UN Peacekeeper Killed in DR Congo Amid Mission's Readiness to Work With Gov’t on Pullout

Anti-UN protests erupted in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) earlier in July because of anger about how little security had improved since 1960 when the country ceased to be in the grip of Belgian colonialism. This was despite the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission being present for more than two decades.

The head of the UN peacekeeping mission in Congo, Bintou Keita, has confirmed that the United Nations is “ready and willing” to work closely with the central African country’s government to “step up the pace” of the withdrawal of its more than 14,000-strong force.

"Armed groups continue to pose a significant threat and commit violence against civilians,” in the country’s restive east, particularly the M23, Cooperative for the Development of Congo (CODECO), and Mai-Mai militias, Keita told the Security Council on 30 September.

“This insecurity fuels human rights violations and has exacerbated an already dire humanitarian situation,” she added.

Thread: Déclaration au Conseil de Sécurité sur la situation en République Démocratique du Congo. pic.twitter.com/lTBwT0VZxA

— Bintou Keita (@UN_BintouKeita) September 30, 2022

Amid the discussions, a UN peacekeeper was killed in eastern DR Congo on Friday night, after suspected members of the Twirwaneho militia conducted an attack in the Minembwe area of South Kivu province.

"A peacekeeper was killed by armed men who approached the base after having contacted MONUSCO for a surrender," MONUSCO said.

In the wake of the resurgence of militant groups the eroding “crisis of confidence” in the UN mission in eastern Congo had further deteriorated.

“That has led to new violent protests and serious incidents claiming the lives of some dozens of protesters and of four mission personnel,” she said, reiterating her “deepest condolences” to families of the victims.

Against the backdrop of extremely high levels of poverty and displacement, fighting continues to rage between reportedly more than 130 armed groups in the country, which still bears the scars of Belgian colonialism. Although the colonial yoke ended in 1960, ensuing power struggles and corruption have resulted in a highly volatile security situation.

‘Difficult Security Context’

Keita condemned “in the strongest terms incitement to hatred, hostility and violence” and welcomed a statement by the Democratic Republic of Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi at the General Assembly “against tribalism and hate speech”.

She also welcomed efforts by Congolese authorities, civil society, and influential community figures “that have called for calm and restraint in an incredibly difficult security context”.

The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (French acronym, MONUSCO) took over from an earlier UN peacekeeping operation – the United Nations Organization Mission in Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) – on 1 July 2010. MONUSCO has since maintained troops and police forces in the DRC, whose stated goal is to combat violence by armed groups.

However, anti-UN protests erupted in the country in July, with dozens - including civilians, peacekeepers and Congolese police - reportedly killed in Congo’s mineral-rich east. Demonstrations had been triggered by complaints that the peacekeepers’ mission, costing more than $1Bln per year, has failed to protect civilians against years of militia violence.

All this provided “fertile ground” for stigmatization of the MONUSCO mission, said Keita on Friday.

In August, the DRC government expelled MONUSCO spokesman Mathias Gillmann for making ostensibly “indelicate and inappropriate” statements that fanned the flames of tensions between the population and the peacekeepers.

Furthermore, MONUSCO’s peacekeepers were accused of retaliating against the protesters, sometimes with force.

Congo’s government said in early August that at least 36 people died and more than 170 sustained injuries in the protests. Furthermore, DRC has a staggering number of claims of UN peacekeeper-perpetrated sexual exploitation, abuse and pedophilia.

In the wake of these developments, Tshisekedi called a meeting in August to reassess MONUSCO’s presence. The year 2024 was originally given as the UN goal for withdrawal of the force, but DRC’s Foreign Minister, Christophe Lutundula Apala, has since suggested the body could leave sooner.