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Congo: Police stops protest
Wed. July 12, 2006 09:05 am.
Hajarah Kizza
(SomaliNet) Congo’s Police, yesterday, used tear gas to stop a riot in Congo’s capital. The members of Community rioted after citing shortfalls in the electoral process even before Congo’s first general election exercise in 40 years.
According to sources in Congo, two rioters are currently undergoing treatment in a hospital in Congo. Five candidates for the highest office in Congo organized the riot. They wanted the electoral process to be clear as Congo undergoes this fundamental change. They were also protesting against the extra seven million ballot papers, that they claim that the incumbent president of Congo might use to cheat the members of Congo’s community of their opportunity to choose their own leader.
Congo is already hosting over 800 members of the European Union. These are to help the 1,7000 UN peacekeepers ensure that the electoral process is peaceful. The troops arrived in Congo from France, Poland, Germany, Spain and Belgium and are currently living at Ndolo airport in Congo’s capital.
"Our mandate is to ensure Congolese have access to voting stations on election day, and to make sure the outcome of the ballot is respected and enforced. Our troops will be operational on the eve of elections, we are still in the buildup phase," said an official from the European Union.
News Category: Africa
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