The past few days have been marked by protests in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Dissatisfied with the persistent security crisis in the east of the country, the Congolese have expressed their anger by attacking diplomatic representations and international organizations which they accuse of complicity.
These demonstrations are the result of growing frustration among the Congolese population who believe they have tried everything to resolve the crisis without success. Despite dialogues and attempts at diplomacy, the security situation continues to deteriorate.
The city of Goma, located in the east of the country, is particularly worried, fearing being taken hostage by rebel groups. In Kinshasa, the population wants to force the authorities to act to put an end to this alarming situation. Westerners are particularly targeted, suspected of having some responsibility in this security crisis, particularly in the tense relations between the DRC and Rwanda.
Protests erupted last weekend, with angry youths setting fire to vehicles belonging to some embassies and the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO). The Ivory Coast embassy declared its indignation at the destruction suffered during these events.
The Congolese government strongly condemned these acts of violence and promised to conduct a thorough investigation to shed light on these incidents. He stressed that foreign diplomats, MONUSCO personnel and their installations and vehicles should under no circumstances be targeted.
This situation once again shows the deep discontent of the Congolese population in the face of persistent insecurity in certain regions of the country. The authorities and international partners will have to redouble their efforts to find concrete and lasting solutions to restore security and stability in the Democratic Republic of Congo.