Congolese President Joseph Kabila has promised to do his best to find and repatriate the bodies of 11 Lebanese murdered in Kinshasa in January, Lebanon's special envoy to the Congo was quoted as saying by the Daily Star newspaper Tuesday.
Haitham Jum’a, the director-general for emigrant affairs, said Kabila made the promise during a meeting with the Lebanese Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Shehade Moallem, and the embassy's first secretary, Robert Naoum.
Jum’a is in Congo to learn more about the murder of Lebanese nationals who were abducted and killed shortly after the assassination of President Laurent-Desire Kabila on January 16th, said the paper.
He said he had asked Kabila to hand over the bodies of all Lebanese before the end of an investigation by the Congolese government.
"I told president Kabila that the disappearance of the bodies of those killed was against our customs and history, and could negatively affect relations between our countries."
Kabila reportedly offered his condolences to the Lebanese government and praised the economic role played by the Lebanese community in Congo.
He also told Lebanese officials that he was surprised to hear all the blame being laid on his government, as "everyone knew what the situation was like when those Lebanese
were killed," according to the paper.
On Monday, Congolese authorities confirmed to a UN human rights investigator, Roberto Garreton, that at least 10 out of 11 Lebanese were dead, but did not reveal their names, said AFP.
The authorities said the Lebanese were detained and killed one day after Kabila's assassination, added the agency – Albawaba.com
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