War crimes trial opens in DRC

2006-12-13 08:46

Kinshasa - Soldiers from the Democratic Republic of Congo and employees of an Australian mining company went on trial for war crimes on Tuesday, charged with involvement in a massacre in the vast central African country in 2004.

Nine members of the country's regular army and three foreign employees of Australian company, Anvil Mining, faced charges at the trial, which was being conducted at a court in Lubumbashi, capital of the southern mining province of Katanga.

The soldiers were charged with the summary execution of 26 civilians, as well as rapes, looting and arbitrary arrests during an army crackdown on an uprising in October 2004 in Kilwa, 300km north of Lubumbashi.

Only seven of the nine soldiers appeared in court on Tuesday. None of the three Anvil Mining employees, who no longer live in the country, attended.

100+ people killed

The company was mining copper near Kilwa at the time of the alleged crimes. Its workers were accused of aiding the atrocities on the grounds that they failed to stop soldiers using the company's vehicles during their offensive.

The court must determine whether the company willingly made its vehicles available to the perpetrators or if it was forced to do so.

Human rights groups estimated at the time that more than 100 people were killed at Kilwa.

Georges Katiamba, a lawyer representing 122 victims and their families, said: "It's very important that this trial is finally getting underway. Light must be shed on this massacre. The victims must see redress."

The trial was adjourned to Thursday after defence lawyers requested more time to study the case. Lawyers for Anvil Mining said their clients had not received a proper summons to appear in court.

- AFP