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1 Democratic Republic of the Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo – Researched and compiled by the Refugee Documentation Centre of Ireland on 14 August 2015 Any media reports on 19th Jan 2015 of arrests following protests against the ruling Government specifically Quartier Pascal (District), Kingasani Media reports specifically referring to arrests on the 19 January 2015 in the Kingasani district of Kinshasa were not found among sources available to the Research and Information Unit. A number of media reports refer to anti- government protests in Kinshasa in January 2015. An Agence France Presse report states: “At least four people, including two policemen, were killed in Kinshasa on Monday, the government said, after security forces clashed with thousands protesting moves to allow President Joseph Kabila to extend his hold on power. Police fired live bullets to break up the rallies in some parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo's capital, witnesses said.” (Agence France Presse (19 January 2015) Four dead as anti-Kabila demo quashed in DR Congo) A Radio France Internationale report states: “Clashes between the police and protesters in Kinshasa has led to several deaths. While the DRCongo government speaks of only three people dead, the International Federation of Human Rights, FIDH, says about 14 people died during clashes between opposition protesters and police in the streets of Kinshasa.” (Radio France Internationale (20 January 2015) Human rights group raps "excessive use of force" in DRCongolese protests) A Dow Jones Institutional News report states: “Police in the Democratic Republic of Congo fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters near the capital on Tuesday, as security was tightened following violent protests over a proposed law that could delay next year's election and extend President Joseph Kabila's stay in power. The demonstrators were confronted by police as they marched from Kinshasa University to the parliament building about 9 miles away, where the country's Senate was debating the legislation, Information Minister Lambert Mende said. By late Tuesday, the demonstrations had fizzled out, witnesses said, as police succeeded in blocking protesters from reaching the city center and parliament, where debate on the proposed law continued.” (Dow Jones Institutional News (20 January 2015) Congo's Police Fire Tear Gas to Disperse Rally Against Possible Election Delays -- Update) This report also states: 1 “Security forces sealed off offices of several political parties to prevent opposition leaders from joining the protests. They also blocked demonstrators from entering the Senate chamber and presidential palace and made dozens of arrests, according to witnesses.” (ibid) An Agence France Presse report refers to the arrest of protesters as follows: “Fresh clashes erupted Tuesday as demonstrators rampaged in the Democratic Republic of Congo a day after deadly protests over a draft law that would enable President Joseph Kabila to extend his stay in power. Hundreds of youths torched a town hall in Ngaba, a southern neighbourhood of the capital Kinshasa, while several prisoners escaped from a neighbouring building. Looters also made off with police guns stored at the site. Opposition parties have called for mass demonstrations against the new electoral bill being debated in the Senate. The army and police arrested at least 20 people as protesters hurled rocks at state buildings, public buses and even passing cars.” (Agence France Presse (20 January 2015) New violence in DR Congo over Kabila power grab fears) A Human Rights Watch report states: “The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo has used unlawful and excessive force to crack down on protests since January 19, 2015, Human Rights Watch said today. The demonstrators were protesting proposed changes to the electoral law that many Congolese believed would permit President Joseph Kabila to stay in office beyond his mandated two-term limit. Human Rights Watch confirmed that 36 people, including one police officer, were killed during the demonstrations in Kinshasa, Congo’s capital. Of these, Congo’s security forces fatally shot at least 21 people.” (Human Rights Watch (24 January 2015) DR Congo: Deadly Crackdown on Protests) This report refers to districts affected by the protests as follows: “Demonstrations were held in cities across the country, including Kinshasa, Bukavu, Bunia, Goma, Lubumbashi, Mbandaka, and Uvira. In Kinshasa, protesters demonstrated on January 19, 20, and 21 near the Palais du Peuple parliament building, around the University of Kinshasa, and in Bandal, Kalamu, Kasa-vubu, Kimbanseke, Lemba, Limete, Makala, Masina, Matete, Ndjili, and Ngaba communes.” (ibid) See also press release from MONUSCO which states: “Following the opposition’s call for protests against the revision of the electoral law voted by the National Assembly on Saturday evening, demonstrations in front of the ‘Palais du Peuple’ were violently cracked down by the security forces with tear gas and live ammunition. Clashes with law enforcement officers took place in Lemba, Matete, Ngaba and Victoire, neighborhoods surrounding the ‘Palais du Peuple’ in Kinshasa.” (United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (20 January 2015) Head of MONUSCO Martin Kobler deplores the loss of life occurred during demonstrations in Kinshasa) 2 This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research and Information Unit within time constraints. This response is not and does not purport to be conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please read in full all documents referred to. References: Agence France Presse (20 January 2015) New violence in DR Congo over Kabila power grab fears http://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/new-violence-dr-congo- over-kabila-power-grab-fears (Accessed 13 August 2015) Agence France Presse (19 January 2015) Four dead as anti-Kabila demo quashed in DR Congo http://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/three-dead-anti-kabila- demo-quashed-dr-congo-official (Accessed 13 August 2015) Dow Jones Institutional News (20 January 2015) Congo's Police Fire Tear Gas to Disperse Rally Against Possible Election Delays -- Update http://www.lexisnexis.com (Accessed 13 August 2015) This is a subscription database Human Rights Watch (24 January 2015) DR Congo: Deadly Crackdown on Protests https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/01/24/dr-congo-deadly-crackdown-protests (Accessed 13 August 2015) Radio France Internationale (20 January 2015) Human rights group raps "excessive use of force" in DRCongolese protests http://www.bbcmonitoringonline.com (Accessed 13 August 2015) This is a subscription database United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (20 January 2015) Head of MONUSCO Martin Kobler deplores the loss of life occurred during demonstrations in Kinshasa http://monusco.unmissions.org/Default.aspx?ctl=Details&tabid=10662&mid=1 4931&ItemID=20864 (Accessed 13 August 2015) Sources Consulted: Amnesty International BBC Monitoring BBC News Electronic Immigration Network 3 European Country of Origin Information Network Google Human Rights Watch Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Lexis Nexis Refugee Documentation Centre Query Database UNHCR Refworld 4 .
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