The Carter Center, the European Union, the Catholic
Church and other national election observation organizations found that the
elections held on November 28, 2011 were deeply flawed and marred by widespread
irregularities. In order to prevent further violence and provide legitimacy to
the government, we call on the United States and other members of
the international community to take these immediate
steps:
1. State clearly that they do not
perceive the election results as legitimate and call on President Kabila to
delay his inauguration ceremony until steps are taken to address these serious
allegations. If the inauguration proceeds as scheduled, the United States
and other international missions should consider non-attendance or at a minimum
send a lower ranking diplomatic officer instead of the
Ambassador.
2. Immediately ask for the
deployment of an independent international
mediation
commission formed under
international and regional auspices. The Commission will have a mandate to
review the technical aspects of the electoral process and facilitate a solution
to the crisis.
3. Call on the appropriate
authorities to immediately halt the counting of the parliamentary election
ballots until clear guarantees are put in place to ensure the credibility of the
tallying process.
4. Make clear statements that the
U.S. and other members of the
international community are determined to ensure accountability for perpetrators
of electoral and post-electoral violence in the appropriate international or
national fora. Call on Congolese state security forces, in particular the
Republican Guard, to cease immediately all abuses against
civilians.
The following organizations and
individuals support this statement:
Eastern
Congo
Initiative
Enough
Humanity
United
International Crisis
Group
Open Society
Foundations
Anthony W. Gambino, Fellow,
Eastern Congo
Initiative
Mvemba Phezo Dizolele, Visiting
Fellow, Hoover
Institution
Jason Stearns, Analyst and author,
"Dancing in the glory of monsters"
