Dem. Rep. of Congo blasts EU sanctions on top officials

By Godfrey Olukya

ARU, Democratic Republic of Congo (AA) - Senior officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo Tuesday condemned as “blackmail” new EU sanctions on seven government officers accused of disproportionate use of force and human rights abuses.

The EU on Monday imposed an asset freeze and visa ban on seven senior members of the DRC administration and security services, including Republican Guard Commander Ilunga Kampete and Kinshasa Police Chief Gabriel Amisi, accused of illegally suppressing anti-government demonstrations on Sept. 19-20 in which 50 people died.

Jean-Pierre Kambila, deputy director of the office of the DRC’s president, said today in a statement, "Those sanctions will have no effect on us. Nothing justifies today these kinds of measures. Unfortunately for them, they will not succeed in this plan because we are not going to yield to blackmail.”

He added, “They can make all the decisions they want, they will have no effect."

Ruling party senior member Anthony Legu told Anadolu Agency, ''What the EU is doing is unfair. The officers found themselves in the mess caused by rioters. Why doesn’t the EU condemn the perpetrators of the riots in which innocent people died?''

Government spokesman Lambert Mende had earlier blasted the sanctions as illegal and violations of international law.

The September riots were brought about by President Joseph Kabila announcing he would prolong his stay in power past Dec. 19, when his term in office is due to end.