Police Kill Christians in Government Protests in DR Congo
- Updated Jan 02, 2018
The Democratic Republic of the Congo, a country in central Africa, has been experiencing severe unrest. Protests have erupted, resulting in loss of innocent lives.
According to The Christian Post, at least eight Christians were killed by police officers for joining in protests against the country’s current president, Joseph Kabila.
DR Congo police reportedly opened fire and deployed tear gas in several churches on Sunday to retaliate against Christians for joining the protests and carrying Bibles and crucifixes.
In addition to the eight people killed, dozens of others were arrested.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has been embroiled in turmoil after Kabila refused to step down from power. The government then banned protests, alleging that it did not have the manpower to monitor them.
Kabila has been the president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo since 2001, when the reigns of power were transferred to him following his father’s assassination. Kabila claimed he would relinquish power after elections in 2017, but appears to have gone back on that promise.
DR Congo is a predominantly Catholic country, and religious leaders have been among the first to call the country’s government to task. They have also suffered the consequences of their opposition.
The Catholic Church reported back in June 2017 that as many as 3,383 people had been killed in the country due to the government conflict.
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Publication date: January 2, 2018
