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Protestors in opposition to go to of French president to DRC
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ARSENE MPIANA/AFP or licensors
French president, Emmanuel Macron, is because of arrive within the Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday night, however not everyone seems to be joyful about his go to.
They need him to assist sanctions in opposition to Rwanda who they blame for ongoing the conflict within the east. The newspaper headlines inform all of it, with one even calling him a persona non grata.
“Let’s welcome Macron, let him give his speech, let him give us recommendation to finish the conflict within the East. Apart from, we do not solely want Macron to place an finish to the conflict, we have to equip our military with all doable capabilities,” stated Alpha Ngandu who’s a vendor in Kinshasa.
Civil servant, Charles is much less accommodating.
“Let him cease supporting our aggressors, interval. We just like the French, however they do not like us, I am actually sorry, I am in opposition to the arrival of Macron,” he stated.
Forward of the his go to, some 150 NGOs referred to as for France to sentence what’s broadly seen as assist by Rwanda for M23 rebels combating within the east.
In a textual content revealed by within the press, they stated he ought to “assist the decision for sanctions” in opposition to Kigali, and “assist the DRC to organise its reputable defence”.
“This go to is a part of a scenario the place the Congolese folks would really like France finish a sure ambiguity almost about Rwanda. Western international locations, notably the USA, have been very clear of their articulation of Rwanda’s accountability within the aggression that the DRC has suffered through the M23,” stated Hervé Diakese, a lawyer and human rights defender.
The militia, which took up arms on the finish of 2021, have conquered giant swathes of territory within the japanese DRC province of North Kivu and stay on the offensive regardless of diplomatic initiatives to attempt to resolve the battle.
Kinshasa has accused Kigali of backing the largely Congolese Tutsi group, a cost that’s disputed by Kigali however has been confirmed by UN consultants and denounced by a number of Western international locations.
The French president was in Angola on Friday morning and travelled to Congo Brazzaville within the afternoon, earlier than heading to Kinshasa within the night, the place he’ll spend the entire day on Saturday.
