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Marie-Therese Nlandu - democratic republic of congo
Marie-Therese Nlandu, a lawyer, returned from the UK to her homeland, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), to stand as a candidate in the presidential elections, the first free elections since the country gained independence in 1960. Marie-Therese's party lost in the first round and she began to campaign for Jean-Pierre Bemba. When his party was defeated in the second round many Bemba supporters felt that fraud had distorted the whole electoral process. Marie-Therese agreed the results should be subjected to a legal challenge and stepped forward to represent Bemba's party in court. Shortly after Marie-Therese had argued Bemba's case in the Supreme Court a fight broke out between his supporters and the police and an arson attack caused severe damage to the courtroom. The authorities accused Marie-Therese of 'inciting a riot and the possession of firearms'; she was arrested on 21st November 2006 and taken to the 'Centre Pénitentiaire et de Rééducation', Kinshasa's main prison. No evidence was produced to back up the claims that Marie-Therese had planned and provoked violent action. Even though she is a civilian Marie-Therese was told that she would be tried by military tribunal, leading her to fear a sentence of death by firing squad, a possible verdict in military trials in the DRC. Appalling prison conditions and lack of medical care caused Marie-Therese's health to deteriorate rapidly and there were real fears that she not would survive, even in the unlikely event of the tribunal finding in her favour. Back in the UK Marie-Therese's family mounted a remarkable campaign to publicise her unjust imprisonment and call for her immediate release. Working together with several organisations, including Human Rights Watch and Christian Solidarity Worldwide, the family organised an on-line petition, lobbied Parliament and gave numerous interviews about the ill-treatment of Marie-Therese and thousands of other Congolese citizens. Speaking on Radio 4's Woman's Hour Marie-Therese's eldest daughter, Belinda Mbala, said that her mother had been determined to return to DRC and contest the elections because she wanted to help create 'a different country, a free state' where people could live in peace, without fear. She had chosen to train as a lawyer because of her desire to be a 'voice for the voiceless'. PoC made a grant of £500 to help Marie-Therese obtain some medical treatment and to hire a lawyer to fight her case before the military tribunal. When she was released our grant also helped towards emergency travel expenses. News of Marie-Therese's release reached us on 30th April 2007 and she returned to the UK on 14th May where she was welcomed by her family and members of her church. Despite her ordeal Marie-Therese shows no sign of giving up her legal and political struggles. After thanking everyone who had campaigned for her release and describing how their concern had touched her she announced 'I remain more than ever determined to continue the defence and promotion of human rights until the day the Congo shall become a land of peace, freedom, justice and welfare for all.' |
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