The Congo Tribunal

1.2

"Even though cruel crimes happen every day, the conscience of the world community remains untouched."

Sylvestre Bisimwa (investigator-in-charge, Bukavu / Berlin) was a lawyer in a mass rape trial committed by the Congolese army in the city of Minova. It is, at present, the only process of this kind. He acts regularly as lawyer for the International Court of Justice in Den Haag.

chairman Bukavu Berlin armed groups FDLR Mai-Mai Rebels Sheka MONUSCO United Nations DR Congo government impunity human rights mining mandate World Bank artisanal mining Dodd-Frank Act Banro MPC / Alphamin

3.1

"When the government stopped mining to fight the armed groups, we became unemployed."

Stéphane Ikandi (witness, Bukavu) represents artisanal miners from Bisie and fights for the rights for artisanal miners. He discovered the mine and is the co-founder of the cooperative COMIMPA. In 2011, he had to give up his pit.

witness Bukavu artisanal mining industrial mining expulsion armed groups FARDC MPC / Alphamin mining contracts FDLR local population

3.2

"People from Walikale do not profit from the wealth of raw materials."

Witness B (witness, Bukavu) is a former rebel soldier from the Sheka group that controlled the mine of Bisie.

witness Bukavu armed groups Mai-Mai Rebels Sheka massacres expulsion FARDC MPC / Alphamin mining contracts FDLR rape

3.3

"According to Congolese law, artisanal and industrial mining may not be under the same concession."

Nadine Lusi (witness, Bukavu) is the development and PR commissioner of the Canadian Alphamin Ressource Corporation. The corporation operates in the mine of Bisie.

witness Bukavu NGOs industrial mining artisanal mining MPC / Alphamin Dodd-Frank Act mining contracts DR Congo government local population multinational companies

5.1

"The big companies will leave us a soil without resources."

Prince Kihangi (member of the jury, Bukavu) is a lawyer and one of the leading experts on the governance of natural resources in the Great Lakes region. He is the spokesman of the civil association of Walikale (province of North Kivu). Therefore he takes part in all negotiations between the villagers, the government and the big companies from this region. He is considered to be one of the harshest critics of the Dodd-Franck Act.

member of the jury Bukavu human rights multinational companies Banro MPC / Alphamin artisanal mining Protection of the civilian population local population industrial mining commodity certification mining contracts corruption

6.2

"If the government is corrupt, the corporations will not be able to help us with industrialization either."

Prince Kihangi (member of the jury, Bukavu) is a lawyer and one of the leading experts on the governance of natural resources in the Great Lakes region. He is the spokesman of the civil association of Walikale (province of North Kivu). Therefore he takes part in all negotiations between the villagers, the government and the big companies from this region. He is considered to be one of the harshest critics of the Dodd-Franck Act.

member of the jury Bukavu artisanal mining local population industrial mining MPC / Alphamin multinational companies commodity certification mining contracts corruption

6.7

"My daily struggle takes place in the negotiations between the companies and the local population."

Gilbert Kalinda (member of the jury, Bukavu) is an attorney and deputy in Walikale. He was a member of a cooperative of regional miners until he decided to accept the mandate of the multinational company MagMinerals Potasses Congo (MPC). In his opinion, industrial extraction of raw materials is the only opportunity for the region.

member of the jury Bukavu artisanal mining local population industrial mining multinational companies MPC / Alphamin