[Published: Sunday January 21 2018]
DR Congo disperses anti-Kabila protests with tear gas
Kinshasa 21 Jan (ANA) - At least one person has been killed in widespread protests in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where police have used teargas to disperse protesters.
They are demanding that President Joseph Kabila - whose expected term of office expired more than a year ago - should step down. A number of people have been injured, and UN peacekeepers have reportedly been deployed in the capital.
Similar demonstrations three weeks ago led to a number of deaths. Jean-Baptise Sondji, a former minister, told AFP a 16-year-old girl had died in the protests - but other reports said a man had been killed.
The widespread marches had been called for by the country's Catholic Church, which appealed for a large but peaceful demonstration.
The Congolese authorities, however, banned the marches and no formal permission was given. On Saturday evening, internet access in the capital Kinshasa was cut. Police warned that they would not tolerate "any attempt to disturb public order."(ANA)
FA/ANA/21 January 2018-----
|