Zaida Catalán (6 October 1980 – 12 March 2017)[1]: 33 was a Swedish politician who was a member of the
Green Party and leader of the
Young Greens of Sweden between 2001 and 2005.[2]
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).[3]
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.[4] Her mother was Swedish while her father had come to Sweden as a political refugee from
Chile in 1975.[4] She studied law at
Stockholm University,[4] 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.[5] 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.[6][failed verification] After the
Swedish general election in 2006 she was part of the Stockholm City Council for the Green Party.[5]
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.[4]
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.[9][10] Catalán and Sharp were found dead side by side in a shallow grave about 80 centimetres (31 in) deep on 27 March 2017.[10][11][12] The UN was reportedly horrified when a grisly video of the killing of the two UN experts surfaced in April 2017.[13] Her body was found
beheaded,[9][11] presumably as some kind of ritual (muti) by the murderers,[14] but despite the arrest of two primary suspects by Congolese authorities, the head was never found.[15][16] 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.[17]
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.[18] UN Secretary-General
António Guterres also offered his condolences.[19]
Criticism of the UN has been expressed about the UN's approach to the mission of their two experts.[20] 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."[21]
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,[22] including death penalty and life imprisonment, the lowest sentence being 10 years of imprisonment.[23][24] The sentences can be appealed.[25]
Homages to her memory
On 20 February 2018 the Zaida Catalán Room at the Chilean Embassy in
Sweden was inaugurated,[26] and in the same year the Network on Humanitarian Action (NOHA) foundation started a scholarship program in her memory.[27]