Kasaicentral – European Affairs Magazine

Dossier Of The Massacres In The Kasai – The New York Times Tire On The Monusco And Kabila

26 Maggio 2017 BreakingNews @en di

The Congolese political microcosm has been hit by a scandal the last weekend, after the New York Times article which charged the national deputy Clément Kanku, on the grounds that it would be involved in the violence in Grand Kasaï for nine months. While reaffirming the implication of this ex-secretary in the massacres which affected his province of origin, his newspaper has just accused Monusco of having showed a negligence, in the protection of two UN state employees murdered in Kasaï Central. According to The New York Times, Monusco would not have taken the security measures required before the travel of two investigators towards a part of the Republic where the insecurity was generalized, not only because of the attacks of the militiamen Kamuina Nsapu, but also in the actions of Congolese reprisals of armed forces, on the background of massive violations of the rights of man. The newspaper argues that Zaïda Catalan and Michaël Sharp would not have received the useful information on the real security situation which prevailed over the ground, Monusco having let them venture into a nameless jungle with as guide a single interpreter.

The Kasai Central Massacres.

One month ago has been released a video showing executions by some RDC Army soldiers in Kasaï Central. Seven people are in detention <according to the video spread on social networks showing slaughters by serviceman dressed as people from the Kamwina Nsapu militia> the seven individuals would be all serviceman: they partecipated in the expedition. The seven authors of these massacres are charged of war crimes, murder, mutilation and inhuman and degrading cruel treatments. The 42 bodies of the victims were buried in two common graves located in the periphery of Mwanza-Lomba. No medical examiner was able to identify the victims and indentify the causes of the death. In an interview last february the minister of Congolese diplomacy She Okitundu seemed to justify the indefensible speaking about the bloody events arisen in Kasai Central: ”It’s true, we have to face this very big problem, but these politic groups consitute a real danger for all”. After the disclosure of the controversal video, Secretary Lambert Mende Omalanga explained durign an assembly that: “the serviceman had just reacted against terrorist groups” before recognizing that abuses and excesses were committed.