20111027
Reuters
KINSHASA (Reuters) - A lack of training and proper anti-riot gear could prevent Democratic Republic of Congo's police from keeping the peace in elections scheduled for next month, the United Nations and others have warned.

The November 28 polls will be the second time the Congolese have voted since the end of a war in 2003 which left millions dead, and the first time local authorities themselves have taken the lead in organising an election.

Gunbattles between militias of rival candidates left hundreds dead in the capital Kinshasa after the 2006 vote, which was largely managed by international players.

This time none of the presidential hopefuls have private armies, but the U.N. head of police told Reuters a lack of training and non-lethal equipment among the country's estimated 110,000 police officers could lead to problems.

"If there are spontaneous violent protests, there is certainly a risk things could get out of control," said General Abdallah Wafy of the U.N. mission MONUSCO.

He added the United Nations was urging police to use only "conventional" crowd control tools such as teargas and batons.

The police have received help from international partners in the run-up to the elections, including the training of around 4,000 "rapid reaction" officers to head off potential trouble.

"(This) progress is largely insufficient, but there are moves towards the professionalisation of some elements of the police," Wafy said of internationally backed efforts to reform a force known for corruption and human rights abuses.

Congo's chief of police, General Charles Bisengimana, also acknowledged that efforts so far had been lacking.

"Logistical support... in 2006 was hugely important. That really helped in securing the process. This time that's not the case," he told Reuters.

"With the limited means we have, we'll do our job properly,"

ARAB SPRING IN KINSHASA?

Riot police wielding batons and teargas have successfully broken up regular protests in Congo's populous and largely opposition supporting capital Kinshasa.

Yet the opposition accuses some police of having used live rounds to break up marches. At least two protesters have been killed in recent clashes, including one shot dead last month.

For over a month, opposition parties have seen weekly protests in Kinshasa broken up. They cite a right to peaceful protest while authorities say marches are banned in the town centre and accuse them of not controlling their supporters.

Etienne Tshisekedi, candidate for the opposition UDPS and main rival to incumbent President Joseph Kabila, has called for a repeat of this year's uprising in Tunisia if Kabila wins.

This could spark serious violence after the vote, according to Philippe Biyoya, a political expert at Kinshasa university.

"We've seen the Arab spring and people have the impression the UDPS is trying to do the same thing. At the same time as they want elections, they want to have street movements too," he told Reuters.

There have been clashes between rival supporters ahead of the elections, which aside from the presidential race will include a legislative vote.

A Reuters witness said one candidate for the ruling majority was assaulted by opposition supporters for speaking to the media this week.

Francis Kalombo, head of the youth league for Kabila's ruling PPRD party, has warned that any attacks on their interests would be met with retaliation.

U.S.-based rights group the Carter Centre said more must be done to support the security services in a country the size of western Europe - Kinshasa alone is home to an estimated 9 million people.

The government needs to "direct the necessary resources to the police to ensure the securisation of the electoral process", the group said in a statement last week.