 2015).
Sources report that Vital Kamerhe was a presidential candidate in the 2011 presidential elections, and finished third with about 7.7 percent of the vote (ibid.; UNC 25 July 2013). Sources report that the UNC won 16 seats (UNC n.d.a; PHW 2015) in the
concurrent 2011 legislative elections [out of 493 seats in the National Assembly (US 25 June 2015, 21)] (PHW 2015). According to the UNC website, those elected were: Jean- Marie Bomporiki, Arome Bigabwa, Aimé Boji, Sam Bokolombe, Jean-Bertrand Ewanga, Eric Katolo, Edouard Kiove Kola, Claudel André Lubaya, Jason Luneno, Jean-Baudouin Mayo Mambeke, Crispin Mbindule, Grégoire Mirindi, Roger Mpanano, Juvenal Munubo, Kizito Mushizi, and Martin Ntenda (UNC n.d.a).
The International Crisis Group reports that, in interviews conducted with members of the UNC, the "party claims 150,000 supporters [in South Kivu] and a further 90,000 in North Kivu, which would make it the leading opposition party in these two provinces"
(International Crisis Group 5 Sept. 2011, 8). The same source describes the party's support in South Kivu, Kamerhe's birth place, as being strongest in the territories of Fizi, Uvira, Walungu, Bukavu, and Idjwi (ibid., 9).
2. Party Leaders (2010-2015)
Sources report that Vital Kamerhe is the national President of the UNC (UNC 25 July 2013; Agence Belga 13 Mar. 2015). Sources also report that Jean-Bertrand Ewanga is the Secretary General of the UNC (PHW 2015; US 25 June 2015, 9).
Lists of party leaders identified on the UNC website dated 23 August 2011 (Attachment 1) and 19 April 2014 (Attachment 2) are attached to this Response.An undated list of provincial UNC leaders, and UNC representatives by electoral district in the RDC, as provided on the website of Vital Kamerhe, is attached to this Response (Attachment 3).
3. Party Structure
The Statutes (Statuts, Attachment 4), Internal Regulations (Règlement intérieur, ,
Attachment 5), and a diagram of the organizational structure of the UNC (Attachment 6) are attached to this Response.
4. Political Platform
Sources indicate that the UNC is part of an opposition coalition against the revision of the country's electoral law (UNC 10 Jan. 2015; PHW 2015), with the Union for
Democracy and Social Progress (Union pour la démocratie et le progrès social, UDPS) (ibid.). For information on the UDPS, see Response to Information Request COD105112.
Congolese newspaper Le Potentiel reports that the UNC is among opposition parties that have publicly called for a [translation] "'peaceful alternation of power in 2016, respecting the Constitution and constitutional deadlines, and democratic elections'" (16 Sept.
2015). The Political Handbook of the World (PHW) 2015 indicates that the UNC was among the opposition parties that called on the Congolese people to participate in civil disobedience and refuse to pay taxes to protest attempts by the government to change the constitution allowing Kabila to seek a third term (PHW 2015).
Sources report that the UNC remains opposed to any modification of the Constitution that would permit Kabila to remain President and has refused to enter into a "national dialogue" process (AFP 14 Sept. 2015; RFI 31 July 2015; UN 26 June 2015, para. 3) initiated by the government (ibid.). According to the UN Security Council, the "national dialogue" was a consultation process initiated in May 2015 at the request of President Kabila, which aimed to consolidate "national unity during the [2016] election period"
(ibid.).
5. Membership Cards
Article 9 of the UNC's Statutes, published on the party's website, indicates that there are four categories of members: founding members (membres fondateurs), full members (membres effectifs), honorary members (membres d'honneur), and supporting members (membres sympathisants) (UNC July 2011a, Art. 9). According to Article 12 of the
party's Statutes, any person of Congolese nationality who is over 18, registers with the party and buys a membership card, can join the UNC (ibid., Art. 12). Article 18 of the Statutes states that all members of the party have the right to obtain and hold a party membership card (ibid., Art.18). The official website of Vital Kamerhe states that membership cards cost:
[translation]
approximately 1$ (1.000 Fc) for a full member,
$100 for an elite member (performing a function within the party) and
$500 for an honorary member. (Kamerhe n.d.)
Article 4 of the UNC's Internal Regulations published on the party's website, provides a description of the membership card: the front of the card displays the name of the
party, with a UNC emblem and a serial number (UNC July 2011b, Art. 4). On the back of the card are the cardholder's name, date of birth, date of issuance of the card, and a passport photo (ibid.). The card is signed by the national UNC president, or his
representative (ibid.). The UNC membership application form, found on the party's website, can be filled out and submitted electronically on the website (UNC n.d.b).
Further information on UNC membership cards could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
6. Treatment of UNC Members by the Authorities 6.1 2011-2014
According to the US Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2011, a TV station owned by Vital Kamerhe was shut down by authorities in 2011, due to allegations that the station "defamed one of Kamerhe's political adversaries" (US 24 May 2012, 19). Amnesty International (AI) reported in 2015 that the station
remained closed (25 Feb. 2015).
Sources reported in 2011 that the wife of a UNC coordinator was [translation]
"assassinated" by men in uniform (VSV May 2011, 4; Congo News 29 Apr. 2011) in Bukavu (ibid.). According to a news bulletin released by la Voix des sans-voix pour les droits de l'homme (VSV), a non-profit, non-governmental human rights organization based in Kinshasa-Ngaliema, the woman's children ran to a police station nearby where they were reportedly told that the police is [translation] "not there to protect UNC members" (VSV May 2011, 4).
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reported in 2011 that a former journalist, who was also the director of a local community radio show and the provincial press spokesman for the UNC, obtained information about an alleged plot by ruling party members and soldiers to kill him out of fear that his popularity would mobilize public support for the UNC (RSF 26 Aug. 2011). Similarly, International Crisis Group reported in 2011 that a UNC spokesperson and famous broadcaster "wrote to the head of state to denounce death threats made on 11 August" (International Crisis Group 5 Sept. 2011, 8).
International Crisis Group reports that other incidents of intimidation of the UNC in 2011 include the arrest of a UNC supporter in Uvira for saying Kabila would lose the election;
the imprisonment of "the person responsible for mobilising voters" in Goma for the same reason; and the murder of a shopkeeper, killed in his home by armed men for
reportedly funding the UNC (5 Sept. 2011, 8). According to a 2011 article published by news website Congo News, UNC members have been the object of attacks, arrests and
kidnappings throughout the country (18 Apr. 2011).
International Crisis Group reports that UNC authorities accused local authorities in North Kivu of attempting to disrupt visits by Vital Kamerhe in 2011 (International Crisis Group 5 Sept. 2011, 8). According to Human Rights Watch, local authorities used force to prevent members of UDPS and UNC from organizing a 13 December demonstration "to protest Kabila's re-election and alleged vote rigging," leading to the arrest of five UNC organizers, who were charged with "threatening state security" (Human Rights Watch 21 Dec. 2011).
According to Human Rights Watch, in late November 2011, unidentified armed men physically attacked and seriously wounded a UNC parliamentary candidate in his home during the early morning hours (ibid. 2 Dec. 2011).
Sources report that a local activist and vocal critic of the election process was killed in December 2011 (ibid. 21 Dec. 2011; Radio Okapi 10 Dec. 2011). Human Rights Watch reports that the activist, who was also a UNC supporter, was shot and killed in his home by soldiers, who shouted for him by name to come outside; a witness stated that the soldiers shouted that "other UNC members and candidates would be tracked down in the same manner" (21 Dec. 2011).
Radio France internationale (RFI) reported that in 2012, a UNC party deputy was arrested on suspicion that he was planning an attack in Goma; during the incident, an exchange of gunfire killed two soldiers and two bodyguards prior to the arrest (3 Feb.
2012).
Sources report that Vital Kamerhe was prevented from traveling to eastern DRC on two occasions in 2014 (Freedom House 28 Jan. 2015; AFP 20 Feb. 2014) for his "'caravan of peace'" tour to the region (ibid.). Sources also report that in February 2014, police used force to break up a UNC rally in Bukavu (ibid.; Freedom House 28 Jan. 2015). According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), thousands of demonstrators led by Kamerhe arrived in Bukavu for the "'caravan of peace'" tour of the eastern DRC, but were prevented from continuing by police, who opened fire on the crowd, wounding five people (AFP 20 Feb.
2014). Other sources report that nearly 50 people were injured during the incident (UN 21 Feb. 2014; Radio Okapi 21 Feb. 2014), 24 of which were civilians; one person was killed and two members of Kamerhe's delegation were [translation] "seriously injured"
(ibid.).
The UNC was among opposition supporters who protested in August 2014 in Kinshasa, demanding that President Kabila not change the Constitution to be permitted to run for a third term in 2016 (PHW 2015; Human Rights Watch 29 Jan. 2015). Joseph Kabila was declared winner of the 2011 presidential elections, a result disputed by the opposition (ibid. 21 Dec. 2011; RFI 11 Dec. 2011). Sources report that Kabila's second presidential term is set to expire in 2016; however, his opponents fear he will try to stay beyond that date for another term (Agence Belga 13 Mar. 2015; AFP 14 Sept. 2015); he has been President since 2001 (ibid.).
Human Rights Watch reports that in 2014, authorities "blocked the activities" of Vital Kamerhe on several occasions and demonstrators at several opposition rallies were injured by police (29 Jan. 2015). Other sources similarly report the following:
In September 2014, an opposition protest, co-led by the UNC but unauthorized by the Kinshasa provincial Ministry of the Interior, was met with police intervention, reportedly with tear gas and live ammunition, resulting in an unspecified number of arrests and injuries (Radio Okapi 15 Sept. 2014).
In November 2014, the UNC was among opposition parties that organized a protest in Kinshasa which resulted in 20 to 58 UNC and other activists being arrested and later released (AFP 3 Nov. 2014; Jeune Afrique 3 Nov. 2014).
Sources report that security forces arrested UNC Secretary General Jean-Bertrand
Ewanga in early August 2014 (Human Rights Watch 29 Jan. 2015; US 25 June 2015, 9);
he was charged with "making inflammatory remarks about the President" during an opposition rally (ibid.). Sources report that he was sentenced to a year in prison
(Freedom House 28 Jan. 2015; US 25 June 2015, 9); he was sentenced by the Supreme Court for "offending the head of state and members of the government and parliament"
(ibid.). Sources report that he was released in July 2015 (RFI 31 July 2015; Le Potentiel 12 Aug. 2015). Ewanga is quoted in the Le Potentiel newspaper as saying that the conditions during his 12 months in prison were [translation] "'inhumane'" (ibid.).
6.2 2015
Sources report that in January 2015, protests against proposed changes to electoral laws to permit Kabila to remain president beyond two terms became violent (Radio Okapi 13 Jan. 2015; AFP 19 Jan. 2015; Human Rights Watch 24 Jan. 2015), in many locations across the country, including Kinshasa, Bukavu, Bunia, Goma, Lubumbashi, Mbandaka, and Uvira (ibid.). Radio Okapi quoted Vital Kamerhe on 13 January 2015 as indicating that more than 100 people had been arrested in protests in Kinshasa, with several injured as well (13 Jan. 2015). According to Human Rights Watch, the
government used "excessive force" in response to Kinshasa protesters, with 36 people killed, 21 of whom were shot by police on 19 January 2015, and four people killed in Goma demonstrations on 22 January 2015 (24 Jan. 2015).
Sources report that prior to the January 2015 protests, authorities blocked Vital Kamerhe from leaving the UNC party headquarters (ibid.; AFP 19 Jan. 2015) after he was among opposition party leaders who publicly called for Kinshasa residents to
"'massively … occupy'" parliament (ibid.).
Sources reported in 2015 that Vital Kamerhe was taken to court for defamation of a parliamentary deputy from the president's party (PPRD) (RFI 14 Apr. 2015; Radio Okapi 24 Feb. 2015), for making accusations of election fraud in 2011 (ibid.).
Human Rights Watch reported in June 2015 that the brother of a UNC supporter who was holding a UNC flag was arrested during the January 2015 rallies and that his family had since been unable to locate him in Kinshasa's prisons or morgues (ibid. 8 June 2015). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
Le Potentiel reports that in September 2015, opposition parties including the UNC organized a meeting in the commune of N'Djili, which led to clashes and injuries when protesters clashed with an unnamed group (16 Sept. 2015). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Agence Belga. 13 March 2015. "RDC : M. Kamerhe craint que le President Kabila 'crée le chaos' pour rester au pouvoir." (Factiva)
Agence France-Presse (AFP). 14 September 2015. "Main DRC Opposition Party Walks Out of Talks." [Accessed 18 Sept. 2015]
_____. 19 January 2015. "Democratic Republic of the Congo: Four Dead as Anti-Kabila Demo Quashed in DR Congo." [Accessed 18 Sept. 2015]
_____. 3 November 2014. "RDC: Au moins 20 manifestants brièvement arrêtés lors
d'une manifestation de l'opposition." (Factiva)
_____. 20 February 2014. "Democratic Republic of the Congo: Several Wounded as Congolese Police Open Fire on Demo." [Accessed 18 Sept. 2015]
Amnesty International (AI). 25 February 2015. "Democratic Republic of the Congo."
Amnesty International Report 2014/15: The State of the World's Human Rights. (POL 10/0001/2015) [Accessed 11 Sept. 2015]
Congo News. 29 April 2011. Eric Masimo. "Kamerhe pleure Consolate Kanyangire."
[Accessed 11 Sept. 2015]
_____. 18 April 2011. Eric Masimo. "L'UNC pas du tout intimidée." [Accessed 11 Sept.
2015]
Freedom House. 28 January 2015. "Congo, Democratic Republic of (Kinshasa)." Freedom in the World 2015. [Accessed 18 Sept. 2015]
Human Rights Watch. 8 June 2015. DR Congo: Exhume Mass Grave. [Accessed 20 Sept.
2015]
_____. 29 January 2015. "Democratic Republic of Congo." World Report 2015: Events of 2014. [Accessed 17 Sept. 2015]
_____. 24 January 2015. "DR Congo: Deadly Crackdown on Protests." [Accessed 17 Sept. 2015]
_____. 21 December 2011. "DR Congo: 24 Killed Since Election Results Announced."
[Accessed 17 Sept. 2015]
_____. 2 December 2011. "DR Congo: Rein in Security Forces." [Accessed 17 Sept.
2015]
International Crisis Group. 5 September 2011. Congo: The Electoral Process Seen from the East. Africa Briefing No. 80. [Accessed 11 Sept. 2015]
Jeune Afrique. 3 Novembre 2014. "RDC: Au moins 20 manifestants arrêtés lors d'un sit- in à Kinshasa." [Accessed 21 Sept. 2015]
Kamerhe, Vital. N.d. "Actualités de l'UNC." Site officiel de Vital Kamerhe. [Accessed 18 Sept. 2015]
Political Handbook of the World (PHW). 2015. "Democratic Republic of the Congo."
Edited by Tom Lansford. Washington, DC: CQ Press. [Accessed 11 Sept. 2015]
Le Potentiel. 16 September 2015. "Le meeting de l'opposition tourne au drame sur la place Ste Thérèse à N'Djili." (Factiva)
_____. 12 August 2015. "J.W. Ewanga révèle 'l'arbitraire, la corruption, la pratique de torture et les traitements dégradants' dans la prison de Makala." (Factiva)
Radio France internationale (RFI). 31 July 2015. "La libération d'Ewanga 'ne change rien à la position de l'UNC'." (Factiva)
_____. 14 April 2015. "Renvoi du procès de Vital Kamerhe devant la cour constitutionelle." [Accessed 18 Sept. 2015]
_____. 3 February 2012. "RDC: quatre morts lors de l'arrestation du député d'opposition Dieudonné Bakungu." [Accessed 17 Sept. 2015]
_____. 11 December 2011. "Kabila déclaré élu, Tshisekedi se proclame président."
(Factiva)
Radio Okapi. 24 February 2015. "Ouverture du procès Vital Kamerhe à la Cour suprême." (Factiva)
_____. 13 January 2015. "Kinshasa - controverse autour du bilan de la manifestation de l'opposition." (Factiva)
_____. 21 February 2014. "RDC : Vital Kamerhe déplore les incidents de Bukavu."
[Accessed 21 Sept. 2015]
_____. 15 September 2014. "Kinshasa - Vital Kamerhe dénonce la dispersion de la marche de l'opposition." [Accessed 24 Sept. 2015]
_____. 10 December 2011. "Nord-Kivu : inquiétude après l'assassinat d'un responsable de la société civile de Rutshuru." [Accessed 21 Sept. 2015]
_____. 14 December 2010. "Vital Kamerhe quitte le PPRD et crée l'UNC, parti d'opposition." [Accessed 17 Sept. 2015]
Reporters Without Borders (RSF). 26 August 2011. "Call to Ruling Party Politicians After Threats and Attacks on Journalists." [Accessed 18 Sept. 2015]
Union pour la nation Congolaise (UNC). 10 January 2015. "L'opposition congolaise fait bloc contre la révision de la loi électorale." [Accessed 11 Sept. 2015]
_____. 25 July 2013. "Biographie." [Accessed 11 Sept. 2015]
_____. July 2011a. "Statuts." [Accessed 11 Sept. 2015]
_____. July 2011b. "Règlement interieur." [Accessed 11 Sept. 2015]
_____. N.d.a. "Nos élus du peuple." [Accessed 15 Sept. 2015]
_____. N.d.b. "Adhérer au parti." [Accessed 15 Sept.2015]
United Nations (UN). 26 June 2015. UN Security Council. Report of the Secretary- General on the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (S/2015/486) [Accessed 11 Sept. 2015]
_____. 21 February 2014. "UN Peacekeepers in Eastern DR Congo Meet with Injured After Political Rally Turns Violent." [Accessed 21 Sept. 2015]
United States (US). 25 June 2015. "Democratic Republic of the Congo." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2014. [Accessed 11 Sept. 2015]
_____. 24 May 2012. "Democratic Republic of the Congo." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2011. [Accessed 11 Sept. 2015]
La Voix des Sans Voix (VSV). May 2011. Le respect des droits humains toujours hypothétique en RD Congo. Bulletin d'information No. 065. [Accessed 22 Sept. 2015]
Additional Sources Consulted
Oral sources: Union pour la nation congolaise.
Internet sites, including: Democratic Republic of the Congo - Assemblée nationale, Commission électorale national indépendente; ecoi.net; Factiva; Foundation Hirondelle;
Le Phare; United Nations - Refworld, ReliefWeb.
Attachments
1. Kamerhe, Vital. 23 August 2011. "Les dirigeants de l'Union pour la nation congolaise,
UNC en sigle." Site officiel de Vital Kamerhe. [Accessed 11 Sept. 2015]
2. Kamerhe, Vital. 19 April 2014. Décision No. 0078/PN/UNC/2014 du 19 APR 2014 portant nomination des membres du Secrétariat politique national de l'UNC. Site officiel de Vital Kamerhe. [Accessed 11 Sept. 2015]
3. Kamerhe, Vital. N.d. "Les fédérations de l'UNC." Site officiel de Vital Kamerhe.
[Accessed 11 Sept. 2015]
4. Union pour la nation congolaise (UNC). July 2011a. Statuts. [Accessed 11 Sept. 2015]
5. Union pour la nation congolaise (UNC). July 2011b. Règlement intérieur. [Accessed 11 Sept. 2015]
6. Union pour la nation congolaise (UNC). N.d. "L'organigramme." [Accessed 15 Sept.
2015]
Copyright notice: This document is published with the permission of the copyright holder and producer Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB). The original version of this document may be found on the offical website of the IRB at
http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/. Documents earlier than 2003 may be found only on Refworld.
