(DR Congo) Joseph Kabila's election victory sparks fears of violent backlash

[alp227]

Source: The Guardian

President Joseph Kabila cruised to victory in elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, officials said on Friday, raising fears of a violent opposition backlash. Kabila gained 49% of the vote against 32% for veteran opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, the country's election commission announced. Tshisekedi immediately protested.

"It is a totally unacceptable result," his campaign president, Alexis Mutanda, told Reuters. "You can just look around Kinshasa or the rest of the country to see how many people are against these results. The population is totally disoriented."

He said Tshisekedi's UDPS party had not decided on its next move, but had "no faith" in the credibility of the supreme court charged with ratifying the results.

There were reports of unrest in the capital, Kinshasa, with police shooting into the air and firing teargas to break up demonstrations, according to witnesses. A huge security operation put opposition strongholds in the city under lockdown. Kabila, 40, came to power in 2001 when his father, Laurent, who had ousted dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, was shot dead by a bodyguard. Friday's result means the canny political strategist will extend his reign to at least 15 years.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/09/joseph-kabila-victory-backlash-fears

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. DR Congo police chief: four dead in poll unrest

The main opposition candidate Etienne Tshisekedi has also claimed victory.

The government branded Mr Tshisekedi's move "illegal and irresponsible".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-16127187

Congo police round up opposition supporters day after president proclaimed pollwinner

KINSHASA, Congo — Police in Congo’s capital prowled opposition neighborhoods Saturday rounding up young men, who were seen being dragged out of their homes and shoved into waiting cars, a day after the government announced that the country’s opposition leader had lost the disputed presidential election.

Public transport was suspended in this sprawling capital. Tires continued to burn in sections of the city that had voted for opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, and bus owners ordered their fleets off the streets, fearing vandalism.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/congo-police-round-up-opposition-supporters-day-after-president-proclaimed-pollwinner/2011/12/10/gIQAjajlkO_story.html

[duhneece]

2. Sad Congo

From Wiki, "...In eastern Congo, the prevalence and intensity of rape and other sexual violence is described as the worst in the world.<54> It is estimated that there are as many as 200,000 surviving rape victims living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo today.<55><56> A new study says more than 400,000 women are raped in the Democratic Republic of Congo annually.<57> War rape in the Democratic Republic of Congo has frequently been described as a "weapon of war" by commentators. Louise Nzigire, a local social worker, states that “this violence was designed to exterminate the population.” Nzigire observes that rape has been a "cheap, simple weapon for all parties in the war, more easily obtainable than bullets or bombs."

I can't imagine how difficult life must be for their citizens. The violence is so overwhelming, I don't know how to help.