The story of Fred

A human rights activist in the Democratic Republic of Cong.


Fred Bauma is just 26 years old, but the activist and human rights defender has big dreams for the future of his country.

He's a member of LUCHA (Lutte pour le Changement – Struggle for Change), which is part of a new wave of civic engagement and youth-based platforms working to bring change to their communities. 

Their efforts vary from supporting basic services, to work on fundamental freedoms and Human Rights. They see themselves as the main actors of change in their communities and often act directly to remedy the common challenges they face, such as street cleaning and drainage. 

This is the story of Fred.

Fred was arrested on 15th March 2015 after attending a 3-day conference by Civic Engagement of Youth in Kinshasa. Since his arrest, LUCHA has attracted a lot of attention both nationally and internationally. Many other civic youth movements with similar agendas have gained momentum:

"Well, what's happened to me? It was in 2015, in March. I had to attend a conference on Youth Civic Engagement in Kinshasa, jointly organized by civic movements FILIMBI and LUCHA. So I had to leave Goma, my City, in the East of the country, for Kinshasa."

"On the third day, as we were holding a press conference, intelligence agents came in with police and the army. They kidnapped us, including by-standers, musicians, participants to the press conference, diplomats and even journalists who were there. They took us to the Intelligence Services HQs where we were temporarily all detained in secret." 

"I stayed in the Intelligence services' cell for 50 days without having the possibility to meet with my lawyers, my family and without access to healthcare or good food or even toilets"

"I stayed in the Intelligence services' cell for 50 days without having the possibility to meet with my lawyers, my family and without access to healthcare or good food or even toilets. I couldn't leave my cell. I could go to toilets only twice a day: in the morning and late in the evening. And if I felt the need to go during the day, I had to use a bottle or something like that."

His ordeal didn't end there and Fred endured another 15 months in prison:

"Fifty days later, I got brought before the court and then transferred to a bigger prison where I spent more than a year, nearly 15 months, which makes it a total of 17 months. Once again, I spent those 15 months without a fair trial. I could sense the pressure judges and all the judicial and penitentiary administration were under."

"I must say the privation of freedoms make you feel diminished in your humanity and it puts you down."

Not only was Fred brutally punished, but the impact went much further affecting his family and friends: "It also hurts my family and friends who were 2000 km far away from Kinshasa without any ease to come to visit me whenever they wanted. My LUCHA colleagues held many rallies to demand my liberation and the liberation of Yves and they were arrested because they were asking for our liberation. Since that day, I spent all those months in prison, far away from my family and friends."

"My parents tried to visit me once or twice, thanks to the help of my friends, NGOs and UN. During that time, I was also supported a lot by regular visits from diplomatic missions including the British Embassy in Kinshasa, to which I am very grateful."

"The situation did not stop with my human rights violation. Other people continue to be kidnapped in the same conditions with me. Other colleagues kept being arrested whenever they protest on elections or the killings in the East, or whenever they demand that the president should not bid for another term."

"They are arrested, brought to courts and got unfair trials where judges are under pressure from the intelligence services or the government." 

The British Embassy in Congo, works to support human rights defenders like Fred. They regularly attend and monitor trials and have set up a steering committee with other local missions. The committee aims to show the wide range of support for human rights defenders like Fred and to raise issues and abuses with the government. Through DFID initiatives and funding the UK government is also helping to provide legal assistance and direct protection for human rights defenders. The initiatives also help victims to report abuses so that they can be raised and challenged.

Fred has been provisionally released, but the charges against him still stand. These charges include action against the head of state, which could potentially carry the death penalty. 

"It is like a Damocles Sword hanging above our heads, anytime they can re-activate them." 

As for the future, Fred dreams of a vibrant Congo where human rights are respected: 

"I think there are uncertainties about the situation in my country as we are approaching the constitutional time frame set for the president to leave power. And one can only see these violations increasing if nothing is done to stop them. Indeed, we are fighting and continue to defend human rights, democracy and freedom. This is because we think the future of the Congo simply depends on what we, the people, dream of; depends on what Congolese are capable of. Of course we can hope to get support from anyone, any organisation of good will, local or foreigner, but our country's destiny depends on us and we hope to be able to build a strong and radiant Congo, with the help of all our friends.

"Our country's destiny depends on us and we hope to be able to build a strong and radiant Congo, with the help of all our friends."