DR Congo president orders UN peacekeepers to leave country
The president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix Tshisekedi has called for the quick withdrawal of the United Nations Peacekeeping mission in Congo.
He was speaking during the 78th session of the U.N. General Assembly on September 20, 2023.
The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo MONUSCO, which has been existing for about 25 years was established to suppress insecurity in the eastern part of the country, where armed groups fight over territory and resources.
Felix Tshisekedi however noted that the peacekeeping missions have failed to cope with the rebellions and armed conflicts.
“This is why … I instructed the government of the republic to begin discussions with the UN authorities for an accelerated withdrawal of MONUSCO … by bringing forward the start of this progressive withdrawal from December 2024 to December 2023,” he stated.
It is reported that at least 56 persons were killed and others wounded in an army crackdown on violent anti-UN demonstrations in the eastern city of Goma, Congo in August.
“People have expectations that if their government is unable to protect them, at the least, the UN will do it, but over the years, the UN was unable to prevent attacks or to respond to them adequately, so they [citizens] feel like they [the UN] are useless,” Amnesty International’s Jean-Mobert Senga told Al Jazeera.
Source: Aljazeera
