The Congo Tribunal

Keywords

civil war

1.3

"Why is it surprising that state structures are disintegrating when corruption has become a national institution?"

Colette Braeckman (member of the jury, Bukavu / Berlin) is a correspondent for the Belgian newspaper Le Soir in Africa. She is an expert on the Congolese war, its history and the involvement of the European governments. Her books about the Mobutu-Era and the Congolese war are considered as standard works.

member of the jury Bukavu Berlin Belgium World Bank Mobutu Rwanda civil war Kabila armed groups FDLR United Nations M23-Rebels mining contracts mining mandate China

2.3

"It was a Machiavellian manipulation."

Serge Lammens (witness, Berlin) was the administrative director of Somniki, the Belgian mining company that was taken over by BANRO in 1996. He reported that BANRO laid off all 6000 local workers only a few months after they took over of the company.

witness Berlin Banro Sominki Mobutu civil war speculation corruption DR Congo government

2.5

"BANRO has "impunity "for the entire duration of the mine project."

Raf Custers (expert, Berlin) is a Belgian historian and journalist. In his book “Chasseurs de matières premières” he highlights the history of the Canadian mining company BANRO in South Kivu and the role of the World Bank in the revision of the mining contracts after the Second Congo War.

witness Berlin mining contracts civil war Kabila World Bank Banro Sominki mining mandate German Government US Government

5.5

"There is no clear differentiation between perpetrators, spectators and those who are indirectly involved."

Harald Welzer (member of the jury, Berlin) is a social psychologist, founder and director of the non-profit organization “Futurzwei”. He is an honorary professor at the University of Flensburg and an author (“Climate Wars").

member of the jury Berlin impunity civil war local population expulsion armed groups multinational companies DR Congo government United Nations NGOs regulation human rights