UN security council requests DRC lift ban on protests

By Godfrey Olukya

ARU, Democratic Republic of Congo (AA) – Members of a UN security council delegation on a visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo have requested Saturday that authorities lift the ban on demonstrations and protect the rights of members of the opposition.

One of the members of the delegation, France's ambassador to the UN, Francois Delattre said: ''The security and freedom of movement of all must be ensured. In this regard ,we call on Congolese authorities to re-establish the signal of RFI [Radio France International] radio, and lift the ban on demonstrations.''

The Security Council also stated that it was concerned about the difficult security situation in eastern DRC. The delegation will travel to Beni, the territory of North Kivu.

The DRC has seen several anti-Joseph Kabila demonstrations in the past few months, as the opposition parties and civil society groups call on the president to step down from power at the end of his two-term mandate in December 2016.

Between Sept. 19 and 21, at least 53 people, including seven women, two children and four police agents were killed in the capital, Kinshasa, according to a report of the UN Joint Human Rights Office (UNJHRO).