KINSHASA (Reuters) – France and Canada urged leaders from the French-speaking world to reinforce democracy and human rights during a summit in the Democratic Republic of Congo yesterday, in comments that focused attention squarely on the host.
Congo has been widely criticised for a flawed election last year that won President Joseph Kabila a second term, and for killings, rapes and other abuses committed by fighters in the rebel-plagued eastern province of North Kivu.
“Democracy is not a lesson. Democracy is a right, and for those in power it is a responsibility,” French President Francois Hollande told reporters after a meeting with civil society group leaders in Kinshasa.
Hollande is the star invitee to this year’s Francophonie summit – the first to be held in central Africa – but cast a pall over preparations last week by calling Congo’s rights record “totally unacceptable”.
Representatives from more than 70 French-speaking countries arrived in Kinshasa for the 14th Francophonie summit which runs until Oct 14, with Congo’s M23 rebellion and the Islamist takeover of northern Mali topping the agenda.
At the summit’s opening ceremony Hollande greeted Kabila with the briefest of handshakes but warmly embraced Abdou Diouf, the former Senegalese president and current secretary general of the Francophonie.
Members of Hollande’s entourage said Hollande had earlier met privately with Kabila for a “frank and direct” discussion about human rights that lasted 30 minutes. He also held a meeting with Congo’s top opposition figure.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, whose government had also indicated concern about Congo’s rights record, gave a speech to delegates underscoring the value of democracy in a region notorious for troubled elections and sit-tight leaders.
“All governments, without exception, must guarantee to their citizens good governance, the rule of law and the respect of individual rights,” Harper said. “For the first time the great francophone family is meeting here in central Africa, it’s an opportunity to respect individual liberties, to reinforce democracy and to speak of peace,” he said.
Canadian government officials have said Harper has “serious concerns” about Congo’s rights record and that he would be meeting with civil society groups during his visit.
After decades of corruption and conflict, Africa’s second-largest copper producer, Congo lies at the bottom of the UN’s development index, a measure of wealth, health and education.
The streets of Congo’s crumbling riverside capital, Kinshasa, were mostly quiet yesterday despite opposition calls for protests around summit venues.
Riot police were deployed near the residence of veteran opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, who claims he was cheated of victory in last November’s polls, but he was permitted to travel to the French ambassador’s residence for a meeting with Hollande later in the day.
Tshisekedi told journalists that Hollande had been “very receptive” during the 20-minute meeting.
“They’ve talked about the internal issues, including the rights of the opposition, media and also the situation in the east and the territorial integrity of the country,” according to a member of Hollande’s entourage.
