Protests in Kinshasa against the M23 rebel offensive led to rioters targeting foreign embassies, expressing anger over the international community’s perceived inaction. Demonstrators accused Rwanda and Uganda of supporting the rebels and voiced frustration over diplomatic responses to the conflict in Goma, culminating in vandalism and looting. The unrest highlights significant regional tensions and calls for urgent international intervention.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, significant protests erupted against the M23 rebel offensive, leading to rioters storming embassies and setting tyres ablaze. Demonstrators expressed their anger towards the perceived inaction of the international community regarding the ongoing conflict in Goma, where the M23, allegedly supported by Rwanda and Uganda, recently gained control. The protests, inspired by a youth group’s call to “Paralyse the City,” focused on embassies of nations perceived as complicit in the conflict, including Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, France, Belgium, and the United States.
On Tuesday, protestors assembled in the affluent district of Gombe, denouncing foreign diplomatic responses to the crisis in the east. They voiced strong accusations against Rwanda and Uganda for supporting the M23, which successfully captured Goma’s airport following intense street clashes. Protesters chanted threats to destroy everything linked to Rwanda while smoke rose from burning tyres nearby.
As the demonstrations intensified, the French embassy’s perimeter wall was set alight, with graffiti declaring, “Betrayal over a long period of time… let’s end it now.” The embassies of Belgium and the United States also faced vandalism, while the Ugandan mission was looted, with furniture reportedly being transported away by motorcycle and taxi.
These events underscore deep-seated frustrations in the DRC regarding external governmental support—or lack thereof—amid ongoing instability. The protestors’ actions, marked by violence and destruction, reflect a broader sentiment that immediate, decisive international intervention is urgently required to address the prevailing conflicts in the region.
The protests in Kinshasa were sparked by growing unrest over the conflict in Goma, a key city in North Kivu province experiencing renewed violence from M23 rebels, who are believed to be receiving assistance from Rwandan troops. The demonstrators’ actions represent a culmination of pent-up anger towards perceived complacency from foreign diplomats as well as the influence of regional players in the DRC’s prolonged turmoil. The targeting of foreign embassies highlights a significant escalation in local frustrations towards international interventionism and the consequences of regional geopolitics.
The protests in Kinshasa reveal widespread discontent with the international community’s response to the escalating violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Demonstrators not only expressed anger towards foreign diplomats but also took direct action against embassies, symbolizing a call for accountability from nations perceived as complicit in the conflict. These events underscore the urgent need for a more engaged and responsible diplomatic approach to the situation in DRC, especially regarding regional alliances and conflicts.
Original Source: www.aljazeera.com
