Belgium has joined the US and UK in warning its citizens against traveling to the Democratic Republic of Congo, urging them to avoid or leave the country if their presence in the country is not essential.
The alerts are due to the civil unrest based on the President’s mandate coming to an end which has inspired planned ant-government protests that seek to pressurize the President to step down.
‘‘political tensions, recent measures taken by the authorities to suppress rights and freedoms, the expulsion of Belgian journalists, rumors of the closure of certain airports, the possible restriction of internet communications and the risk of new demonstrations,’‘ were among the reasons given on the travel advisory on the Belgium Foreign Ministry’s website
A constitutional court in Congo extended Kabila’s mandate which is expected to end on December 19th. General elections in the country were postponed to April 2018 after the electoral commission complained of inadequate resources to conduct the process.
US Department of State issued a new statement calling for the government to respect the rights of citizens at this critical moment in Congo’s history according to AfricaNews
US calls on opposition party, civil society, ruling coalition & #DRC government leaders to commit to nonviolence, respect human rights. pic.twitter.com/iIzAaXpiaa
— Bureau of African Affairs (@AsstSecStateAF) December 16, 2016
UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued a travel warning saying that ‘‘The situation is difficult to predict, but in the event of serious unrest schools may be shut, commercial flights suspended and borders closed,’‘
#DRC 19 Dec Kabila mandate end – Zeid urges rights guarantees & confidence-building, not silencing opponents https://t.co/jlkQLp2RDj
— UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) December 17, 2016
