UN / DRC KASAIS

The Security Council issued a statement expressing “their deepest concern at the seriousness of the situation” in the Kasai provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and “strongly condemned the violence affecting civilians, the state institutions and law enforcement personnel.” UNIFEED

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:09
• Production Date: 6 July 2017
• Asset Language: English
• Personal Subject: LIU JIEYI
• Corporate Name: SECURITY COUNCIL
• Subject Topical: CIVILIAN PROTECTION; VIOLENCE
• Geographic Subject: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
• MAMS Id: 1925520
• Parent Id: 1925520
• Alternate Title: unifeed170706g

Description

STORY: UN / DRC KASAIS
TRT: 01:08
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: UNIFEED
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 06 JULY 2017, NEW YORK CITY

Shotlist

RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior UN headquarters

06 JULY 2017, NEW YORK CITY

2. Pan left, Ambassador Liu Jieyi walks up to the podium
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Liu Jieyi, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations:
“The members of the Security Council expressed their deepest concern at the seriousness of the situation and strongly condemned the violence affecting civilians, the state institutions and law enforcement personnel. The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that the government of the DRC bears the primary responsibility for the protection of civilians within its territory and for law and order in the country. They call upon all actors in the DRC to refrain from committing acts that affect civilian population in the Kasais. They call on the government of the DRC to ensure protection of civilians and to engage in dialogue and reconciliation in the Kasai provinces. Thank you.”

Storyline

The Security Council today (6 Jul) issued a statement expressing “their deepest concern at the seriousness of the situation” in the Kasai provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and “strongly condemned the violence affecting civilians, the state institutions and law enforcement personnel.”

The statement, read by Ambassador Liu Jieyi of China, President of the Council for the month of July, “reaffirmed that the government of the DRC bears the primary responsibility for the protection of civilians within its territory and for law and order in the country.”

Furthermore, the Council called “upon all actors in the DRC to refrain from committing acts that affect civilian population in the Kasais” and “on the government of the DRC to ensure protection of civilians and to engage in dialogue and reconciliation in the Kasai provinces.

Violence flared up in the DRC's Kasai regions in August 2016, when a customary chief was killed by Forces armées de la République démocratique du Congo (FARDC), as DRC's armed forces are known.

The Kamuina Nsapu militia (named after the chief) then set about avenging the killing, committing widespread atrocities as well as recruiting children into its ranks.