[{"command":"settings","settings":{"pluralDelimiter":"\u0003","suppressDeprecationErrors":true,"ajaxPageState":{"libraries":"core\/picturefill,entity_embed\/caption,views\/views.ajax,views\/views.module","theme":"hrw_design","theme_token":null},"ajaxTrustedUrl":[],"views":{"ajax_path":"\/views\/ajax","ajaxViews":{"views_dom_id:blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__295340__en":{"view_name":"blog_live_feed","view_display_id":"blog_body_block","view_args":"295340","view_path":"\/blog\/content\/295340","view_base_path":null,"view_dom_id":"blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__295340__en","pager_element":0}}},"user":{"uid":0,"permissionsHash":"0ae5601d8790ff50fca3cf23b9ac9170285f2f75823ebdc8d9cc054bc03a679b"}},"merge":true},{"command":"add_css","data":"\u003Clink rel=\u0022stylesheet\u0022 media=\u0022all\u0022 href=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/css\/css_reI-6YIYy-k9pvxm-gaCRrn5cSrTZRtyAMrp4YXDUJw.css\u0022 \/\u003E\n"},{"command":"add_js","selector":"body","data":[{"src":"\/sites\/default\/files\/js\/js_VkK39bvB4H6LLVemwPFz8QWcUMTFqZ3FFo_LBVv_4vs.js"}]},{"command":"insert","method":"replaceWith","selector":".js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__295340__en","data":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__295340__en\u0022\u003E\n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n\n \u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022blog-block__content__description rich-text pt-6 mb:pt-10 mx-auto\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EAfter six weeks of political maneuvering, the so-called \u201cnational dialogue\u201d \u2013 aimed at resolving a political impasse ahead of presidential elections originally scheduled for November in the Democratic Republic of Congo \u2013 concluded yesterday with dim hopes of easing tensions in the country.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed\u0022 data-type=\u0022image\u0022\u003E\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed align-right embedded-entity embedded-entity-type-media embedded-entity-bundle-image embedded-entity-viewmode-embeddable embed--right\u0022\u003E\n \n\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \n \n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\u0022figure figure--expand text-center\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__media relative inline-block mx-auto\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ca href=\u0022\/modal\/29861\u0022 rel=\u0022modal:open\u0022 class=\u0022figure__link\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cimg srcset=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/480w\/public\/multimedia_images_2016\/luchaoct18.png?itok=LBmalWdF 480w, \/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2016\/luchaoct18.png?itok=1iWRFPki 850w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(max-width: 524px) 100px, 500px\u0022 data-responsive-image-style=\u0022embedded_images\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2016\/luchaoct18.png?itok=1iWRFPki\u0022 width=\u0022850\u0022 height=\u0022831\u0022 alt=\u0022Two dozen members of the pro-democracy youth movement LUCHA led a march to the electoral commission\u2019s office in the eastern city of Goma, and delivered a list of youth volunteers available and willing to help organize elections, on October 18, 2016.\u0022 loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 typeof=\u0022foaf:Image\u0022 \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__expand absolute block bottom-0 right-0 w-8 h-8 bg-white text-gray-700\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022sr-only\u0022\u003EClick to expand Image\u003C\/span\u003E\n \n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022icon fill-current w-full inline-block\u0022\u003E\n \u003Csvg viewbox=\u00220 0 20 20\u0022 fill=\u0022currentColor\u0022 role=\u0022img\u0022 focusable=\u0022false\u0022 aria-hidden=\u0022true\u0022\u003E\u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022\/themes\/custom\/hrw_design\/dist\/app-drupal\/assets\/spritemap.svg?cacheBuster=#sprite-expand\u0022\u003E\u003C\/use\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003Cfigcaption class=\u0022figure__info text-left font-serif text-xs md:text-sm lg:text-base mx-auto text-gray-700 mt-1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__caption\u0022\u003ETwo dozen members of the pro-democracy youth movement LUCHA\u00a0led a march to the electoral commission\u2019s office in the eastern city of Goma, and delivered a list of youth volunteers available and willing to help organize elections, on October 18, 2016.\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__credit\u0022\u003E \u00a9 2016 Private\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EUnder the signed agreement, President Joseph Kabila will remain in office beyond December 19 \u2013 the end of the constitutionally mandated two-term limit \u2013 and until presidential elections are held. The pact lays out a process for holding elections no later than the end of April 2018 \u2013 but doesn\u2019t provide a specific polling day and it describes a number of challenges that could further delay the vote. The agreement also provides for a new \u201cgovernment of national unity\u201d to be appointed within 21 days \u2013 November 8 \u2013 and that the prime minister post will be given to someone from the opposition.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EMost of Congo\u2019s main opposition parties either refused to participate or merely observed the dialogue, fearing it was just a ploy for President Kabila to stay in power past his term and buy time to try to amend the constitution to allow a third term.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EMany opposition figures have already rejected the agreement, calling instead for a transitional leader, who could not be a presidential candidate, to lead the country while elections are organized. They also called on Kabila to step down on December 19 to avoid further delays and potential instability. Some argue that the president of the Senate should lead during the transitional period, given the constitutional provision for the Senate president to temporarily take over the functions of the presidency in the case of a \u201cvacancy.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EJean-Marc Kabund, secretary general of the opposition Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), rejected the agreement, demanding a \u201cgenuine dialogue.\u201d The Research Institute for Human Rights (Institut de Recherche en Droits Humains, IRDH), a Congolese human rights group, also denounced the agreement and said it would only intensify the country\u2019s political crisis. The Bukavu-based human rights organization H\u00e9ritiers de la Justice called the agreement a \u201cblatant violation\u201d of the country\u2019s constitution.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003ETo protest the dialogue\u2019s conclusions, two dozen members of the pro-democracy youth movement Lutte pour le Changement (LUCHA) led a march to the electoral commission\u2019s office in the eastern city of Goma, and delivered a list of youth volunteers available and willing to help organize elections.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EOpposition leaders and others have called for protests and \u201c\u003Cem\u003Eville mortes\u003C\/em\u003E\u201d (or general strikes) on October 19.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EThe European Union\u2019s Foreign Affairs Council\u00a0\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.consilium.europa.eu\/en\/press\/press-releases\/2016\/10\/17-fac-drc-conclusions\/?utm_source=dsms-auto\u0026amp;utm_medium=email\u0026amp;utm_campaign=Council+conclusions+on+the+Democratic+Republic+of+the+Congo\u0022\u003Ecalled\u003C\/a\u003E on Monday for \u201ca new phase of a more inclusive political process in the coming weeks,\u201d with participation by all major political families and civil society. Contrary to yesterday\u2019s agreement, the council urged Congolese stakeholders that the \u201cdialogue must lead to the holding of presidential and legislative elections as soon as possible in 2017.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EThe conclusion of the national dialogue failed to ease tensions and has left a political impasse. That keeps the door open for more protests, violence, and repression in the coming weeks.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n\u003C\/div\u003E\n","settings":null}]