What Happened?
The United Nations on Monday condemned the Congolese government for what they said were “unlawful and unjustified” actions in cracking down on protests, according to Reuters. So far, Congolese security forces have killed 47 people between 2017 and earlier this year.
The U.N. Human Rights Office said the Congolese government has been attempting to cover up the human rights abuses and lethal force by hiding bodies.
In Context
Democratic Republic of Congo’s President Joseph Kabila has refused to leave his post after his mandate to lead the DRC expired at the end of December 2016, according to Reuters. Elections have been delayed, and the DRC public has become increasingly discontent, leading to protests. Kabila denied allegations of excessive force in January, according to Reuters.
The Catholic Church in the DRC has slowly begun to play a larger role in the protests. On Jan. 21, protests were broken up by security forces with tear gas and gunfire, killing six and wounding dozens more, according to The Guardian. Dozens of priests and nuns were also detained.
The DRC is also experiencing ethnic violence in the Tanganyika province. According to the U.N., more than 13 million people need aid, and more than 4.6 million children are acutely malnourished.
What’s Next
Elections are still planned for December 2018, but the electoral commission has said that they may not be possible. They said elections may have to be pushed to April 2019, according to Reuters.