Politics
10:31, 29-Aug-2017
UN sends team to DRC to investigate monitor deaths
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The United Nations is sending a team of investigators to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to look into the deaths of two of its monitors sent to investigate atrocities in the country.
It comes after more than 250 people were killed in the Kasai region between March and June this year.
A recent UN report blamed a local militia for carrying out the killings, but didn’t rule out the involvement of government forces.
The Congolese government was quick to deny the claim, producing a video showing the militia, known as Kamuina Nsapu, killing the officials.
Congolese women and their children, who fled from rebel group attacks, work in a field farmed with the help of the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in Tshikapa in the Kasai Region, Democratic Republic of Congo, on July 27, 2017. /AFP Photo
Congolese women and their children, who fled from rebel group attacks, work in a field farmed with the help of the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in Tshikapa in the Kasai Region, Democratic Republic of Congo, on July 27, 2017. /AFP Photo
Expressing doubt in the ability of the government to investigate the killings, the UN has appointed its own team of experts to investigate.
Investigators will arrive in the country on September 3.
The government confirmed that it has been informed of the arrival of the 23-strong team.
“The High Commissioner for Human Rights of the United Nations informed us that he appointed 23 experts, those experts have to arrive here on 3rd of September to work with our experts to find out what went on out there in Kasai,” Minister of Information Lambert Mende said.
The International Criminal Court had said it was closely monitoring the killings in Kasai but the government wants all findings to be handed over to its judiciary system for prosecution.
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