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V-Day Joins UN, Amnesty International In Calling for Immediate Investigation Into The Death of Congolese Activist


06/11/2010

V-Day was distraught to learn that Floribert Chebeya Bahizire, Congo's leading human rights activist was found dead on Wednesday, June 2, following repeated threats on his life. He was the Executive Director of one of Congo's largest human rights organization Voix des Sans Voix (VSV). His body was found in a car after he was due to meet with a top police official. Chebeya had faced harassment from police and government officials for his work against corruption and state-backed killings. The UN rapporteur for extrajudicial executions, Philip Alston, says Chebeya's death "strongly suggests official responsibility" from the DRC government.

"We have to wonder where is the world community and where are the promises that were promised by the United States government, by Secretary Clinton, by the Obama administration. And I think it's really important that all of us wake up to the fact that hundreds, thousands of people are still being murdered and raped in the Congo, and their deaths are not being seen and being recognized anywhere, really." - Eve Ensler

V-Day Congo Director Christine Schuler Deschryver also stated, "He was my friend, my hero in this country and the greatest activist the world has known. He called me two weeks ago to congratulate all V-Day's work in Congo and to tell me he is going to come to Bukavu to report on human right violations regarding all the stories I told him. His death has left me so devastated and so revolted. Where is the world?"

V-Day asks you, our activists all around the world to stand with V-Day as we call on the Congolese government to immediately launch a thorough, impartial and independent investigation into the death of Floribert Chebeya Bahizire.