A military tribunal in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) began trial proceedings for six soldiers from the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC). The charges follow the deaths of 56 people at an anti-UN demonstration on August 30.
The soldiers, including two high-ranking officials, face charges such as crimes against humanity and fomenting acts among military personnel that contradict their official duties. Among the accused is Mike Mikombe, head of the Republican Guard, an elite division within the FARDC.
The protestors, originating from a religous group named Wazalendo, were rallying against the UN Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) when they were met with military violence. As reported by Colonel Michel Kachil, 56 people were killed and another 75 injured as a result of the FARDC’s response.
The soldiers’ actions have been broadly criticized, with Human Rights Watch (HRW) describing their response as “callous” and “unlawful”. Likewise, Ravina Shamdasani, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, showed distress over the protesters’ deaths, stating that people should have the right to assemble and express themselves peacefully, even in protest against the United Nations.
MONUSCO, currently one of the world’s largest peacekeeping missions, authorizes the UN to use all necessary measures to protect civilians, humanitarian personnel, and human rights defenders under imminent threat of physical violence and support the DRC Government in its stabilization efforts. Despite these efforts, the DRC remains a critical environment, amid three decades of ongoing conflict.