DR Congo: protests against the West Crowds in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, have been participating in demonstrations in recent days against Western countries.
Protesters claim that Western nations have not done enough to stop violence in the country’s east and, more specifically, to stop Rwanda’s alleged involvement in the conflict.
Demonstrations against the West
Over the course of the weekend, protesters gathered in front of the US and other Western embassies as well as various locations throughout the city center.
The US and Belgian flags were set ablaze on Monday, and a group of people set fire to tires in front of the UN MONUSCO headquarters.Place of origin: Kinshasa.
Tear gas was fired by police in response, and many foreign-owned businesses and international schools stayed closed out of caution.
On Sunday, the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo gave assurances to UN representatives and Western diplomats that they would be protected.
Conflict in the eastern DRC
The M23 rebel organization has made headway in recent weeks, which has prompted the protests.
Following fatal attacks by a group, hundreds of thousands of people in the Masisi region have abandoned their homes and sought safety in the city of Goma.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Nations, and several Western governments, including the United States and France, have all accused Rwanda of supporting the group.
Kigali keeps refuting the charges.
M23 is just one of many armed factions fighting for control of the mineral-rich territories in the east, where violence has been a problem for many years.