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A6 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 21 december 2023

U.N. votes unanimously to start the withdrawal of peacekeepers

from Congo by year’s end

By EDITH M. LEDERER “lack of satisfactory results
Associated Press on the ground.”
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The MONUSCO’s primary mis-
Security Council on Tues- sion has been the protec-
day voted unanimously to tion of civilians. But frus-
start the withdrawal of the trated Congolese say that
U.N. peacekeeping force no one is protecting them
from Congo before the end from rebel attacks, lead-
of the year as the conflict- ing to protests against the
ridden country prepares to U.N. mission and others that
elect its next president on have at times turned dead-
Wednesday. ly. The Security Council said
The resolution adopted by in Tuesday’s resolution that
the U.N.’s most powerful the withdrawal from South
body orders “the gradual, Kivu should be completed
responsible and sustain- by the end of April 2024,
able withdrawal” of the and expressed readiness
peacekeeping mission, to consider further with-
known as MONUSCO, start- drawals at the end of this
ing in South Kivu in eastern phase based on progress
Congo, and the gradual in the U.N. disengagement
handover of its responsibili- plan and the situation on
ties to the Congolese gov- the ground. The council
ernment. In a speech to A Jordanian UN peacekeeper stands guard outside a newly-established base camp in the town extended the mandate for
the U.N. General Assembly of Bunagana, outside of which both Congolese army and rebel forces have set up positions, in MONUSCO until Dec. 20,
in September, Congolese Congo, Wednesday, May 16, 2012. 2024 and decided that its
President Felix Tshisekedi, Associated Press troop ceiling until June 30,
who is running for re-elec- Christophe Lutundula and been overrun by dozens resurgent M23 rebel group, 2024 should be 13,500 mili-
tion against about 20 can- the U.N.’s top official in of armed groups seeking a which Rwanda has denied. tary personnel, 660 military
didates, called for an ac- Congo, Bintou Keita, signed share of the region’s gold In October, the Congolese observers and staff officers,
celerated withdrawal of agreements on Nov. 21 to and other resources. Some government directed an and 2.001 international po-
the 15,000 peacekeepers. end the presence of U.N. have been quietly backed East African regional force, lice. It ordered a reduction
He has said “the phased peacekeepers after more by Congo’s neighbors. U.N. deployed last year to help from July 1, 2024 to 11,500
withdrawal of the U.N. mis- than two decades in the experts have noted “sub- end the fighting, to leave military personnel, 600 mili-
sion must be responsible Central African nation. stantial evidence” that the country by December. tary observers and staff offi-
and sustainable.” Eastern Congo has long Rwanda is supporting the The government alleged a cers and 1,713 international
Congo’s Foreign Minister police.q

Suriname’s ex-dictator sentenced to 20 years in prison for the 1982

killings of political opponents

By GEROLD ROZENBLAD to 20 years in prison for the Bouterse, 78, was previously prison, were present in the of requesting a presiden-
Associated Press murders of 15 opponents sentenced in the case in courtroom for the sentenc- tial pardon, but according
PARAMARIBO, Suriname of the then-military regime 2019 and in 2021 but had ing. to Essed, the legislation in
(AP) — Suriname’s former in December 1982, ending appealed both decisions. Bouterse’s lawyer, Irvin Suriname is unclear on the
dictator Desi Bouterse was a historic 16-year legal pro- The court on Wednesday Kanhai, said he disagreed issue. “If a request for clem-
sentenced on Wednesday cess. upheld his conviction and with the verdict and had ency is made, it is not ex-
the latest sentencing was expected an acquittal, pected that the Court will
seen as final with no more but would go into detail at advise on granting it.”
appeals allowed. The judge a later date. “I am going Henk Kamperveen, the son
handed down 20 years giv- to my client now,” he told of Andre Kamperveen, one
en the ex-president’s age journalists. of the 15 people killed, said
and that it was the highest The former president re- it took a long time, but the
sentence allowed at the mains chair of the Nation- legal process against Bout-
time of the killings. al Democratic Party and erse has finally come to an
“We have received a gem some fear unrest in parts end.
of a verdict,” said Hugo of Suriname. Die-hard sup- “We’re not going to cele-
Essed, lawyer for the vic- porters call him “boss” and brate,” he added, saying it
tims’ relatives, adding that have maintained they will is not a victory for the rela-
he can now “proudly” say not accept a conviction. tives, but for the rule of law
there is an independent Bouterse has urged calm in Suriname.
constitutional state in Suri- several times. Tight security Prosecutors had demand-
In this Aug. 12, 2010 file photo, Suriname’s President Desi name. measures were in place in ed the immediate imprison-
Bouterse attends a military parade after his swearing-in Neither Bouterse, nor his part of the capital of Para- ment of Bouterse, but the
ceremony in Paramaribo, Suriname. four co-suspects, who were maribo. judge did not back the re-
Associated Press sentenced to 15 years in Bouterse still has the option quest. q