[This report does not necessarily reflect
the views of the United Nations]
KINSHASA, 3 August (IRIN) - The
UN Mission in Congo, known as MONUC, has called for an inquiry into the
killing of Pascal Kabangulu, a prominent Congolese human rights activist,
officials at the mission told reporters in Kinshasa on Wednesday.
"There are various versions of the assassination but we need an inquiry to determine the circumstances and authors of the assassination," Sonia Bakar, MONUC's officer in charge of inquiries into human rights violations, said.
MONUC said that the assassination took place at a time when the 10th Military Region, in charge South Kivu Province, was without an overall commander.
Provincial governor Didas Kaningini said security agents had arrested two army officers, in connection with Sunday's assassination.
Human Rights Watch reported on Monday that Kabungulu was killed in his Bukavu home early on Sunday. It said three armed men in uniform broke into his home, dragged him out of his bedroom and shot him in front of his family. Family members reported that just before his execution the attackers said: "We were looking for you and today is the day of your death."
[ENDS]
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