DRC: anti-UN protests in Goma, at least one injured

A student was injured and a dozen others were violently arrested Wednesday in Goma (east) by the police during a demonstration against the United Nations in the Democratic Republic of Congo, said an AFP journalist.

Police have dispersed with tear gas in front of the university a hundred students who accuse the United Nations Mission in Congo (Monusco) to « passively » attend the massacres of civilians in Beni, in the same province of North Kivu, according to this same source.

Anti-UN movements in the Beni region have killed at least six people since Monday. In Goma solidarity rallies are organized by the citizen movement Fight for Change (Lucha).

« Why did you hurt me deliberately? Instead of defending the people of Beni, you come and kill us here in Goma, « shouted the injured student in the head, blood.

Thirty policemen and Congolese soldiers protected the main base of Monusco, towards which the protesters tried to converge.

« Our protest is patriotic. Monusco passively assists the massacres while its main mission is the protection of civilians, « said AFP one of the protesters, Fiston Muhindo, of the Faculty of Law.

« They must leave »

« They have to leave. Monusco is useless, « added another student, Junior Mastaki, also from the law school.

« The Congolese authorities are unable to protect the people of Beni, » he added.
In the region of Beni, 81 civilians have been massacred since November 5, according to the latest assessment of the Study Group on Congo (GEC) of New York University.

These killings are attributed by the authorities and the UN to the armed group of Ugandan origin of the ADF, which has killed more than a thousand civilians since October 2014 according to the GEC.

The Congolese army said Monday to AFP have taken « all the strongholds and headquarters » of the ADF in the forests and jungle around Beni since the launch of an offensive against the armed group on 30 October.

The Congolese presidency announced on Monday « joint » military operations with United Nations peacekeepers (16,000 in total in the DRC).