UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that the reported killing of protesters by security forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), was deplorable.
Ban, in a statement issued by his Spokesman, Stephane Dujarric in New York, challenged political leaders in DRC to put the interest of the country first.
“The scribe deplored the reported loss of life in confrontations between the security forces and protesters, including in Kinshasa.
“He stresses the need for the national security forces to exercise the utmost restraint in the maintenance of public order.
“He calls on the Democratic Republic of the Congo authorities to investigate any acts of violence and ensure the perpetrators are held accountable,” the statement read.
He furthers called on all political actors, including the opposition, to exercise maximum restraint in their actions and statements and urge their supporters to refrain from violence.
“He urges the authorities, once again, to promote and protect human rights and to uphold the fundamental freedoms enshrined in the Constitution.
“The secretary-general said he is closely monitoring developments in the DRC, as the mediation led by the Conférence Épiscopale Nationale des églises du Congo (CENCO) resumed on Wednesday.:
He urged all parties involved in the CENCO-led mediation to work constructively and in good faith the outstanding issues related to transitional arrangements leading to the elections, in keeping with the Congolese Constitution.
The UN chief called on Congolese political leaders to place the interests of the country and the people above partisan and personal considerations.
He urged the politicians to de-escalate tensions and create an environment conducive to the successful completion of the CENCO-facilitated dialogue and the holding of timely, credible and transparent elections.
The secretary-general encouraged the new DRC Government led by Prime Minister Samy Badibanga to take concrete steps, in line with the Oct. 18 political agreement.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")