CONGO DR: UN warns of early signs of genocide

The United Nations has warned of early signs of genocide in the Democratic Republic of Congo amid renewed clashes.

In a bid to forestall its possibility, the UN has called for the deployment of more troops and police to beef up peacekeeping missions in the strife-torn country.

According to United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O’Brien “The early warning signs of genocide are there.”

“We must act now, not pare down the UN’s effort, and pray we don’t live to regret it,” he added while addressing a UN meeting following his recent trip to the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Read also: 17 killed as DR Congo protests turn bloody

He also revealed that some 180,000 people have been driven from their homes this year, bringing the total number of displaced in the Central African Republic (CAR) to well over half a million.

The capital Kinshasa and southwestern city of Matadi witnessed the killing of at least 14 members of secessionist rebel group Bundu dia Kongo (BDK) on Monday during clashes with Congolese security forces.

At least one police officer also died, police said.

The clashes followed an attack by BDK members on Kinshasa’s main prison and demonstrations by other members against Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila in Kinshasa, Matadi and the southwestern city of Boma, witnesses and security sources said.

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