DR Congo to expel UN spokesman, Gilman

he Democratic Republic of Congo has demanded the expulsion of the spokesman of the United Nations Mission (MONUSCO), Mathias Gillman, over inappropriate comments in before recent demonstrations against the UN peacekeepers.

DRC’s Foreign Minister, Christophe Lutundula, who made the request in a letter to the UN, said the government considers that the current tensions between the mission and the population were due to the “indelicate and inopportune statements.

The letter read: “The Congolese government considers that the presence of this official on the national territory is not likely to promote a climate of mutual trust and serenity so essential between the Congolese institutions and MONUSCO.

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“The Congolese government would greatly appreciate if arrangements are made for Mr. Gillman to leave the territory as soon as possible,” it added.

Following the recent protest against the UN mission where at least 36 people were killed and 170 injured, the government held a crisis meeting to reassess the presence of UN peacekeepers and the outcome was the decision to expel Gillman.

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