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Amnesty – 2000

The 1999 Agreement on Ending Hostilities in the Republic of Congo required the government to adopt and promulgate a general amnesty law covering acts of war committed between 5 June 1997 and 29 December 1999. Similar provisions were also made in the Pointe-Noire Ceasefire Agreement on 16 November 1999. Immediately after the signing of the Pointe-Noire Ceasefire Agreement, an amnesty for three warring factions that were part of the accord was announced by the Sassou-administration, followed by an amnesty law (Law no. 21-99) on 20 December 1999.¹ As such, before the final accord was signed on 29 December, the government promulgated the amnesty law. However, it was not clear how many combatants (or others involved in the civil wars) were granted amnesty. Nevertheless, the amnesty was conditional on rebels laying down their arms and was not extended to Lissouba and Kolelas.² Several others, such as Yhombi-Opango and Moungunga Nkombo Nguila, were also not given amnesty.

1. Robert Muggah, “The Anatomy of Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration in the Republic of Congo,” Conflict, Security & Development 4(1): 21-37 (2004): 23.
2. “Republic of Congo since the return to power of Sassou Nguesso,” Associated Press, May 22, 2002.