Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville): Update to COG32482.E of 18 August 1999 on the situation of people of the Lari ethnic group and whether they have been targeted by government forces (2002-March 2003)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 12 March 2003 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | COG40974.E |
| Reference | 4 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville): Update to COG32482.E of 18 August 1999 on the situation of people of the Lari ethnic group and whether they have been targeted by government forces (2002-March 2003), 12 March 2003, COG40974.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3f7d4d7434.html [accessed 8 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Referring to the Lari ethnic group, the Minorities at Risk Project noted the following in its 12 May 2002 risk assessment:
The Lari have many of the conditions which put them at risk for future continued militant activities. They are politically discriminated against, they are geographically concentrated and they have a history of violent confrontations with the M'Boshi. Due to the militant nature of politics in the Congo, political protests are unlikely. As long as the Lari are denied political opportunities by the M'Boshi, a continuation of the civil war (which resumed in March 2002) is a more likely scenario.
Without referring specifically to the Lari, a 4 December 2002 FIDH report stated that [translation] "since the last seven moths, people of the Pool region, south of Brazzaville, experience great hardship, including destroyed villages, lootings, absence of trials, rapes, summary executions, etc. This suffering is the only perceptible result of the military solution adopted by the current regime." The report added that in November 2002, [translation] "persons from Moutampa of the district of Mbandza-Ndounga in Pool have been killed by government forces after being tortured" (FIDH 4 Dec. 2002). The report concluded by underlining the precariousness in which the population of the Pool region lives (ibid.).
For additional information on the situation of the Lari, including their geographical location, please see COG40661.F and COG39054.FE of 28 November 2002 and 13 May 2002 respectively.
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 to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
Reference
International Federation of Human Rights Leagues (FIDH) [Paris]. 4 December 2002. "Congo-Brazzaville: la FIDH et l'OCDH appellent à l'arrêt des hostilités dans le Pool." Minorities at Risk Project. 12 May 2002. Michael Johns. "Lari of the Republic of Congo." Additional Sources Consulted
Africa Confidential 2002-January 2003.
Africa Research Bulletin 2002.
IRB Databases.
Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent 2002- March 2003.
La Lettre hebdomadaire de la FIDH [Paris] 2002.
LEXIS/NEXIS.
Resources Centre county file. Congo.
West Africa 2002.
Websites, including:
Africatime.
Allafrica.
Amnesty International.
Les Dépêches de Brazzaville.
European Country of Origin Information Network (ECOI.net).
FIDH.
HRW.
Minorities at Risk Project.
MISNA.
Reliefweb.
