UN, rights group condemn killing of civilians in DR Congo

By Godfrey Olukya

KAMPALA, Uganda (AA) – The United Nations and a rights group on Friday condemned the killing of 48 people in clashes between army and anti-UN protesters in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The UN special representative for secretary-general in DR Congo, Bintou Keita, who is also the head of MONUSCO, called for a peaceful resolution of conflicts instead of confrontations.

She regretted that a banned demonstration caused the death of civilians, police officers, and members of the Congolese armed forces, said a statement by MONUSCO (UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo).

Security forces intervened to disperse an anti-UN demonstration, which was organized by a group in Goma city of eastern DR Congo on Wednesday, leading to clashes and the death of 48 people.

A Christian-animist group called "Natural Judaic and Messianic Faith Towards the Nations" had urged its followers to attack UN bases and demand the departure of peacekeepers.

Human Rights Watch also condemned the violence and killing of civilians.

“Congolese military forces appear to have fired into a crowd to prevent a demonstration, an extremely callous as well as unlawful way to enforce a ban,” said Thomas Fessy, a researcher at Human Rights Watch. “For two years, the military authorities have used the ‘state of siege’ – martial law – in North Kivu province to brutally crack down on fundamental liberties.”

It said that authorities should immediately grant family members access to the victims, adding that senior military officials who ordered the use of lethal force should be suspended, investigated, and held accountable.