Seven Killed as Anti Kabila Protest Rages in DR Congo

Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} The United Nations peacekeepers have said that Congolese security forces have shot dead at least seven protesters on Sunday. Massive protests have rocked the country, as they demand President Joseph Kabila to step down from office.

A police spokesman said, “ three people had been killed in altercations with security forces in the capital, Kinshasa, and that two of the deaths were being investigated”.

The church activists and opposition parties have called for peaceful protests against Kabila.  Last year, the Catholic Church mediated an agreement in which Kabila promised to resign by the end of 2017 and set a new election date to ease tensions in the mineral-rich country.

According to political observers, Kabila is postponing elections to maintain his grip on power, causing widespread tension in the country. The Congolese election commission says the election cannot be held until December 2018. The new date for legislative elections was set for 23 December 2018, though the opposition has said it would only agree to delay the polls until June 2018.

According to the country's constitution, Kabila is barred from seeking another term in office.

The government had clamped down on demonstrations and suspended internet and SMS services as more protests are feared across the country. More than 160 churches participated in the call to join the demonstrations.

Florence Marchal, the spokeswoman for the UN peacekeeping mission in Congo, said “security forces had shot dead at least seven people in Kinshasa. Another person was killed in a protest in the central city of Kananga, she said, although the cause of death was not yet clear”.

UN observers noted that at least 123 arrests across the country and a number of serious injuries, Marchal added.

"While we were praying, the soldiers and the police entered the church compound and fired tear gas at the church," said a churchgoer.

In tweets, the UN human rights office in Congo condemned “the use of force against peaceful demonstrators and the violent suppression of fundamental rights and freedoms by security forces”.

Meanwhile, in a statement, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called the Congolese security forces to exercise restraint. “The Secretary-General calls on the Government and national security forces to exercise restraint and to uphold the rights of the Congolese people to the freedom of speech and peaceful assembly,” said the statement.