A group of organizations in the Democratic Republic of Congo came together for a protest in the city of Goma. They want a group of East African forces to leave the eastern part of the country because they have not been able to effectively handle the M23 rebels.
In November last year, Kenya, Burundi, Uganda, and South Sudan sent soldiers to DR Congo as part of a group called the East African Community Regional Force. Their mission was to remove weapons from the rebel group and bring peace.
The M23 group has not let go of several towns and villages in North Kivu province. Earlier this month, seven people died in the area.
Last week, a spokesperson from DR Congo named Patrick Muyaya told the BBC that his government decided not to extend the EACRF mandate.
He said that troops from Congo would do a better job, and also said that the EACRF should leave when their time is up in December.
The East African Community said it is committed to helping the government bring displaced people back to their houses safely and protect all the civilians.
Goma has had dangerous protests against the UN mission.
Over 62 million people have been made to leave their homes in the eastern part of DR Congo. They now live in other areas within the country. Additionally, approximately one million people have gone to seek shelter in different parts of Africa. The United Nations’ refugee agency provided this information.
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Protests in Congo against East African forces
