[{"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__295782__en":{"view_name":"blog_live_feed","view_display_id":"blog_body_block","view_args":"295782","view_path":"\/blog\/content\/295782","view_base_path":null,"view_dom_id":"blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__295782__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__295782__en","data":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__295782__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\u003EDemocratic Republic of Congo activists urged leaders from the region gathered in Angola yesterday to press President Joseph Kabila to step down at the end of his mandate in December or shoulder some of the blame if the country descends into chaos.\u00a0\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\/29971\u0022 rel=\u0022modal:open\u0022 class=\u0022figure__link\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cimg srcset=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/480w\/public\/multimedia_images_2016\/2016-10-drc-africa-activists-protest.jpg?itok=7CTfqq1G 480w, \/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2016\/2016-10-drc-africa-activists-protest.jpg?itok=qda_HBNh 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\/2016-10-drc-africa-activists-protest.jpg?itok=qda_HBNh\u0022 width=\u0022850\u0022 height=\u0022510\u0022 alt=\u0022Activists protest outside the MONUSCO office in Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo.\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\u003EActivists protest outside the MONUSCO office in Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo.\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__credit\u0022\u003E\u00a9 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\u003EMeanwhile, eight more activists were arrested in Congo, part of the authorities\u2019 efforts to stem protests over the ongoing political impasse.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EIn Goma, eight LUCHA activists were arrested as they were mobilizing to stage a sit-in in front of MONUSCO\u2019s provincial headquarters, bringing to 17 the number of LUCHA activists arrested in Goma this week. Those arrested Tuesday and Wednesday have been released, but \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/content\/295686\u0022\u003Esix arrested on Monday\u003C\/a\u003E remain in detention.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EIn Kinshasa, Bunia, Butembo, Goma, Bukavu, Mbuji-Mayi, and Kananga, delegations of activists from the citizens\u2019 movements Filimbi and LUCHA visited offices of the United Nations peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, to deliver copies of a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/content\/295565\u0022\u003Ecivil society roadmap\u003C\/a\u003E for overcoming the crisis peacefully and in accordance with the constitution.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EThe activists cancelled a planned protest in Kinshasa after the authorities said it was not authorized, citing a September decree indefinitely banning all political demonstrations in the capital. Instead, the activists delivered their memo to MONUSCO and held a press conference where they urged the regional leaders and special envoys gathered in Luanda, Angola\u2019s capital, to call on President Kabila to step down at the end of his mandate on December 19. The activists also rejected last week\u2019s \u201cnational dialogue\u201d conclusions,\u00a0which would allow Kabila to remain in office until at least April 2018, and possibly longer.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EIn a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ungreatlakes.unmissions.org\/sites\/default\/files\/261016_final_communique_of_the_7th_rom_en.pdf\u0022\u003Edeclaration\u003C\/a\u003E published at the end of the Luanda summit, regional leaders called on all parties in Congo to \u201cuphold the principles, ideals, and aspirations of the Congolese people, as enshrined in the [Congolese] Constitution.\u201d They also congratulated Kabila and those who participated in the national dialogue, while urging all sides to reinforce confidence building measures.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EThe final declaration did not include detailed recommendations on next steps, leaving the door open for alternative approaches to resolving the political impasse \u2013 but time is short with the December 19 deadline fast approaching.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Congolese government needs to respond to the call from African leaders with concrete action, starting with the release of activists and other political prisoners and clear measures to ensure that the fundamental rights to free expression and assembly are respected.\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}]