The Congolese government has asked the United Nations for the departure of its spokesperson for the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to official correspondence consulted on Wednesday August 3 by Agence France-Presse (AFP). “The government will appreciate (…) very much that arrangements be made for Mathias Gillmann to leave Congolese territory as soon as possible.”wrote Congolese Foreign Minister Christophe Lutundula to the head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Monusco). “The presence of this official on the national territory is not likely to promote a climate of mutual trust and serenity so essential between the Congolese institutions and Monusco”explained Mr. Lutundula.
“The remarks made by Mr. Gillmann on RFI claiming that Monusco did not have the military means to deal with the M23 are at the root of the current tension. We asked Monusco in a friendly way to leave the country”said a government source who did not wish to be identified.
Thirty-six dead
Since July 25, angry protesters have ransacked and looted facilities of the UN mission present in the DRC since 1999.
Four blue helmets were killed in Butembo and at least 28 demonstrators were killed in Goma, Butembo and Kanyabaonga (North Kivu). Four others were electrocuted in Uvira (South Kivu) during the dispersal of their march, according to an official report.
Monusco is one of the largest UN missions deployed in the world, with some 14,000 soldiers in several towns in the east of the country.
Since 2019, pro-democracy movements and some local elected officials have been calling for the departure of Monusco. They criticize the UN mission for refusing to fight the hundreds of armed groups active in eastern Congo.