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UN / DRC
STORY: UN / DRC
TRT: 3:27
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / FRENCH / NATS
DATELINE: 11 OCTOBER 2016, NEW YORK CITY
RECENT - NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior, UN headquarters
11 OCTOBER 2016, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Maman Sambo Sidikou, Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the Democratic Republic of the Congo:
“The UN has confirmed the killing of at least 49 civilians in the clashes that took place, 38 by gunshot, others burned alive or killed by machete. More than 140 civilians were injured, and there are unconfirmed reports of dozens of other casualties. Four police officers were also killed allegedly by demonstrators during the clashes.”
4. Med shot, Congolese ambassador
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Maman Sambo Sidikou, Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the Democratic Republic of the Congo:
“The Democratic Republic of Congo has entered a period of extreme risk to its stability. The electoral crisis has become a constitutional crisis, with deepening political polarization and no immediate resolution in sight. Actors on all sides appear more and more willing to resort to violence to achieve their ends, while the space for constructive political activity has shrunk still further. If this trajectory continues, I believe large-scale violence is all but inevitable. And while MONUSCO will do everything it can within its mandate to protect civilians, the scope of the threats dramatically outstrip the Mission’s capabilities.”
6. Med shot, delegates
7. SOUNDBITE (French) Ignace Gata Mavita wa Lufuta, Permanent Representative of the Democratic Republic of Congo to the United Nations:
“The efforts of the authorities of the city, trying to get in touch with the organizers and ask them to intervene to calm the protesters, were in vain. It is in these conditions that the situation degenerated and march was transformed into a real insurrection. Demonstrators armed with stones attacked the police. They took a 12 year old daughter wearing a school uniform and on her way to school. They killed her after first raping her. They burned alive a policeman stationed outside the headquarters of a political party after stripping him of his weapon and then killed three other police men who were trying to restore order.”
8. Med shot, Sidikou
9. SOUNDBITE (French) Ignace Gata Mavita wa Lufuta, Permanent Representative of the Democratic Republic of Congo to the United Nations:
“The partners of the DRC who wish to contribute finding solutions to the situation and who know my country are encouraged to do so with the consideration and respect that we owe each other. You will agree with me that while in this context advice or suggestions are welcome, any harsh criticism or demands that in fact have fuelled the intransigence of an opposition party which does not accept the dialogue.”
10. Pan left, Sidikou approaching stakeout
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Maman Sambo Sidikou, Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the Democratic Republic of the Congo:
“Well they gave us a week. And the week is now, well it was yesterday, the deadline was yesterday I believe. Well we’re still talking because these are human beings you don’t just take them and dump them somewhere. Obviously, the region has to discuss it, the two governments have to discuss it. It’s not only for MONUSCO to decide. Do we have the mandate to take people from one country and ship them to another country? We don’t have that mandate. Our mandate is within the DRC.”
12. Pan right, Sidikou leaving stakeout
The head of the United Nations mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) said the country had entered “a period of extreme risk to its stability.”
Maman Sambo Sidikou told the Security Council today (11 Oct) that the electoral crisis in the DRC had become a constitutional crisis as “actors on all sides appear more and more willing to resort to violence to achieve their ends, while the space for constructive political activity has shrunk still further.” Sidikou said if the current trajectory continued, he believed “large-scale violence is all but inevitable.” He said while MONUSCO would do everything it can within its mandate to protect civilians, “the scope of the threats dramatically outstrip the Mission’s capabilities.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) recently announced that holding presidential, parliamentary, and provincial elections in one day would not be technically possible on November 18, 2018. Sidikou said this announcement provoked strong protests from several political opposition parties who believe that CENI was being used to keep President Joseph Kabila in power beyond the presidential term limits in the constitution. During protests on the 19th and 20th of last month, Sidikou said the UN confirmed the killing of at least 49 civilians in the clashes that took place some of whom were “burned alive or killed by machete.” He said MONUSCO’s investigations documented the involvement of both state and non-state actors in the violence.
The head of MONUSCO called on the Security Council to encourage opposition groups boycotting to return to the dialogue process and the government to “undertake direct confidence-building measures with the opposition” including direct engagement between President Kabila and the Rassemblement leader Étienne Tshisekedi. He added that there should be no no impunity for any actor perpetrating political violence.
Commenting on violence last month, Congolese ambassador Ignace Gata Mavita said efforts by authorities to calm the protesters “were in vain” as the march was transformed into a “real insurrection.” Mavita said demonstrators attacked the police with stones and “killed her after first raping” a 12 year old girl on her way to school. He said protestors “burned alive a policeman” stationed outside the headquarters of a political party after stripping him of his weapon and then killed three other police men. He said police were finally able to control the situation after firing “tear gas and not by firing live ammunition.”
The Congolese ambassador said his government had responded “favourably” to a series of demands put forward by the opposition to “encourage a broad inclusive dialogue” but the opposition groups who refuse the dialogue add more demands which delay the process.
Mavita said partners of the DRC “who wish to contribute finding solutions to the situation and who know my country are encouraged to do so with the consideration and respect that we owe each other.” He said while advice or suggestions were welcome, “any harsh criticism or demands that in fact have fuelled the intransigence of an opposition party which does not accept the dialogue.”
Asked by a reporter on the request by Congolese authorities to move supporters of former South Sudanese Vice President Riek Machar out of the country, MONUSCO chief Maman Sidikou said his mission was given a week which ended yesterday to resolve the issue. Sidikou said MONUSCO was still in discussions with the government “because these are human beings you don’t just take them and dump them somewhere.” He said regional governments had to discuss the issue as MONUSCO did not have the mandate to move people from one country to another.
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