The Action for the Reform of Justice and the Promotion of Human Rights (ARJPDH), a member of the Coalition for the International Criminal Court (ICC), is calling for the departure of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications, Jean-Pierre Bemba, whom the organization holds politically responsible, in its assessment, for what it describes as a worrying situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s transport sector.
In its statement, the human rights organization points to a series of road accidents, boat disasters, and incidents involving aircraft, trains and other means of transportation. According to ARJPDH, these events raise questions about compliance with safety standards and the protection of passengers’ right to life.
Accidents and boat disasters raise concerns
ARJPDH argues that safety problems in the Congolese transport sector can no longer be treated as isolated incidents. The organization refers to several boat disasters, road accidents reported in different cities, as well as incidents involving the railway and aviation sectors.
It also raises concerns about the condition and age of some means of transportation currently in use in the country and calls on the relevant authorities to strengthen technical inspections and enforcement of safety standards.
Regarding aviation, ARJPDH is particularly questioning the handling of several aircraft accidents reported recently in the DRC and the follow-up to investigations intended to determine their causes.
Kenge aircraft accident raises questions about investigations
Following the serious aircraft accident in Kenge, ARJPDH is calling on officials from the Civil Aviation Authority and the Régie des Voies Aériennes (RVA) to provide explanations and a comprehensive report on the circumstances surrounding the accident.
The organization also raises a broader question: why should authorities demand explanations and detailed reports after certain accidents while, according to ARJPDH, similar demands for transparency have not always been equally visible following previous aircraft accidents?
In this context, ARJPDH refers in particular to aircraft accidents it associates with Walikale and Wamaza, calling for greater transparency regarding investigations and their conclusions.
ARJPDH also recalls the N’Djili Airport incident
The organization also recalls another incident that raised concerns at N’Djili International Airport in Kinshasa: an interruption in the electricity supply shortly before the landing of an aircraft carrying President Félix Tshisekedi, accompanied by several government officials and other authorities.
For ARJPDH, the incident also raises questions about the reliability of airport infrastructure and the need to guarantee optimal safety conditions for all passengers, regardless of their position.
ARJPDH calls for accountability in the Transport Ministry
Through its position, ARJPDH argues that authorities must provide answers regarding the management of the transport sector and the measures being taken to prevent further accidents.
The organization is calling for responsibilities to be clearly established whenever a serious accident occurs, for investigations to be conducted transparently, and for their findings to be made public to the extent permitted by law.
It also considers that transport safety is directly linked to the protection of human rights, particularly the right to life and physical integrity.
“Respect for human rights must also include transport safety”
For ARJPDH, the issue goes beyond the administrative functioning of the Transport Ministry.
The organization argues that the safety of passengers, drivers, transport workers and the wider population is a human rights issue. It is therefore calling on the Congolese government to strengthen inspection mechanisms, maintenance of infrastructure and equipment, as well as procedures for investigating accidents.
ARJPDH’s call for Jean-Pierre Bemba’s departure is therefore presented by the organization as a political demand aimed at obtaining greater accountability for the management of the transport sector in the DRC.
A call for transparency
Beyond the question of the minister, ARJPDH is primarily calling for greater transparency, accountability and prevention in the transport sector.
The organization maintains that every serious accident should be subject to an independent and documented investigation capable of identifying the causes, possible failures and corrective measures needed to prevent similar tragedies from occurring again.
ARJPDH
