Anti-UN protests in DRC: Funeral in Butembo erupts tension
A funeral organised for the victims of the anti-MONUSCO protests in the city of Butembo, Northeastern DRC turned into a dispute on Friday. Protesters and authorities did not succeed to reach an agreement on the location of the burial and some protesters took the coffins from the local morgue.
Three UN peacekeepers and seven demonstrators were killed on Tuesday amid violent protests against UN’s force in the region. “We have come to ask MONUSCO to leave, as we have always feared, MONUSCO has used weapons against us, which caused more than 11 victims. We are digging graves for the dignified burial of these victims who were killed by the MONUSCO forces.”, said a protestor in Butembo.
According to the local press, Butembo’s protesters gathered at the city’s roundabout where security services used tear gas to disperse them.
DRC’s ministry for communication said according to an agreement with the UN a progressive et phased withdrawal of MONUSCO should take place by 2024. He added UN already left the eastern province of Tanganyika last June.
The Butembo victims should be buried at the Kitatumba cemetery on July 30.
There is a good reason why you should support the African Editors. Not everyone can afford to pay for news right now. That is why we keep our journalism open for everyone to read, including in Ghana. If this is you, please continue to read for free. But if you are able to, then there are three good reasons to support us today.
1. Our quality, journalism is a scrutinising force at a time when the rich and powerful are getting away with more and more.
2. We are independent and have no billionaire owner pulling the strings, so your money directly powers our reporting.
3. It doesn’t cost much, and takes less time than it took to read this message.
Help power the African Editors' journalism for the years to come, whether with a small sum or a larger one. If you can, please support us on a monthly basis from just 1 Ghana Cedi through mobile money number: 0599896099/ +23359989609 and you can be rest assured that you’re making a big impact every single month in support of open, independent journalism. Thank you.
