The UN and the US condemn the disproportionate use of force in the protests this weekend in the DRC

Washington welcomes DRC’s “swift engagement” to identify responsible agents

May 23. (EUROPE PRESS) –

The United Nations and the United States Government have condemned this Monday the “disproportionate use of force” in the protests organized by the opposition and that have taken place this weekend in the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Kinshasa.

The United Nations mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) has called on the authorities to “strictly respect the principles on the use of force in the framework of maintaining order and respect the right to freedom of assembly and demonstration peaceful”.

Likewise, MONUSCO has indicated that it “adds its voice to that of the Ministry of Human Rights calling for the opening of an investigation and the prosecution of those responsible”, while it has welcomed the arrest of the police officers involved in the incident against a minor.

In this same vein, the US Embassy in the DRC has stated that the authorities of the North American country are “concerned by the signs of disproportionate use of force.”

He has also underlined the “rapid commitment of the Government” to identify the responsible security agents. “We (also) welcome the affirmation of the Minister of Human Rights on the importance of justice for the victims of human rights violations,” they have listed.

“The US commitment to the right of assembly, freedom of expression and freedom of the press is unwavering; these rights are the basis of a healthy democracy,” reads a statement in which they have indicated that they support the right of the Congolese people to the peaceful demonstration.

The Minister for Human Rights of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Fabrice Albert Puela, demanded this Sunday the opening of an immediate investigation into the violence exhibited by the security forces in Kinshasa, assuring that he will not tolerate the violation of the individual rights of the population “whatever the motivation.”

“Although I understand the imperatives of internal security, I want to condemn in the strongest terms the acts of repression perpetrated by certain security elements,” the minister denounced in a statement posted on Facebook.

Almost twenty people were arrested during the protests called by the opposition against the Government and the violence in the east of the country, harshly repressed by the security forces to the point that the Kinshasa Police announced, also this Sunday, the arrest of three agents for mistreating a minor during the marches, reports Radio Okapi.

The violence occurred specifically during a march called by the opposition alliance confirmed by Envol, LGB, LAMUKA and Agrupación por la República, initially scheduled for May 13 but postponed to Saturday due to security risk. This last march was led by prominent opponents such as Moïse Katumbi, Delly Sesanga, Martin Fayulu and Matata Ponyo, who have denounced the repression carried out by the security forces during their concentration, conceived as the beginning of a series of activities with a view to the general elections in the African country, which will initially be held in December of this year.

In protest against police repression, opposition leaders have announced a sit-in in front of the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) this Thursday, May 25, as an additional gesture of protest against “the bad government that is leading us to electoral chaos,” the opposition leaders declared in their subsequent statement of rejection.