State television in the Democratic Republic of the Congo reported that the authorities have decided to fight a “campaign of persecution” taking place in the country, where uprisings are taking place in the east, dominated by Tutsi people with the support of Rwanda, across Kinshasa.

During a demonstration against the March 23 Movement (M23) uprising in Goma, North Kivu (East) on Wednesday, Hutus and Tutsis were attacked or perceived as such because of their appearance. On Tuesday, a lieutenant colonel, a spokesman for the Rwandan Congolese army, was mistreated by residents and police in Kisangani.

Congo Minister of Communications Patrick Moya announced that the Supreme Defense Council had instructed the Minister of the Interior and the Chief of Police to take all “necessary measures to avoid stigmatization and campaigns of persecution” during the demonstrations against Rwanda and the 23 March movement. The Supreme Defense Council, led by President Felix Tshisekedi and in the presence of several government and security officials, called on Rwanda to “immediately withdraw its forces (active) from Congolese territory under the cover of the terrorist group M23,” Muaya said.