Mathurin Mandaba, AfricaNews reporter in Gemena, DR Congo
At least 2000 furious people violently demonstrated on Tuesday in Gemena, in the north-westernmost part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), to demand the immediate release of Jean-Pierre Bemba.
Bemba was arrested on Saturday in Brussels after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against the former warlord and vice president on allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in neighboring Central African Republic (CAR) in 2002-2003.
A similar reaction took place in Mbandaka and more protests are reported in Zongo and other regional towns.
“demonstrators are throwing stones at buildings and police who shoot back”, AfricaNews reporter Mathurin Mandaba says from Gemena. A 12-year old child was seriously injured when a rock hit him. Demonstrators are hunting down westerners and CAR citizens whom they hold responsible for the arrest of Bemba.
“They wanted to enter the MONUC compound by force”, adds Mandaba, noting that MONUC shot in the air to frighten the mob. More riots are expected in Equateur, Bemba’s bastion.
