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Democratic Republic of the Congo: Situation of the Army of Victory church (Église Armée de la victoire), located on rue de l'Enseignement, and of the church's radio station since the arrest of Pastor Kutino in May 2006

During a 17 March 2008 telephone interview with the Research Directorate, a representative of the Army of Victory church (Église Armée de la victoire) stated that because of a property dispute with the Church of Praise (Église de la louange) concerning the lot on rue de l'Enseignement, the Army of Victory can no longer use that location. Therefore, the church's headquarters are currently located at the YMCA in the Matonge neighbourhood (Armée de la victoire 17 Mar. 2008). Two other sources mention a property dispute between the two churches (AI 4 July 2006; La Conscience 5 June 2006).

The Representative stated that, since June 2006, the Army of Victory's radio station has had to suspend operations twice, once for six months and another time for two months (Armée de la victoire 17 Mar. 2008). The radio station's headquarters used to be located on rue de l'Enseignement, but it is now located on avenue Unzua, Matonge neighbourhood, in the commune [administrative district] of Kalamu (ibid.).

Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, according to one source, when Pastor Kutino was arrested, the National Police Special Services (Services spéciaux de la police nationale) interrupted broadcasting by the station Radio Télévision Message de Vie (RTMV) for three days, from 14 to 16 May 2006 (JED 23 May 2006). RTMV belongs to the Army of Victory (Congo Vision 24 May 2006). However, another source indicates that the interruption affected only the church's television station, and that the radio station [translation] "continued broadcasting as normal" (ibid.). On 22 May 2006, the church's station was looted, which resulted in another broadcasting interruption (CPJ 23 May 2006; UN 26 June 2006).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Amnesty International (AI). 4 July 2006. "Les actes de répression politique sont en augmentation." (AFR 62/014/2006) <http://www.amnesty.org/fr/library/asset/AFR62/014/2006/fr/16dc709a-a2c3-11dc-8d74-6f45f39984e5/afr620142006fr.html> [Accessed 19 Mar. 2008]

Armée de la victoire. 17 March 2008. Telephone interview with a representative.

Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). 23 May 2006. "Democratic Republic of Congo: Attacks on the Press Rise in Run-Up to Elections." <http://www.cpj.org/news/2006/africa/drc23may06na.html> [Accessed 17 Mar. 2008]

Congo Vision. 24 May 2006. "RD Congo : réquisition illégale du matériel de la Radio Télé Message de Vie (RMTV)/Enlèvement/Traitements inhumains et dégradants/Détention illégale du Pasteur Kutino Fernando à Kinshasa/Disparition forcée du pasteur Bompere." <http://www.congovision.com/nouvelles/codho1.html> [Accessed 12 Mar. 2008]

La Conscience [Kinshasa]. 5 June 2006. Sage Gayala. "Recours au Pasteur Ngalasi pour clouer Kutino." <http://www.laconscience.com/article.php?id_article=4231> [Accessed 13 Mar. 2008]

Journaliste en danger (JED). 23 May 2006. "Retour du signal pour la RTMV à Kinshasa." <http://www.ifex.org/en/layout/set/print/content/view/full/74569> [Accessed 12 Mar. 2008]
_____. 15 May 2006. "JED Calls for the Immediate Re-establishment of Religious Television Station's Signal." <http://www.jed-afrique.org/full_view.php?id_alerte=471> [Accessed 12 Mar. 2008]

United Nations (UN). 26 June 2006. UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC). "The Human Rights Situation in May 2006." <http://www.monuc.org/News.aspx?newsId=11515> [Accessed 18 Mar. 2008]

Additional Sources Consulted

Internet sites, including: AllAfrica.com, Amnesty International (AI), Belgium Commissariat général aux réfugiés et aux apatrides, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), European Country of Origin Information Network (ecoi.net), Fédération internationale des ligues des droits de l'homme (FIDH), Freedom House, Human Rights Watch (HRW), International Crisis Group (Crisis Group), jeuneafrique.com, Kutino Fernando, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Radio France internationale (RFI), Sauvons le Congo, United Kingdom (UK) Country of Origin Information Service, United Nations (UN) Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN), United States (US) Department of State.