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Worried Pygmies Now Seek Government Protection

African Church Information Service
NEWS
February 17, 2003
Posted to the web February 17, 2003

By Claire Mbombo
Nairobi
Pygmies in Ituri district in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have
asked the government for protection.
They want those who have committed crimes against humanity to be taken to
court. Their community is allegedly a major victim of reported cases of wanton
murders and acts of cannibalism.
The appeal was made public recently, after a seminar held towards the end of
last month by human rights activists in Kinshasa.
One of the delegates, Nzoki Amzati revealed his horror after witnessing acts of
cannibalism committed by rebels aligned to the Movement for the Liberation of
Congo (MLC). "From my hiding place, I saw a group of armed men removing a heart
from a dead body of a child and roasting it on fire before they ate it," said
Nzoki.
More than thirty pygmies came from Ituri to participate in a seminar on the
protection of human rights, organised by two non-governmental organisations
namely Ipakala Foundation and International Centre for the Defence of the
Rights of the Batwa.
Among them, were also eight pygmies from neighbouring Congo, whereas the
remaining 22 were delegates from Bandundu, Katanga and Eastern provinces in
DRC. The pygmies were enlightened on different issues about human rights, after
which they sought protection against being harassed.
"There is need for the government to come up with clear policies that protect
the rights of pygmies. How come wild animals have protection, but pygmies, who
are human beings like us, do not," said Prosper Noirabo, one of the organisers
of the seminar.

   

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