The youth group called “La Base” headquartered in Kinshasa and campaigning for the promotion of youth entrepreneurship and an emerging Congo demands the official lifting of sanctions against the American billionaire, Dan Gertler. A sit in was organized at the Place de la Gare Centrale and a spit of saliva from the United States Embassy on Tuesday, April 11 in the Congolese capital.
Strongly the lifting of sanctions against Dan Gertler. No question of procrastinating on it. The demonstration of the structure “The Base” has lived.
Yellow card stock stamped ” Lift sanctions against Dan Gertler so that this mining magnate can invest in this country-continent, reputed to be a geological scandal.
« We are the Congolese youth, we came to demonstrate in front of the United States Embassy to demand the lifting of sanctions against Mr. Dan Gertler who represents a credible alternative for investment in the mining sector in the DRC. Through the “Ya Biso” project, we young people want to work, to have jobs. That the American authorities shelve their sanctions which have no reason to exist“said one of the protesters.
DAN RUNS OUT, FATSHI ON FUEL MODE
Dan Gertler had been sanctioned by the United States in 2017 under the Global Magnitsky Act, an American law which authorizes the
US Government to sanction any person or entity that violates human rights. Possibility is then made to freeze their assets and to prohibit them from entering the United States.
Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi pleads for Dan Gertler, this Israeli billionaire very invested in the DRC. In a letter addressed to Joe Biden, Félix Tshisekedi asks for the lifting of the sanctions which target the businessman Dan Gertler.
The Congolese president affirms that these sanctions are no longer necessary. A finding disputed by NGOs, who point out that the businessman still has his hands on lucrative contracts.
Fatshi has split an official letter addressed to President Biden and in which he indicates that ” the Democratic Republic of the Congo no longer harbors grievances against Mr. Gertler and his group« .
« Mr Gertler and his group have given up all their gold and iron mining licenses, their permits to drill oil on Lake Albert and a significant part of their future income from copper and cobalt royalties owed by third parties. The total value of the assets and rights thus granted to the Democratic Republic of the Congo is estimated at approximately 2 billion US dollars. [environ 1,83 milliard d’euros]“, says the Congolese president.
Dan Gertler, for his part, has always disputed the American allegations and accusations of corruption. He has always maintained that he has never paid bribes and that his investments in Congo have generated billions in taxes and created thousands of jobs.
GBK