"This paralysis of activities is merely the consequence of the protests that erupted last weekend, targeting diplomatic representations and certain international organizations. Angry youths have pelted and set fire to vehicles belonging to some embassies and MONUSCO," stated a street vendor, Timothée Kayila.
He added: "from the Avenue du Commerce in the Gombe district to the June 30th Boulevard, shopkeepers are either absent or on the spot in front of closed doors. The fear is that of being looted during the protests and for reasons of solidarity, they abstain. Tires have even been burned around Bokassa Avenue at the intersection with the Avenue du Commerce."
One can observe on the June 30th Boulevard burned tires and some protesters with white headbands and holding signs that read "we want peace in Goma."
The same situation was noted on the Avenue des Huileries where tires have also been burned under the watchful eye of police scattered along different streets.
As a reminder, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Francophonie, Christophe Lutundula Apala, held an emergency meeting on Sunday afternoon at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the DRC, attended by the head of MONUSCO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Bintou Keita, as well as diplomats from Western embassies whose facilities and personnel were threatened during the recent demonstrations in Kinshasa, related to the activities of the M23 supported by Kigali.
At this meeting, Christophe Lutundula expressed the Congolese government's regrets for the unjustified acts of violence that occurred during the protests, announcing ongoing investigations to identify and punish those responsible.
Gisèle Tshijuka