Congo Protesters Burn US and Belgian Flags, Target Western Embassies
KINSHASA – Police in Democratic Republic of Congo fired tear gas Monday to disperse protesters who burned tires and U.S. and Belgian flags near Western embassies and U.N. offices in the capital Kinshasa. The protesters, angry about insecurity in eastern Congo, have adopted a new tactic of targeting embassies, accusing the West of supporting neighboring Rwanda and its alleged backing of the Tutsi-led M23 rebellion. The rebel group’s advance towards the strategic city of Goma has heightened tensions in the region.
Despite increased security measures following Saturday’s attacks on U.N. staff and vehicles, multiple groups of protesters gathered at the U.S. and French embassies, as well as the offices of the United Nations mission in Congo (MONUSCO). Some individuals hurled stones in an attempt to destroy surveillance cameras at one of the United States embassy offices.
Voicing their grievances, the protesters chanted, Leave our country, we don’t want your hypocrisy, amid accusations that Western powers are complicit in the looting of Congo. Pepin Mbindu, a participant in the protest, declared, The Westerners are behind the looting of our country; Rwanda doesn’t work alone, so they must leave our country.
Videos circulating online show onlookers cheering as a demonstrator removes the EU flag from the entrance of a hotel in central Kinshasa, though the authenticity of the footage has not been verified. Fabrice Malumba, a motorcycle driver and demonstration participant, criticized the international community, stating, The international community remains silent while Congolese are being killed; they finance Rwanda.
Police responded to the protests by firing tear gas and pursuing demonstrators. In an effort to address concerns and ensure the safety of diplomatic missions, Congo’s Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Christophe Lutundula, held a meeting with ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions in Kinshasa on Sunday.
General Blaise Mbula Kilimba Limba, the Kinshasa police chief, assured Reuters that security for partner embassies would be upheld in accordance with the Vienna Convention. He stated, As you can see, we are ensuring the security of the partner embassies of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Decades of conflict in eastern Congo have resulted in numerous armed groups engaging in territorial disputes and resource conflicts. These violent confrontations, coupled with severe attacks on civilians, have claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and displaced over 7 million.
Congo’s status as the world’s leading supplier of cobalt and Africa’s major producer of copper makes the region’s stability crucial for global industries reliant on these resources.
The recent protests in Kinshasa highlight the simmering tensions and dissatisfaction among Congolese citizens over the ongoing insecurity in eastern Congo. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the government and international community will address these concerns and work towards a resolution that ensures peace and stability in the region.
