U.N. criticises "excessive" Congo crackdown on sect | Reuters

Released late on Friday, it sharply criticised a campaign in February and March by Democratic Republic of Congo’s security forces against the ethnic-based political and religious movement Bundu dia Kongo (BDK) in western Bas-Congo province.

From bases in the province the BDK has waged a campaign to re-establish the pre-colonial Kongo kingdom in parts of Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Angola and Gabon. Authorities accuse its members of violent protests and killings carried out in the name of popular justice.

The U.N. human rights investigators’ report said police used heavy machineguns, grenades and small arms against BDK members armed mainly with wooden weapons and “magical” talismans. It put the number of people killed at least 100, much higher than the death toll of 27 given by the Congolese government.

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