Hundreds protest against President Kabila in eastern Congo city Goma

  • 11 years ago
ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION)

STORY: Hundreds of people protested for a second day in Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern city of Goma on Friday against President Joseph Kabila, accusing him of incompetence in efforts to neutralize rebels who have long plagued the region.

Heavy fighting erupted between the army and the M23 rebel group on Sunday 12 km (7.5 miles) northeast of Goma, ending several weeks of relative calm and reviving memories of an attack in November when the Tutsi-led insurgents briefly seized the city of 1 million people.

After four days of clashes, the front line was quiet on Thursday (July 18).

Police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd from the center of Goma where protesters blocked roads and displayed a sign saying "Kabila Must Go".

Shops and businesses were shuttered.

Some Goma residents accused members of the U.N. peacekeeping mission (MONUSCO) of blocking the path of the Congolese army as it sought to push northward t