Bodies of Missing UN Investigators Found in DRC
Source: Voice of America
The bodies of two missing United Nations investigators and their interpreter have been found in the central part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
DRC government spokesman Lambert Mende said Tuesday that the remains of Michael Sharp, Zaida Catalan and Betu Tshintela have been found at a site next to the Moyo River in Kasai province. Mende, speaking to VOA's French to Africa Service, said Catalan's body was beheaded.
Sharp, a U.S. citizen, and Catalan, a Swedish national, were sent by the U.N. to investigate reported human rights abuses near the village of Bunkonde, south of the provincial capital, Kananga.
They disappeared March 12 along with Tshintela, their Congolese interpreter, and three other Congolese nationals, including their driver, Isaac Kabuayi, and two unidentified motorbike drivers.
Read more: http://www.voanews.com/a/drc-missing-un-investigators/3784955.html
This is so sad.
= new reply since forum marked as read
The group was investigating human rights violations and armed groups. Mounting deaths, including targeting of civilians, women and children, have been attributed to clashes between government security forces and Kamuina Nsapu militia members in Kananga, the capital of Central Kasai.
From an article on him that appeared a few weeks ago:
After finishing college, Michael Sharp spent three years in Germany working to provide counseling for U.S. troops who had expressed an interest in becoming conscientious objectors, his father said.
Before working for the United Nations, Michael Sharp worked for three years for the Mennonite Central Committee in Central Africa.
“Part of what M.J. has done (in the Congo) is establish relationships with militia leaders,” John Sharp said. “Apparently, he had some success in persuading some to give up child soldiers.
“M.J. is committed to finding nonviolent ways to resolve conflict. He is aware that 20 years of violence in eastern Congo has solved nothing – he was working to find a better way.”
John and Michele would hear from their son periodically, they said, though he was known to be focused on his work. John Sharp last spoke with his son in late February, he said.
“We came to terms with his work quite some time ago,” John Sharp said. “We have known that this is his life and passion. We are fully supportive. We’re concerned, yes, but we have visualized this moment. We’ve hoped it would not come, but we’ve known that it could.”
Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/news/local/article138484753.html#storylink=cpy
and human rights.
for all those who bravely fight for others all over the world. 