Congolese Party Calls for Deportation of Migrants, Files War Crimes Complaint

The Unité des Valeurs party, through its national president Michel Okongo Lomena, has voiced strong opposition to the presence of migrants in the Democratic Republic of Congo. At a press conference in Kinshasa, the party called for the government to send back migrants who have been rejected by the United States and are currently on Congolese soil. Okongo Lomena asserted that this situation violates international statutes and that Congo should not be burdened with migrants who have been denied asylum elsewhere.

Furthermore, the party has raised serious concerns regarding an agreement signed between the DRC and the United States, which they believe infringes upon national sovereignty. Okongo Lomena specifically mentioned that the agreement allegedly mandates revisions to the Mining Code, fiscal law, and even the Constitution, without adequate consultation with the Congolese Parliament or relevant ministries. This lack of transparency and perceived imposition by the US is unacceptable to the Unité des Valeurs.

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On tente de nous faire avaler une pilule amère avec cette question des migrants. Le Congo n’a rien à faire avec ces migrants. Ceux dont on parle sont des réfugiés déboutés aux États‑Unis. Or, selon la Charte des Nations unies, toute personne qui se sent menacée doit demander l’asile dans un pays qui accepte de l’accueillir, et non être imposée ailleurs.

Adding another layer to their activism, the Unité des Valeurs announced a legal action, filing a complaint for war crimes against Rwandan President Paul Kagame. They hold him accountable for numerous deaths in eastern DRC, estimating over 20 million Congolese lives lost due to over thirty years of armed conflict in the region. This multifaceted stance highlights the party's focus on national sovereignty, international relations, and historical grievances.

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Le ministère des Mines, qui est pourtant le technicien du secteur, n’a pas été associé. Dans cet accord, les États‑Unis nous imposeraient la révision du Code minier, de la loi fiscale et même de la Constitution. Cela est inacceptable.