In Butembo, Northeastern DRC, a funeral service organized for those killed during anti-MONUSCO rallies descended into conflict on Friday. Authorities and demonstrators were unable to agree on the burial site, and some protesters stole the coffins from the nearby morgue.
On Tuesday, there were violent protests against the UN troops in the area, which resulted in the deaths of three UN peacekeepers and seven protesters. “We have come to ask MONUSCO to leave because, as we have always feared, they have attacked us with guns and inflicted more than 11 casualties. We are preparing graves for these victims who were killed by MONUSCO forces in order to give them a respectable burial “, a protester in Butembo stated.
Anti-UN demonstrations in the DRC: a funeral in Butembo sparks unrest – https://t.co/cT4zU4t7y9
— ADVERT AFRICA (@AfricaAdvert) July 30, 2022
Local media reports that Butembo’s demonstrators gathered near the city’s roundabout and were later dispersed by security personnel using tear gas.
According to an agreement with the UN, a gradual and phased departure of MONUSCO should occur by 2024, according to the DRC’s ministry for communication. He noted that the UN had already left Tanganyika’s eastern province in June.
On July 30, the Butembo victims are scheduled to be laid to rest in the Kitatumba cemetery.
