UN says Congo used excessive force in clashes
Source: Reuters
GENEVA, July 27 (Reuters) - The United Nations said on Friday that soldiers and police in the Democratic Republic of Congo used "excessive and indiscriminate lethal force" to quash clashes earlier this year in which 105 people were killed. In a report, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour said those who perpetrated summary executions and other crimes during the government crackdown on opposition protesters needed to be prosecuted. "At least 105 people, including six police officers and four soldiers ... were killed during the clashes in Bas-Congo," said the report, based on an investigation by U.N. rights monitors and a U.N. mission in the country (MONUC). Another 100 people were injured in the Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 violence in the western Bas-Congo province, the worst fighting in the former Belgian colony since last year's elections. The Bundu Dia Kongo (BDK), an opposition-allied religious group, had been protesting against alleged fraud in regional governor polls. The U.N. inquiry found that while "in certain cases the security forces probably fired in legitimate defence, it appears fairly clear that the PNC (National Congolese Police) and FARDC (Armed Forces of the RDC) used excessive force in firing real bullets on BDK sympathisers only armed with sticks and stones". "The high number of victims was the result of the use of indiscriminate and disproportionate force and in some cases summary executions by the FARDC and national police," the report said. It was not established that the BDK had used guns, the report added, but it noted the opposition group had failed to follow rules on holding public demonstrations. It said it was possible that some minors had been manipulated by the BDK. In her statement, Arbour deplored "the impunity being enjoyed by security forces" and said civilians were being tried before military tribunals, in violation of international human rights standards. A report by a Congolese parliamentary commission in May -- dismissed by opposition lawmakers and human rights campaigners as a whitewash -- concluded that security forces had acted against "an illegal group" which attacked them and committed murder, arson, looting and rape.
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