Bodies Of Two UN Workers Found In Congo; UN Investigators Sent To See Extent Of Human Rights Violation In The Country

By Marguerite Chang - 29 Mar '17 05:30AM
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The world is alarmed by the recent discovery of dead bodies in the Central Kasai province of Congo. The bodies of a Congolese interpreter and a Swedish and one American UN worker were found after disappearing from their camp for over two weeks.

The team from the UN went to Congo to investigate the wave of violence in the area. Lambert Mende, the government spokesman of Congo, has said that the bodies found in the vicinity of the Moyo river are that of the missing UN workers and their interpreter. He has said that the government will continue to look for the other missing Congolese.

One of body of the UN workers has been decapitated. The victims have been identified as Michael Sharp, an American, and Zaida Catalan, a Swedish national. The Democratic Republic of Congo is under scrutiny because of the violence that has been erupting in the country since August of last year. The government forces has been in conflict with their local militia.

The UN workers were kidnapped last March 12 together with four Congolese who were with them as their traveled the Kasai-Central province. Before their team was kidnapped, there has been a shooting incident from the same area involving a peacekeeper from Uruguay.

The Congolese government is urged to continue their investigation on the kidnapping incident that led to the death of the UN workers. This is amidst the promise of the UN that they too will have an investigation themselves to find out what happened.

The two were part of the UN Group of Experts in Congo while they were trying to investigate the extent of the human rights violations in the country. The country is urged to fully cooperate with the investigation of the UN and other international agencies who are looking for the remaining members of the team.

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