Zaida Catalán Explained

Zaida Catalán
Birth Date:6 October 1980
Birth Place:Stockholm, Sweden
Death Place:Kasai, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Nationality:Swedish

Zaida Catalán (6 October 1980 – 12 March 2017) was a Swedish politician who was a member of the Green Party and leader of the Young Greens of Sweden between 2001 and 2005.[1]

She was known for her work in activism including environmental issues, animal rights, and human rights (including support of Sweden's sex purchase law; see Prostitution in Sweden).[2]

Catalán was kidnapped and murdered while on a UN mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in March 2017. Critics allege the UN was irresponsible in sending her to a high-conflict zone with limited training and support. On 29 January 2022, a DRC court sentenced over 50 people for the murders of Catalán and her American colleague Michael Sharp.

Biography

Early life

Zaida Catalán was born in Stockholm but grew up in Högsby in Småland.[3] Her mother was Swedish while her father had come to Sweden as a political refugee from Chile in 1975. She studied law at Stockholm University, obtaining a Master of Law degree.

Political career

With a background as an animal rights activist, Catalán became the leader of the Young Greens of Sweden in 2001. After two years as the leader of the organisation along with Gustav Fridolin and two years along with Einar Westergaard, she resigned as leader of the Young Greens in 2005.

In late 2008, she announced her candidacy for the European Parliament for 2009.[4] Catalán came fifth in internal voting for the party's list for the European Parliament. Following her personal campaign, Catalán received 16,300 votes in the election, which wasn't enough to get a place in the European Parliament.[5] After the Swedish general election in 2006 she was part of the Stockholm City Council for the Green Party.[4]

In December 2010, Catalán announced that she would leave her work as a lawyer for the Green Party's parliamentary group and start working as an expert on sexual violence for the European Union Police Mission in Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[6] [7]

Catalán began working in an expert group for the United Nations in 2016, reporting to the Security Council and directly to the Secretary-General, investigating abuse against the population and human rights violations in the DRC.

Kidnapping and murder

On 12 March 2017, Catalán and another UN employee, American Michael Sharp, were kidnapped along with Congolese interpreter Betu Tshintela, driver Isaac Kabuayi and two motorbike drivers during a mission near the village Ngombe in the Kasai Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[8] Catalán and Sharp were found dead side by side in a shallow grave about deep on 27 March 2017.[9] [10] The UN was reportedly horrified when a grisly video of the killing of the two UN experts surfaced in April 2017.[11] Her body was found beheaded,[12] presumably as some kind of ritual (muti) by the murderers,[13] but despite the arrest of two primary suspects by Congolese authorities, the head was never found.[14] [15] On 26 March 2018, one of the perpetrators, Vincent Manga, was captured by Kananga's military authorities and moved the investigation into a new direction in order to solve the incident.[16]

On 29 March, Swedish authorities launched an investigation into the murder of Catalán; the Minister for Education Gustav Fridolin and the Prime Minister Stefan Löfven both expressed their dismay and sadness over her death and offered their condolences to her family.[17] UN Secretary-General António Guterres also offered his condolences.[18]

Criticism of the UN has been expressed about the UN's approach to the mission of their two experts.[19] They were sent into a remote and violence-torn area on motorbike taxis with only an interpreter at their side and without much training, safety equipment or even health insurance, an "astoundingly irresponsible approach by the United Nations to an obviously dangerous and hugely important task."[20]

Trials and sentences

Over 50 people were tried for the murder of Catalán and her American colleague. On 29 January 2022, 51 people were sentenced in a DRC court to a variety of punishments,[21] including death penalty and life imprisonment, the lowest sentence being 10 years of imprisonment.[22] [23] The sentences can be appealed.[24]

Homages to her memory

On 20 February 2018 the Zaida Catalán Room at the Chilean Embassy in Sweden was inaugurated,[25] and in the same year the Network on Humanitarian Action (NOHA) foundation started a scholarship program in her memory.[26]

In 2020, the Folke Bernadotte Academy was tasked by the Swedish Government to establish a scholarship aimed at supporting the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on women, peace and security. The scholarship was established in memory of Zaida Catalán.[27]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Two U.N. officials of U.S., Swedish nationality kidnapped in central Congo. 13 March 2017. Reuters. 29 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170329142021/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-congo-kidnapping-idUSKBN16K1V7. 29 March 2017. live.
  2. News: Opinion - The U.N.'s Tragic Inaction on Congo . New York Times . 14 June 2017 . 2017-06-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170804055619/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/14/opinion/united-nations-congo-killings.html?ribbon-ad-idx=17&rref=opinion&module=Ribbon&version=context&region=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Opinion&pgtype=article . 2017-08-04 . live . subscription . Sawyer . Ida . Stearns . Jason.
  3. News: Zaida Maria Catalán . Petra . Nyberg . 2021-01-08 . sv . . 2023-12-02 . 2 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231202115049/https://skbl.se/en/article/ZaidaMariaCatalan . live .
  4. News: Zaida Catalán: Getting the vote out for a greener Europe . Lydia . Parafianowicz . 20 May 2009 . . 2023-12-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170518125135/https://www.thelocal.se/20090520/19566 . 2017-05-18 . live.
  5. Web site: Rights Group: Congo Must Help Search for Missing UN Staff. VOA News. 25 March 2017 . Associated Press. 29 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170329140746/http://www.voanews.com/a/human-rights-watch-missing-un-workers-congo/3781615.html. 29 March 2017. live.
  6. Web site: MONUSCO: Search continues for abducted UN experts in DR Congo . 14 March 2017 . Africa Times . 29 March 2017 . 29 March 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170329232251/http://africatimes.com/2017/03/14/monusco-search-continues-for-abducted-un-experts-in-dr-congo/ . dead .
  7. News: Zaida Catalan – det blir svårt att uträtta något bra . Jusektidningen . Zaida Catalan – it becomes difficult to accomplish anything well . Marieke . Johnson . 2010-12-21 . sv . https://web.archive.org/web/20140723033503/http://www.jusektidningen.se/arkivet/2011/1/zaida-catalan-det-blir-svart-att-utratta-nagot-bra/ . 23 July 2014 . dead . 2023-12-02.
  8. Web site: Kasai unrest: UN experts found dead in DR Congo . 28 March 2017 . . 29 March 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170328230642/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-39418277 . 28 March 2017 . live.
  9. Web site: Congo finds Caucasian bodies where U.N. experts disappeared . 2017-03-28 . . 2023-12-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170329050641/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/congo-caucasian-bodies-un-experts-disappeared/ . 29 March 2017 . live .
  10. Web site: Bodies of two UN investigators found in Congo - govt . 28 March 2017 . . 2023-12-02 . 29 March 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170329141355/https://www.rte.ie/news/2017/0328/863296-dr-congo-un-bodies/ . live .
  11. News: UN 'utterly horrified' by video appearing to show murder of two experts in Congo . ((Reuters)) . 2017-04-25 . . 2023-12-02 . 24 April 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170424232037/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/24/un-experts-killed-congo-video-michael-sharp-zaida-catalan . live .
  12. News: How Uruguayan Peacekeepers Found the Two Dead UN Experts in Congo in 2017 . Dulcie . Leimbach . 2019-05-29 . PassBlue . 2023-12-02 . 11 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231011125222/https://www.passblue.com/2019/05/29/how-uruguayan-peacekeepers-found-the-two-dead-un-experts-in-congo-in-2017/ . live .
  13. News: Meurtre de deux experts de l'ONU: la RDC présente une vidéo . AFP . 2017-04-24 . fr . 2023-12-02 . 2 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231202104804/https://www.lalibre.be/dernieres-depeches/afp/2017/04/24/meurtre-de-deux-experts-de-lonu-la-rdc-presente-une-video-NAKFR3LL6RCARDWIJPM5IIKGYY/ . live .
  14. http://en.rfi.fr/africa/20170613-report-drc-massacre-villages-await-un-inquiry DRC Exclusive report Part 1: Kasai massacre villages await UN inquiry
  15. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/20/world/africa/congo-zaida-catalan-michael-j-sharp-united-nations-democratic-republic-of-congo.html For 2 Experts Killed in Congo, U.N. Provided Little Training and No Protection
  16. https://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/rdc-arrestation-de-l-un-des-acteurs-principaux-soup-onn-du-meurtre RDC : arrestation de l’un des « acteurs principaux » soupçonné du meurtre des experts onusiens au Kasaï
  17. News: Wallström kräver att mordet på Catalán klaras upp - DN.SE. Dagens Nyheter . 29 March 2017. 29 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170329094623/http://www.dn.se/nyheter/varlden/wallstrom-kraver-att-mordet-pa-catalan-klaras-upp/. 29 March 2017. live.
  18. News: Krav på att mordet på Catalán klaras upp. TT. Svenska Dagbladet . 28 March 2017 . 29 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170328234427/https://www.svd.se/ud-svenskan-har-hittats-dod. 28 March 2017. live.
  19. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/20/world/africa/congo-zaida-catalan-michael-j-sharp-united-nations-democratic-republic-of-congo.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news U.N. criticized for dangerous mission
  20. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/23/opinion/un-congo-murder.html New York Times opinion: U.N. Congo murder
  21. DR Congo issues death sentences for murder of UN experts. 29 January 2022. 30 January 2022. BBC News. 30 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220130001209/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-60183952. live.
  22. DRC: 51 people sentenced to death over 2017 murder of two UN experts | Democratic Republic of the Congo | The Guardian. The Guardian. 30 January 2022. 29 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220129225223/https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/29/drc-51-people-sentenced-to-death-over-2017-of-two-un-experts. live.
  23. Web site: Dozens sentenced to death over murders of U.N. experts in Congo. Aaron. Ross. 30 January 2022. 30 January 2022. Reuters. 30 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220130002218/https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/dozens-sentenced-death-over-murders-un-experts-congo-2022-01-29/. live.
  24. News: DR Congo court set for verdict in murder of UN experts. MSN News. 30 January 2022. 30 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220130091755/https://www.msn.com/en-xl/africa/top-stories/dr-congo-court-set-for-verdict-in-murder-of-un-experts/ar-AATgje7. live.
  25. http://www.magazinlatino.com/index.php/cultura/item/873-inauguracion-del-salon-zaida-catalan-embajada-de-chile-en-suecia Inauguración del Salón Zaida Catalán - Embajada de Chile en Suecia
  26. https://www.uu.se/nyheter-press/nyheter/artikel/?id=10782&typ=artikel Stipendium till minne av Zaida Catalán
  27. Web site: Scholarship in support of women, peace and security in memory of Zaida Catalán. 2022-01-31. FBA. en. 2022-01-31. https://web.archive.org/web/20220131070454/https://fba.se/en/areas-of-expertise/womenandyouth/scholarship-in-support-of-women-peace-and-security-in-memory-of-zaida-catalan/?epslanguage=en. live.

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