Congo Olympic and Paralympic team members seek asylum in UK
Members of the Congo team say they are regarded as traitors after criticising President Joseph Kabila while in London
Athletes and coaches
from the Democratic Republic of Congo have decided to seek asylum in the
UK. Photograph: Sophia Evans for the Observer
Six members of the Olympic and Paralympic teams from the
Democratic Republic of Congo are planning to claim political asylum on
Monday after the conclusion of the 2012 games.
The athletes and coaches, who are appealing to the UK government for sanctuary, say murders of opponents by government forces and other human rights abuses are on the increase. They claim the situation has deteriorated sharply since the elections last November in which President Joseph Kabila was re-elected despite claims that his main rival Etienne Tshisekedi was the true winner. Widespread violence was reported during the election period.
Those claiming asylum are Paralympic athletes Levy Kitambala Kinzito and Dedeline Mibamba Kimbata, the national technical director of the Athletic Federation of Congo, Guy Nkita Kinkela, who is here as a coach, boxing coach Adelare Ibula Masengo and Judo coach Blaise Bekwa. Judoka Cedric Mandembo has gone into hiding and is also thought to be fearing persecution from the Congolese government.
Wearing T-shirts supporting the recently launched "Stop Kabila Now" campaign by Congolese dissidents, and the 2012 games passes that confirm they are representing their country, some of the athletes were close to tears as they talked about events in their homeland.
They said there is a political split in the Congolese team at the 2012 games, with some supporting Kabila and others strongly opposed to him.
Kinkela said: "Some athletes here are supporters of Kabila but we don't know them. Some replaced athletes with a better track record. One athlete shares the surname of the opposition leader, Tshisekedi, and he was not allowed to come because his surname was considered to be promoting the opposition leader.
"We feel that the members of the team who support Kabila are watching our movements."
The asylum-seekers have criticised the Congolese government on the African TV channel Ben TV since arriving in London. They claim this has meant that they are regarded as traitors.
Bekwa said: "My brother was a supporter of the opposition. He was shot and killed on election day. The situation is so bad in Congo and there is a real need for us to receive protection in the UK. If you oppose the government, it is not only the individual who is at risk but their family and friends too."
Kinkela added: "In Congo, I have attended demonstrations against the government but it is hard to publicly criticise Kabila when I am in my country. In London, we are free to speak."
Kimbata said she had seen some of her neighbours shot dead by government forces on election day. "In my area, 95% of people voted against Kabila."
She lost both legs after stepping on a landmine and said that she had not benefited from money given to Congolese athletes by games officials. "I'm a wheelchair racer but I don't have a racing chair in Congo, only an orthopaedic chair that is supposed to be pushed by someone else. I was told to keep quiet about this and not complain about the lack of equipment I had during my training."
She is racing at the games in a chair donated to her by British Paralympic athlete Anne Wafula Strike. Strike, who was born in Kenya, has highlighted the problems of disabled athletes from developing countries in accessing the right equipment to compete.
Human rights abuses in Congo are widely documented. A delegation of UK Border Agency officials are in Congo now to investigate claims of persecution of refused asylum-seekers from the UK.
Okito Tongomo, chair of the Congolese Support Group in the UK – which opposes the Kabila government – said: "This is a tragic situation and these members of the Congolese team need protection here in the UK. There is a long history of human rights abuses in Congo but things are getting worse."
The team's solicitor, Hani Zubeidi, said: "They are planning to claim asylum on Monday. I hope the Home Office gives them an appointment without delay. Sometimes, people have to wait for weeks before they can lodge their asylum claim but these claims should be dealt with urgently."
The athletes and coaches, who are appealing to the UK government for sanctuary, say murders of opponents by government forces and other human rights abuses are on the increase. They claim the situation has deteriorated sharply since the elections last November in which President Joseph Kabila was re-elected despite claims that his main rival Etienne Tshisekedi was the true winner. Widespread violence was reported during the election period.
Those claiming asylum are Paralympic athletes Levy Kitambala Kinzito and Dedeline Mibamba Kimbata, the national technical director of the Athletic Federation of Congo, Guy Nkita Kinkela, who is here as a coach, boxing coach Adelare Ibula Masengo and Judo coach Blaise Bekwa. Judoka Cedric Mandembo has gone into hiding and is also thought to be fearing persecution from the Congolese government.
Wearing T-shirts supporting the recently launched "Stop Kabila Now" campaign by Congolese dissidents, and the 2012 games passes that confirm they are representing their country, some of the athletes were close to tears as they talked about events in their homeland.
They said there is a political split in the Congolese team at the 2012 games, with some supporting Kabila and others strongly opposed to him.
Kinkela said: "Some athletes here are supporters of Kabila but we don't know them. Some replaced athletes with a better track record. One athlete shares the surname of the opposition leader, Tshisekedi, and he was not allowed to come because his surname was considered to be promoting the opposition leader.
"We feel that the members of the team who support Kabila are watching our movements."
The asylum-seekers have criticised the Congolese government on the African TV channel Ben TV since arriving in London. They claim this has meant that they are regarded as traitors.
Bekwa said: "My brother was a supporter of the opposition. He was shot and killed on election day. The situation is so bad in Congo and there is a real need for us to receive protection in the UK. If you oppose the government, it is not only the individual who is at risk but their family and friends too."
Kinkela added: "In Congo, I have attended demonstrations against the government but it is hard to publicly criticise Kabila when I am in my country. In London, we are free to speak."
Kimbata said she had seen some of her neighbours shot dead by government forces on election day. "In my area, 95% of people voted against Kabila."
She lost both legs after stepping on a landmine and said that she had not benefited from money given to Congolese athletes by games officials. "I'm a wheelchair racer but I don't have a racing chair in Congo, only an orthopaedic chair that is supposed to be pushed by someone else. I was told to keep quiet about this and not complain about the lack of equipment I had during my training."
She is racing at the games in a chair donated to her by British Paralympic athlete Anne Wafula Strike. Strike, who was born in Kenya, has highlighted the problems of disabled athletes from developing countries in accessing the right equipment to compete.
Human rights abuses in Congo are widely documented. A delegation of UK Border Agency officials are in Congo now to investigate claims of persecution of refused asylum-seekers from the UK.
Okito Tongomo, chair of the Congolese Support Group in the UK – which opposes the Kabila government – said: "This is a tragic situation and these members of the Congolese team need protection here in the UK. There is a long history of human rights abuses in Congo but things are getting worse."
The team's solicitor, Hani Zubeidi, said: "They are planning to claim asylum on Monday. I hope the Home Office gives them an appointment without delay. Sometimes, people have to wait for weeks before they can lodge their asylum claim but these claims should be dealt with urgently."
Found here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/09/congo-political-asylum-olympians?CMP=twt_gu
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