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13. At the 17 Session, held in March 1995, the Communications against Zaire were declared
admissible.
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14. The Government of Zaire was notified of this decision on 26 April 1995.
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15. At the 18 Session, held in October 1995, the Commission decided to apply Article 58.1 of the
Charter and to draw the attention of the Heads of State and Government to the serious and massive
violations of human rights in Zaire.
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16. On 12 January 1996, a Note Verbale was sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Zaire
informing the Ministry of the proposed mission to Zaire to be undertaken by Commissioner Nguema
and Ben Salem.
17. Communication No. 47/90 was received by the Commission in October 1990.
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18. On 20 October 1990, at its 8 Ordinary Session in Banjul, the African Commission was seized
of the communication and decided to notify the State of Zaire of the complaint and invite its written
comments on the admissibility.
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19. On 6 November 1990, the Secretariat of the Commission informed the Ministry of Zaire of this
decision by registered post. No response was forthcoming.
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20. At its 11 Ordinary Session, the Commission decided to send a reminder to Zaire. The
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Secretariat sent this reminder on 30 March 1992. No response was forthcoming.
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21. At its 12 Ordinary Session, held in Banjul in October 1992, the Commission declared the
communication admissible and decided that it would be examined on the merits.
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22. The notice of this decision was sent on 16 November 1992. No response was forthcoming.
23. In 1993 and 1994, the Secretariat sent several reminders to the government of Zaire. No
response was received.
24. From August 1994 to the present, the correspondence in respect of this communication is
identical with that in the communication 25/89, above.
25. Communication No. 56/91 was received by the Commission in summer 1991.
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26. The Commission was seized of the communication at its 10 Session in October 1991 and a
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notification was sent to the State on 14 November 1991. No response was forthcoming.
27. Two reminders were sent by the Secretariat to the Government of Zaire in 1992.
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28. In a letter dated 14 September 1993, the Ministry of Justice of Zaire claimed that a copy of the
communication had never been received.
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29. A copy of the communication was sent 3 March 1994 by registered post to the Embassy in
Dakar, but no response was received.
30. From August 1994, the correspondence in respect of this communication is identical with that in
communication 25/89, given above.
31. Communication No. 100/93 was received by the Commission in April 1993.
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32. The Commission was seized of the communication at its 13 Session in April 1993 and it was
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brought to the attention of the State on 12 April 1993. No response was forthcoming.
33. In 1993 and 1994, reminders were sent to the Government of Zaire but no response was
forthcoming.
34. As from August 1994, the correspondence in respect of this communication is identical with that in
communication 25/89, given above.
Law
Admissibility
35. After deliberations, as envisioned by Article 58 of the African Charter, the Commission
considered that communications 25/89, 47/90, 56/91 and 100/93 against Zaire reveal the existence of
serious and massive violations of human rights.
36. Article 56 of the African Charter requires that Complainants exhaust local remedies before the
Commission can take up a case, unless these remedies are as a practical matter unavailable or
unduly prolonged. The requirement of exhaustion of local remedies is founded on the principle that a
government should have notice of a human rights violation in order to have the opportunity to remedy