APA – Kigali (Rwanda) – Democratic Republic of Congo’s border City Goma has been paralysed by force protests as Congolese demand for immediate departure of the UN Mission in the DRC, the Regional Force of the Community of East African States as well as all Westerners including their non-governmental organizations, APA learnt Thursday from an authoritative source.
Reports said that the protests kicked off this Wednesday, August 30, in the city of Goma in North Kivu.
In a communication made after the riots, the DRC Armed Forces (FARDC) reported that the demonstrations were “premeditated by a group of drugged and manipulated armed bandits”, posing as the “Wazalendo” belonging to a mystical-religious sect of the prophet Ephrem Bisimwa, with the aim of sowing chaos in the capital of the North Kivu province.
“You will remember that this manipulative prophet had been recognized as the author of a similar case which had caused the death of several of his followers in the province of South Kivu,” said the FARDC press release, signed by Lt-Col. Guillaume Ndjike.
The military reported that several people were injured, 7 people killed including a police officer stoned by demonstrators and 158 people arrested during the protests.
Lieutenant General Constant Ndima – military governor of North Kivu, warned anyone who would once again allow themselves to engage in such an act.
“The Provincial Authority reassures the population of the lull in the situation, at the same time calling on them not to panic and to freely go about their business,” said the FARDC communication.
CU/abj/APA