Urgent Action on behalf of Fredrich Ngabo Wangabo a Canadian HRD who went missing in Goma DRCongo

Copy for Information to:

The Principal Commissioner of the Congolese National Police in North Kivu,

The Provincial Director of the National Intelligence Agency in North Kivu,

The Provincial Director of the General Directorate of Migration,

The Mayor of the City of Goma, in North Kivu,

The Ambassador of Canada, in Kinshasa DRC,

The Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs,

The Mutualité de Bahavu in Goma, North Kivu

The Chinyabuguma in Goma, North Kivu

The Head of the UNHCR Sub-Delegation, in Goma

The United Nations Joint Office for Human Rights, BCNDH in Goma,

To His Excellency the Governor of North Kivu In Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo

Re: Your urgent involvement in finding Mr. Fréderic Ngabo Wangabo has been missing in Goma since December 2023.

Excellency Mr. Governor,

We have the honor to come to you to inform you about the disappearance of our colleague Human Rights Activist Frédéric Ngabo Wangabo, who has not been found since December 18, 2023.

Fréderic Ngabo Wangabo is Canadian national of Congolese origin, from Birava in South Kivu DRC. Following his advocacy for the promotion of human rights, Fréderic was forced to suffer in exile in Uganda to flee the persecution committed against him by the RCD Goma rebellion but also during the era of President Joseph Kabila.

As a refugee, Frédéric benefited from the resettlement of UNHCR Uganda and was relocated to Canada where he had lived for a long time since 2010 and where he acquired Canadian nationality. Frédéric has remained very active on the refugee situation in Uganda and has provided aid to those who are in very difficult situations.

In December 2023 Frédéric arrived in Goma to provide relief aid to relieve the suffering of Internally Displaced People who live in very difficult situations around Goma. On the evening of December 18, 2023, Fréderic wanted to access medical care, when reached towards the BDGLR roundabout in the city center of Goma, he was arrested and taken to an unknown location by armed people in civilian clothes who were driving in a vehicle, according to the information collected.

We are very concerned about the disappearance of Frédéric and the silence of the authorities of the North Kivu Province on his situation even though it has already been a long time.

We ask for your urgent involvement to help us find more information on Frédéric’s situation because this shames our country, which should be considered a state of rights. This comes as the President of the DRC is making more efforts to encourage Congolese from the Diaspora to come to the country to contribute to the development of the nation.

Kulihoshi Musikami Pecos

Provincial Coordinator