Kasaï-Central clashes (2016–present)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Kasaï-Central clashes (2016–present)
Democratic Republic of the Congo (26 provinces) - Kasaï-Central.svg
Location of Kasaï-Central in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Date 8 August 2016 – present
(7 months, 1 week and 6 days)
Location Kasaï-Central, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Belligerents
Kamwina Nsapu militia

 Democratic Republic of the Congo
Casualties and losses
128+ killed
185+ captured		 29+ killed
Several wounded
7+ civilians killed
164+ killed in total

The Kasaï-Central clashes are a series of ongoing clashes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in the provinces of Kasaï-Central, Kasaï and Kasai-Oriental, between the Kamwina Nsapu militia and state security forces.[1] The fighting began after the militia led by Kamwina Nsapu attacked security forces in August 2016.

Timeline[edit]

In June 2016, Kamwina Nsapu, born Jean-Pierre Pandi, a local militia leader who had inherited the chiefdown from his late father, contested the central government's power and began calling for an insurrection and attacked local police.[2] Most of the people who constitute the tribe are from the Luba people.[1] On 12 August 2016, he was killed alongside eight other militiamen and 11 policemen in Tshimbulu.[3] Upon his death, the Congolese Observatory for Human Rights condemned his killing and suggested he should have been arrested instead.[4]

Half the militia is under the age of 14, and the Congolese authorities claim they are on drugs.[3] The New York Times reports they may believe in "traditional magic", like being shielded by wearing specific leaves.[5]

In September 2016, Nsapu's militia captured an area 180km from Kananga, and later captured the Kananga Airport before it was retaken by the armed forces of the DRC.[6] On 26 September 2016, the government announced that in total, 49 people have been killed (27 militiamen, 16 policemen and 6 civilians) and 185 militiamen have been captured since the fighting began.[7]

In January 2017, four militia fighters were killed, while two policemen were wounded.[8] A few days later, they called for the removal of the governor, Alex Kande, and protested against the visit of Prime Minister Samy Badibanga.[8]

On 31 January 2017, a Roman Catholic priest from the St. Alphonsus parish in Kananga who tried to stop the militia from taking children out of schools was kidnapped. He was later released.[9]

UN peacekeepers patrolling Tshimbulu, Kasaï-Central on 20 February 2017 to promote dialogue in the region.

On 9 February 2017, fighting erupted in Tshimbulu between 300 militiamen and the armed forces in a reprisal attack by the militia. At least six people were killed, including one civilian. By the next day, 60 to 75 were reported killed by the armed forces, while at least two servicemen have been wounded.[10] On 14 February, the United Nations human rights spokeswoman Liz Throssell announced that at least 101 people had been killed by government forces between 9 and 13 February, with 39 women confirmed to be among them.[11] A few days later, a video showing members of the Congolese military killing civilians in the village of Mwanza Lomba was leaked.[12][13] However, Human Rights Minister Marie-Ange Mushobekwa said the video had not been authenticated,[14] while Communications Minister Lambert Mende Omalanga said it was filmed in another country, with the intent "to destroy the image of the D.R.C.".[5]

Meanwhile, two journalists received death threats: Sosthène Kambidi of Radio Télévision Chrétienne in Kananga and Fabrice Mfuamba Radio Moyo in Tshimbulu.[15]

On 18 February 2017, the Grand Séminaire de Malole (Great Seminary of Malole) in Kananga was ransacked by Kamwina Nsapu militants.[16][17] It was the first time they attacked a Roman Catholic target.[17] Shortly after the attack, both Félicien Mwanama Galumbulula, the Bishop of Lwiza, and Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, the Archbishop of Kinshasa, condemned the violence,[18] and Justin Milonga, the vice governor of Kasaï-Central, called for the Kamwina Nsapu fighters to negotiate with the government.[19] MONUSCO troops also toured Nganza and Malole in Kananga to calm the situation.[16]

As a result of the clashes many parents stopped sending their children to school.[20] However, on 26 February 2017, Justin Milonga, the vice governor of Kasaï-Central, said the "insanity" needed to end and children should resume going to school.[20]

International reactions[edit]

UN Deputy Special Representative David Gressly speaks with the press after meeting with MONUSCO and Congolese officials to discuss the conflict.

On 11 February 2017, the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) said in a statement they were "concerned about the persistent conflict in the Kasais".[21] They condemned the "recruitment and use of child soldiers" and "the disproportionate use of force" by the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in retaliation.[21]

In his angelus on 16 February 2017, Pope Francis called for an end to the violence, especially the use of child soldiers.[22][23] He said, "I suffer deeply for the victims, especially for so many children ripped from their families and their schools to be used as soldiers.".[24]

On 19 February 2017, Mark C. Toner, the Deputy Spokesperson of the United States Department of State called for an investigation into the video of the alleged Mwanza Lomba massacre.[13][25]

On 20 February 2017, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development also called for an investigation into the video.[26][27] In an official statement, they said, "France condemns the bloody violence which has rocked the Kasai region for several months. It calls on the Congolese authorities and security forces to shoulder their primary responsibility to protect civilians, fully respecting human rights.".[28]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "DRC's Kasai-Oriental province requires emergency assistance 600,000 says UN". International Business Times. 8 March 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2017. 
  2. ^ "Kasaï-Central: le chef Kamwina Nsapu est mort dans les combats contre les forces de l'ordre". Radio Okapi. 13 August 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2017. 
  3. ^ a b "RDC: affrontements meurtriers à Tshimbulu, dans le Kasaï-Central" (in French). Radio France Internationale. 14 August 2016. 
  4. ^ "Kasaï-Central: l'OCDH condamne la mort du chef milicien Kamwina Nsapu". Radio Okapi. 13 August 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2017. 
  5. ^ a b Gettleman, Jeffrey (17 February 2017). "Look, They Are Dying': Video Appears to Show Massacre by Congolese Soldiers". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 February 2017. 
  6. ^ "Analyse de l'attaque de l'aéroport de Kananga par la milice de Kamwin-Nsapu". Radio Okapi. 26 September 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2017. 
  7. ^ "Kananga: 49 morts dans les accrochages entre forces de l'ordre et miliciens" (in French). Radio Okapi. 26 September 2016. 
  8. ^ a b "Au moins quatre morts dans des violences à Kananga, dans le centre de la RDC". Africanews. 28 January 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2017. 
  9. ^ "AFRICA/DR CONGO - A priest who opposed the militiamen of Kamuina Nsapu was kidnapped and then released". Vatican.va. Retrieved 20 February 2017. 
  10. ^ "En RDC, nouveau décompte macabre en cours dans le Kasaï central" (in French). Radio France Internationale. 10 February 2017. 
  11. ^ "Congolese soldiers kill at least 101 in militia clashes - U.N.". Reuters. 14 February 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2017. 
  12. ^ Ross, Aaron (18 February 2017). "Congo probes video showing apparent massacre by soldiers". Reuters. Retrieved 20 February 2017. 
  13. ^ a b Tilouine, Joan (20 February 2017). "Massacre filmé au Kasaï, dans le centre de la RDC". Le Monde. Retrieved 21 February 2017. 
  14. ^ "Possible massacre de civils par l'armée en RDC". Le Figaro. 18 February 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2017. 
  15. ^ "RDC: une centaine de Kamuina Nsapu tués à Tshimbulu, selon des sources locales". Radio France International. 14 February 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2017. 
  16. ^ a b "RDC: les miliciens de Kamwina Nsapu saccagent le grand séminaire Malole". Radio Okapi. 19 February 2017. Retrieved 21 February 2017. 
  17. ^ a b "RDC: le Grand Séminaire de Malole saccagé dans le Kasaï". Vatican Radio. 20 February 2017. Retrieved 21 February 2017. 
  18. ^ "RDC: le cardinal Monsengwo condamne les attaques contre des édifices de l'église catholique". Radio Okapi. 20 February 2017. Retrieved 21 February 2017. 
  19. ^ "Justin Milonga : «Toutes les voies de négociations sont en train d'être ouvertes avec les miliciens de Kamuina Nsapu»". Radio. 20 February 2017. Retrieved 21 February 2017. 
  20. ^ a b "Après la psychose de Kamwina Nsapu, les élèves du Kasaï-Central appelés à reprendre les cours". Radio Okapi. February 26, 2017. Retrieved February 27, 2017. 
  21. ^ a b "MONUSCO STRONGLY CONDEMNS THE PERSISTENT VIOLENCE IN THE KASAI PROVINCES". MONUSCO. 11 February 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2017. 
  22. ^ Boh, Elvis (20 February 2017). "DR Congo: Pope Francis calls for peace". Africanews. Retrieved 20 February 2017. 
  23. ^ "Pope laments plight of child soldiers fighting in Congo". Catholic Herald. 20 February 2017. Retrieved 21 February 2017. 
  24. ^ "Pope prays for victims of violence in DR Congo and Pakistan". Vatican Radio. 19 February 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2017. 
  25. ^ Schwartz, Ken (20 February 2017). "US Demands Independent Probe of Alleged Civilian Massacre in DRC". Voice of America. Retrieved 21 February 2017. 
  26. ^ "Vidéo de massacre: sous pression, la RDC refuse d'enquêter". La Croix. 20 February 2017. Retrieved 21 February 2017. 
  27. ^ "France calls on DRC to shed light on massacre video". Radio France International. 20 February 2017. Retrieved 21 February 2017. 
  28. ^ "Democratic Republic of Congo - Situation in the Kasai region". French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development. 20 February 2017. Retrieved 21 February 2017. 
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kasaï-Central_clashes_(2016–present)&oldid=770698509"