POLICE FIRE TEAR GAS TO DISPERSE ANTI-WESTERN PROTESTS IN KINSHASA
KINSHASA - Police in the Democratic Republic of Congo's capital Kinshasa on Monday fired tear gas to disperse crowds protesting against Western governments.
The protesters accuse the governments of failing to use their influence over neighbouring Rwanda to curb a rebellion in eastern DR Congo.
Rwanda is accused of backing the M23 rebel group, which it denies.
Angry protesters burnt the flags of the US and Belgium, DR Congo's former colonial power, on Monday. Demonstrations have taken place outside several Western embassies in recent days.
In the latest protests, anti-riot police pushed back demonstrators as they tried to advance towards embassies.
"The Westerners are behind the looting of our country. Rwanda doesn't work alone, so they must leave our country," Pepin Mbindu, who joined the protest, was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying.
More than 50 police officers were deployed on
Monday to protect the UK embassy, which is situated along the River Congo. Dozens of officers also stood guard outside the French and American embassies.
Meanwhile, South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered the deployment of 2, 900 soldiers to aid in the fight against armed rebel groups in the eastern DR Congo.
The troops will be posted as part of the southern African mission in DR Congo (SAMIDRC), which was approved by the regional bloc in May last year.
Malawi and Tanzania will also contribute troops to the mission. The mission is replacing the East African regional force, which left DR Congo last December after the government deemed it ineffective.
The deployment will cost
South Africa US$105 million and is set to last until December this year, a statement from the presidency in Cape Town said.
The announcement comes amid a resurgence of fighting that has seen tens of thousands displaced, added to the nearly seven million who have been forced from their homes in DR Congo because of multiple conflicts. –