Police and demonstrators have clashed with each other during the third day of violent anti-UN protests in Congo
Highlights
•Violent protests have been waged against UN forces in DR Congo
• Two Indian soldiers and a third member of the UN Peace Keeping Force dead as protestors storm UN bases in Goma and Butembo.
• UN has been accused of failing to maintain peace in conflict-ridden DR Congo.
Clashes between the police and protestors have killed at least 19 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The town of Goma saw protests after people accused the UN of failing to contain insurgent violence. The UN, on its part, has warned that an attack on it’s troops may constitute a war crime. There were attacks on two of the UN’s peacekeeping bases- Goma and Butembo. It has killed two Indian peacekeeping troops and a third member of the UN force. Meanwhile, more than 50 people have been injured since the protests started on Monday. Two days later, on Wednesday, protestors targetted the two peacekeeping bases.
Criminal Elements Behind Protests and Arson says UN Spokesman
A Spokesman said that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had told Congolese authorities to investigate what happened. There was no evidence that peacekeeping troops had shot at the protestors, a UN spokesman said. Meanwhile, the UN has blamed the violence on criminal elements pretending as protestors. They seized weapons from the local police force and fired, it said.
Mobs are throwing petrol bombs and stones, breaking into bases, looting and vandalizing, and setting facilities on fire, said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for Guterres. The situation is volatile and we are mobilizing reinforcements. Our quick reaction forces are on high alert and have been told to exercise maximum restraint. They are to fire tear gas to disperse protestors and only fire warning shots when UN personnel and property are under attack. Also, Congolese troops were helping protect UN facilities, he added.
Local police have accused armed insurgents of infiltrating the protests to incite people against peacekeeping troops, known officially as Monusco.
Why the Protests
The DR Congo government and its army have been battling both the M23 armed movement and the Allied Democratic Force ( ADF). ADF is an insurgent group supposedly affiliated with the Islamic State and other such militias. DR Congo is a vast mineral-rich country and different groups fight each other for its control. For years the government has been fighting insurgents in what is called Africa’s “World War.” The conflict has caused immense civilian suffering. So far it has claimed 6 million lives due to either fighting or disease and malnutrition. The country hardly has roads or railways, and its educational and health infrastructure has been ruined due to the war. Its natural resources have instead attracted adventurers, greedy corporations, its corrupt government, and insurgent militias.
UN’s Role in DR Congo
There is widespread anger that the UN’s inability to contain the armed militias operating in the mineral-rich east. And anger has finally culminated in protests and violence against UN personnel.
“ They are tear gassing us because we came to say that Monusco doesn’t help us”, said protestor Anselme Musimbwa told Reuters. “ They have been in Congo for 22 years and nothing works”, he added. Another protestor, Jack Sinzahera said, “We have our own police force that will look after our security and property. We don’t want anything to do with Monusco.”
Meanwhile, the UN has always been accused of failing to protect Congolese civilians. Its peacekeeping forces are themselves subject to attacks by the rebels. The UN, however, denies these accusations.
(Inputs,BBC)
