KINSHASA, 19 January 2018 - In compliance with its mandate, the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) plans to deploy teams in the field on Sunday 21 January to observe the conduct of peaceful marches called for by several civil society organizations throughout the Congolese territory.
These teams will be deployed in the main cities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In Kinshasa, they will be composed of representatives of the Mission Force, the United Nations police and the United Nations Joint Human Rights Office and will be either located in several parts of the city or be mobile. They will observe the events and report possible acts of violence and human rights violations
MONUSCO recalls that the right to peaceful assembly is enshrined in the Congolese Constitution and protected by the DRC's international commitments, and that marches or other demonstrations must be held in a calm and restrained manner. All parties, whether they are protesters or defense and security forces, must refrain from resorting to violence in all its forms. MONUSCO makes it clear that it is not responsible for the maintenance of public order which is a sovereign responsibility of the Congolese state and which must be implemented in accordance with national laws and international standards.
"It is important that all parties be able to express themselves in a peaceful and calm manner in the current political transition period in order to foster a democratic debate in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution," said Maman Sidikou, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Head of MONUSCO.
Maman Sidikou also stresses that the full implementation of the confidence-building measures provided for in the 31 December Agreement is critical for the establishment of an environment conducive to the holding of free, credible, transparent and peaceful elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in accordance with the electoral calendar published early November by the Independent National Electoral Commission.