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CAR: Tributes to Nganatouwa Goungaye Wanfiyo from FIDH, EU Council; Related Media Coverage

08 Jan 2009

Dear colleagues,

Please find below information about recent developments related to the
International Criminal Court's investigation in Central African Republic.

This message covers the latest news following the recent death of the
prominent human rights defender Goungaye Wanfiyo, president of the
Central African League for Human Rights (LCDH), FIDH's member
organisation in the Central Africa Republic (CAR) including an FIDH
statement, a link to FIDH's funeral tribute (in French), a European
Union Council statement on Goungaye's death noting that he "campaigned
for international criminal justice for victims of violence through his
support for the work of the International Criminal Court" as well as
related media coverage in the Central African press.

Please take note of the Coalition's policy on situations before the
ICC (below),
which explicitly states that the CICC will not take a position on
potential and
current situations before the Court or situations under analysis. The
Coalition,
however, will continue to provide the most up-to-date information
about the ICC.

With regards,

CICC Communications
[email protected]

I. FIDH PRESS RELEASE

"Tribute to Maître Nganatouwa Goungaye Wanfiyo, who has died
tragically," FIDH Press Release, 31 December 2008,
http://www.fidh.org/spip.php?article6203
The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) expresses its
deep shock and profound sadness at the death of Goungaye Wanfiyo,
president of the Central African League for Human Rights (LCDH), its
member organisation in the Central Africa Republic (CAR).
Goungaye Wanfiyo, prominent human rights defender in CAR, denounced
and fought against human rights violations committed in his country
and the African continent as a whole with intensity. "Goungaye Wanfiyo
was a lawyer with immense integrity, someone who worked without relent
toward an independent and equitable justice in his country. The human
rights community mourns the loss of an irreplaceable human rights
defender," said the FIDH Honorary President, Sidiki Kaba.
Independant and brilliant lawyer, Goungaye Wanfiyo, stood out for his
outspokenness and his courage to consistently fight against human
rights violations committed by all parties to the different conflicts
that have successively swept CAR to defend victims of such crimes.
Very recently Goungaye Wanfiyo denounced the exclusion of victims from
the inclusive political dialogue that has just come to a close.
"FIDH honors the memory of a great human rights defender who spent
more than twenty years of his life fighting relentlessly against
impunity and the perpetrators of some of the most serious crimes
against humanity that left innumerable victims in the wake of
successive crises Central African Republic has known these last ten
years," said FIDH President, Souhayr Belhassen. As part of his work,
Goungaye Wanfiyo was very much involved in the proceedings before the
International Criminal Court (ICC), defending the rights of victims.
He was representing victims in the proceedings launched by the
International Criminal Court against Jean- Pierre Bemba.
For all his activities, Goungaye Wanfiyo had been threatened with
death several times, and had also been arrested three months ago.
According to information received, he was returning from Sibut where
he had been gathering evidence from those victims, when he died on the
night of 27 to 28 December 2008. Gounagye Wanfiyo was thought to be
operating a car that hit a truck with faulty car signals. FIDH has
requested an impartial and independent investigation to determine the
exact cause of his death.
All 155 member organisations that form the FIDH family grieve this
loss which compels us all to recall the heroic activism and courage
that so many other men and women bring daily to the fight for the
fundamental right to justice for all human beings irrespective of
origins, beliefs or opinions.
FIDH offers it's most sincere condolences to Goungaye Wanfiyo's
family, the Central African League for Human Rights members, and his
fellow friends engaged in the struggle to restore peace and respect
for human rights in CAR and throughout the world.
Please also see "Funeral Tribute for Nganatouwa Goungaye Wanfiyo," 7
January 2009, http://www.fidh.org/spip.php?article6204 (in French)

II. EUROPEAN UNION COUNCIL STATEMENT
EU Council Statement on Goungaye Wanfiyo, 31 December 2008,
http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files_156/central-african-republic_188/the-ue-and-the-central-african-republic_6288/central-african-republic-death-of-the-lawyer-goungaye-wanfiyo-31.12.08_12397.html
"The UE and the Central African Republic,Central African Republic:
death of the Lawyer Goungaye Wanfiyo (December 31, 2008)
The Presidency of the Council of the European Union pays homage to the
memory of the lawyer Goungaye Wanfiyo, president of the Central
African League of Human Rights (LCDH) who died in an accident on 27
December.
It welcomes the actions of this courageous activist, whose steadfast
commitment to the defence and promotion of human rights in the Central
African Republic was recognised by all. He notably campaigned for
international criminal justice for victims of violence through his
support for the work of the International Criminal Court. This
commitment also led him to participate actively in the forum on
inclusive political dialogue that has just come to a close in Bangui.
The Presidency of the Council of the European Union conveys its
deepest condolences to his family and loved ones, whose grief and
sadness it shares."
III. MEDIA COVERAGE

i. "Barrister Nganatoua Gounegay Wanfiyo, chairman of the Central
African Human Rights League, LCDH, died in a road accident in the
night of 27 to 28 December on Damara road," by Julien Dreshengba
(AfricaNews), 29 December 2008,
http://www.africanews.com/site/list_messages/22411

"Barrister Wanfiyo, known for honesty and courage, died on the way
from Sibut to Bangui along with two other people. The news of his
death created a commotion in Bangui....

Commenting on the tragic disapperance, the local daily Le Citoyen in
its issue of 29 December finds strange that `Barrister Goungaye,
chairman of the Central African Human Rights (an institution) and
legal counsel of the Central African state at the International
Criminal Court (ICC) was alone defending the honor and dignity of the
entire republic violated by faithless and lawless mercenaries of the
Congolese Liberation Movement, MLC.'

The paper continues: ' Abandoned to himself, without protection from
the state nor the International Criminal Court, he used his private
car and that of his friends for this huge task.'

As for Le Confident of 29 December, Barrister Nganatoua Goungaye
Wanfiyo was not liked by Bangui authorities for his struggle in favor
of promoting human rights and defense in the Central African Republic.
Continuing, the paper reports that he was arrested, few weeks ago,
under the pretext of obstructing the passage of a presidential convoy
despite the fact the president was not in the convoy.

Before his tragic death, Wanfiyo confided to his relatives that he was
subject to constant death threats, according to Le Confident.

Courageous Wanfiyo was very active defending the interests of victims
of atrocities perpetrated in the country during the 2002-2003
events....He died when returning from Sibut where he went to interview
victims of atrocities perpetrated in the country.

Observers finds strange that Barrister Wanfiyo, known for his
prudence, could travel in the night, following a big lorry that was
spreading heavy smoke.

For the time being, members of human rights bodies are mobilized to
ascertain the genuine circumstances of the tragic death."

Translation of above excerpts are unofficial and provided by the CICC
Secretariat.

ii. "The birth of a martyr, one more in Africa" ("La naissance d'un
martyr, un de plus en Afrique") by Juliette Abandokwe (Le Jour
Guinee), 1 January 2009,
http://www.lejourguinee.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1188&Itemid=34
(in French)

"The number of saddened witnesses are multiplying among Central
Africans. The international community remains silent. The Central
African Republic and Africa are the only ones to truly understand the
extent of this immeasurable loss....

It is therefore, triple murder that has been committed, because
setting aside Master Wanfiyo, it is the memory of the victims
assassinated by the entire political class that we must grieve today.
The disappearance of such a worthy representative of civil society in
CAR is like condemning the voice of the Central African people to
silence....

He claimed that he would never silence himself, yet by living in an
environment of repeated threats, Master Goungaye's death was
foreshadowed. A victim of political assassination, disguised as an
automobile accident, on the morning of 28 December 2008, was justified
in his word and struggle. This now remains the struggle of all Central
Africans who valued his efforts...."

Translation of above excerpts are unofficial and provided by the CICC
Secretariat.

See also:

a. Radio France International interviews on Goungaye's death with FIDH
Honorary President, Sidiki Kaba, and Vice-President of the Central
African Observatory of Human Rights (OCDH) at
http://www.rfi.fr/actufr/articles/108/article_76630.asp (in French)
b. Evangelical pastor, Jean Paul Bwana, of CAR writes that Wanfiyo's
death leaves a "big void" in an editorial published in the Journal
Chretien , see http://journalchretien.net/article17289.html (in French)
c. "Barrister Goungaye Wanifyio is no more" ( Me NGANATOUA GOUNGAYE
WANFIYO N'EST PLUS), by John Smith (Le Confident) who writes "a rising
star in CAR dies on the night of 28 December 20008, sending shock
waves," 29 December 2008,
http://www.leconfident.net/Me-NGANATOUA-GOUNGAYE-WANFIYO-N-EST-PLUS_a4078.html
(in French)

**************************

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