More than 5,000 people attended a mass burial for 10 protesters killed during recent anti-UN demonstrations in the Democratic Republic of Congo. There is disagreement over who shot the protesters activists say Monusco peacekeepers were to blame, while Monusco accuses some demonstrators of snatching weapons from Congolese police and opening fire.Most of those killed at the protests were under the age of 30, the youngest, an 11-year-old child. Those at the funerals have been holding up anti-UN banners demanding that its peacekeeping mission, Monusco, leaves the country.
Thursday's ceremony in the eastern city of Goma comes four days after a memorial service was held for UN workers who also died during the demonstrations. Protests erupted in Goma last week as civilians accused Monusco of failing in its mission to combat armed groups. Demands for the agency to leave spread to other parts of eastern DR Congo, where more people were killed. Tensions between the DR Congo authorities and the UN have reached an all-time high, and the Congolese government says it would like the peacekeeping mission to leave the country before the end of 2024.
