DRC: Civil society groups plan commemorative gathering in Kinshasa Aug. 20

Event

Members of the civil society will gather in Kinshasa, Aug. 20, to commemorate victims of the Kamwina Nsapu insurgency. Participants will meet at 16:30 at the Rond Point Victoire nearby the Place des Artistes. Hundreds may attend the event. It is unclear if local authorities have sanctioned the gathering.

Security forces will likely be deployed to monitor the gathering. Localized transport disruptions are likely in the vicinity of the Rond Point Victoire located in the city center. Violence is possible if participants become unruly or refuse police orders to disperse.

Context

The insurgency pitted supporters of Kamwina Nsapu, a traditional chief and militia leader, against government forces in the provinces of Kasai-Central, Kasai, Kasai-Oriental, Lomami and Sankuru. Clashes broke out when Nsapu called for an uprising in June 2016. The conflict displaced more than a million civilians by 2017. Both sides have been accused of perpetrating extrajudicial killings.

Advice

Avoid the vicinity of the event to mitigate related disruptions. Allow additional time for travel near the rally site. Depart the area at the first sign of a confrontation.