[{"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__297346__en":{"view_name":"blog_live_feed","view_display_id":"blog_body_block","view_args":"297346","view_path":"\/blog\/content\/297346","view_base_path":null,"view_dom_id":"blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__297346__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__297346__en","data":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__297346__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 \u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed\u0022 data-type=\u0022image\u0022\u003E\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed align-center embedded-entity embedded-entity-type-media embedded-entity-bundle-image embedded-entity-viewmode-embeddable embed--center\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\/30393\u0022 rel=\u0022modal:open\u0022 class=\u0022figure__link\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cimg srcset=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/480w\/public\/multimedia_images_2016\/161206_-_collage_for_unsc_session.png?itok=lCLSlQ5K 480w, \/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2016\/161206_-_collage_for_unsc_session.png?itok=z2UvmKM_ 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\/161206_-_collage_for_unsc_session.png?itok=z2UvmKM_\u0022 width=\u0022850\u0022 height=\u0022269\u0022 alt=\u0022The UN Security Council holds consultations in New York about the escalating political crisis in Congo, on December 5, 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\u003EThe UN Security Council holds consultations in New York about the escalating political crisis in Congo, on December 5, 2016.\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__credit\u0022\u003E\u00a9 2016 Timo Mueller\/Human Rights Watch\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\u003EFollowing a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/blog-feed\/democratic-republic-congo-crisis#blog-296357\u0022\u003Evisit\u003C\/a\u003E to the Democratic Republic of Congo last month, the UN Security Council held \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/webcache.googleusercontent.com\/search?q=cache:http:\/\/webtv.un.org\/watch\/7826th-security-council-meeting-situation-in-drc\/5236821929001\u0022\u003Econsultations\u003C\/a\u003E on Monday in New York about the escalating political crisis in the country.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EAll 15 members of the Council, plus the chief of Congo\u2019s UN peacekeeping mission \u00a0(MONUSCO) Maman Sidikou, and Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Tay\u00e9-Brook Zerihoun, shared a strong sense of foreboding. It is now less than two weeks before the end of President Joseph Kabila\u2019s second term on December 19.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EIn a strongly-worded \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/monusco.unmissions.org\/sites\/default\/files\/prst_18_e.pdf\u0022\u003Estatement\u003C\/a\u003E, the President of the Council emphasized concerns \u201cabout the risk for destabilization of the country and the region as a whole \u2026 in the absence of a swift and consensual resolution to the current \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/blog-feed\/democratic-republic-congo-crisis#blog\u0022\u003Epolitical crisis\u003C\/a\u003E.\u201d In the words of the ambassador of New Zealand, \u201cthere has been no shortcoming of warnings to the Security Council regarding the risk of conflict in the DRC.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EAngola evoked the threat to \u201cregional peace and security,\u201d calling on all sides to avoid violence \u201cat all costs.\u201d Ukraine\u2019s ambassador warned that \u201cif the situation descends into violence, there will be no winners but only losers,\u201d reminding Council members that the \u201cdeaths of protesters [during \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2016\/10\/13\/eu-impose-targeted-sanctions-against-senior-officials-democratic-republic-congo\u0022\u003Edemonstrations\u003C\/a\u003E in September] are fresh in our memory.\u201d He called for \u201cmaximum restraint.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003ESharing the sense of urgency, France warned that \u201cif there is a spiral of violence, nobody can say where it will stop and when it will stop.\u201d More subdued but still concerned, the Ambassador of China cautioned that the \u201cpolitical process is at a critical juncture\u201d and the security situation \u201cstill fragile.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EThe ambassador of the United Kingdom \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/speeches\/the-clock-is-ticking-for-the-democratic-republic-of-congo-and-the-world-is-watching\u0022\u003Ecautioned\u003C\/a\u003E that \u201cwe all know what comes next if he [President Kabila] makes the wrong decision. We saw it in the bloodied streets of Kinshasa in September. We cannot allow a repeat of such barbarity in a fortnight\u2019s time.\u201d He called on the Council to send an unequivocal message to Kabila to make a commitment that he will not stand for a third term as president. \u201cThe two term limit cannot be changed,\u201d he said, \u201cand certainly not just to suit one man\u2019s political agenda.\u201d The ambassador said that there must be \u201cconsequences\u201d for Kabila if he were to decide otherwise. The ambassador also called on the Security Council to take guidance from the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2016\/10\/13\/eu-impose-targeted-sanctions-against-senior-officials-democratic-republic-congo\u0022\u003EEuropean Union\u003C\/a\u003E, which threatened to impose sanctions on \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/blog-feed\/democratic-republic-congo-crisis#blog-296885\u0022\u003Emembers of the Congolese security forces\u003C\/a\u003E responsible for serious abuses. \u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cKabila needs to make a clear and public statement that he will not seek a third term,\u201d the US ambassador said. She stressed that \u201celections could take place in 2017,\u201d because it is not a \u201ctechnical problem\u201d but a \u201cproblem of political will.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003ENearly all ambassadors called on political stakeholders in Congo to resume dialogue and find meaningful compromise. In this regard, the US ambassador cited the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/blog-feed\/democratic-republic-congo-crisis#blog-297247\u0022\u003ECatholic Church\u2019s efforts\u003C\/a\u003E, which \u201cpresent the best hope\u201d in her opinion, while Japan called for \u201cdirect dialogue\u201d between President Kabila and opposition leader \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/blog-feed\/democratic-republic-congo-crisis#blog-296770\u0022\u003EEtienne Tshisekedi\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003ERegarding MONUSCO\u2019s role, the UK ambassador insisted that \u201cthe biggest peacekeeping mission in the world with a clear mandate to protect civilians robustly cannot stand by if civilians are threatened.\u201d MONUSCO chief Sidikou elaborated on the measures the mission has taken to refine its contingency plans in order to diffuse potential violence and protect civilians. He stressed, however, that these efforts \u201cmay not be fully sufficient to mitigate or respond adequately to any major outbreak of politically-related violence,\u201d and he warned that the UN\u2019s military and police forces in Kinshasa \u201care stretched thin.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EPerhaps giving in to the pressure, Kabila met on Monday with the Catholic Church\u2019s Conference of Episcopal Bishops in Congo (CENCO), and the presidency later issued a statement saying the president had urged the bishops to continue their mediation efforts \u2013 a seeming reversal from the statement released by his ruling coalition on Friday, calling the Catholic Church\u2019s mediation efforts a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/content\/297247\u0022\u003Efailure\u003C\/a\u003E. \u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EPresident Kabila should now take the next step and take action before December 19, including \u2013 most importantly \u2013 a public commitment that he will step down and not seek to change the constitution or run for a third term.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EMONUSCO should also heed the calls from Security Council members and ensure that the mission is prepared to do all it can to protect the population during potential political violence on or around December 19. And UN member states, including police and military troop contributors to MONUSCO, should ensure the mission has the resources and will to effectively carry out its mandate.\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}]