Inside Story

Has the UN’s peacekeeping mission in DR Congo failed?

Several killed in violent protests calling for UN peacekeepers to leave.

At least 12 civilians and three members of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) have been killed in days of anti-UN protests.

Demonstrators attacked UN bases in at least four cities in the provinces of North and South Kivu.

They say the troops have failed to protect them from armed groups, including M23.

The UN denies peacekeepers have opened fire on protestors.

Although peacekeepers have been in DR Congo for 22 years, they’ve struggled to contain violence from armed groups in the east.

So, if UN troops can’t keep the peace, who can?

Presenter: Imran Khan

Guests:

Jean-Mobert Senga – Researcher for the Democratic Republic of Congo, Amnesty International

Passy Mubalama – Founder and executive director, Action and Development Initiative for the Protection of Women and Children in DR Congo

Felix Ndahinda – Independent researcher focusing on conflict, peace, and justice in the Great Lakes Region