Democratic Republic of Congo: Protesters burn flags and target Western Embassies

Demonstrators vented their frustration over perceived Western support for neighboring Rwanda, accused of backing a rebellion in the eastern part of the country. Protesters in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) burned US and Belgian flags and ignited tires outside Western embassies in the capital, Kinshasa.

Police deployed tear gas to disperse the crowds in central Kinshasa on Monday.

The demonstrators were incensed by what they perceived as Western backing for Rwanda, which faced accusations of supporting a rebellion in the eastern DRC. Rwanda denied these claims, even as the Tutsi-led rebel group M23 posed a threat to the strategic city of Goma.

However, the DRC, along with Western governments like the US and Belgium, and a UN expert group, allege that M23 receives support from Rwanda.

Human Rights Watch reported unlawful killings, rape, and other apparent war crimes by armed rebels in the east of the country since late 2022.

On Monday, protesters converged on the US and French embassies and the UN mission offices, despite increased security following attacks on UN staff and vehicles on Saturday. Some demonstrators threw stones and attempted to disable CCTV cameras at a US embassy office, while others chanted: "Leave our country, we don't want your hypocrisy."

"The international community remains silent while Congolese are being killed; they finance Rwanda," said Fabrice Malumba, a motorcyclist participating in the demonstration in front of the US embassy.

"The Westerners are complicit in the plundering of our country; Rwanda doesn't act alone, so they must leave our country," added Pepin Mbindu, another protester.

Elsewhere, a demonstrator reportedly removed an EU flag from the entrance of a prominent hotel in the city center.

DRC's Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Christophe Lutundula, met with ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions in Kinshasa, later announcing enhanced security measures to protect their buildings.

Decades of conflict in eastern DRC, fueled by rival armed groups vying for land and resources and targeting civilians, have resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and displaced over seven million people.