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On 19 January 2015, protests led by students at the University of Kinshasa broke out in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The protests began following the announcement of a proposed law that would allow the country's 43-year-old president, Joseph Kabila, to remain in power until a national census could be conducted. Elections had been planned for 2016 and a census would be a massive undertaking that would likely take several years for the developing country. By 21 January, clashes between police and protesters had claimed at least 42 lives (although the government claimed only 15 people had been killed, most by security guards while looting (government later adjusted that figure to 27 killed〔Anti-government demos in DR Congo killed 27, By Afp, Published: 16:07 GMT, 5 February 2015, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-2941357/Anti-government-demos-DR-Congo-killed-27.html〕 )).〔 As a result of the protests the government closed certain radio stations, and cut all internet, SMS and 3G communication in the country on 20 January. Following a series of meetings between foreign diplomats and Congolese government officials, the Congolese Senate passed the law, omitting the controversial census clause, and the opposition called off further protests.〔 ==Events== On 17 January 2015, the Congolese National Assembly (the country's lower house) voted to revise the electoral law in the country's constitution. The new law would require that a national census be conducted prior to any upcoming elections, which, according to the ''Guardian'' newspaper, "could delay the general election, due to take place () 2016." On 19 January, following a call from opposition parties, protesters gathered in front of the Palais du Peuple and were subsequently attacked with tear gas and live ammunition by government security forces.〔 Protests also took place in the capitals of the country's historically unstable eastern provinces of North and South Kivu.〔 On 20 January, Internet, SMS and 3G communications in the country were cut-off.〔 On 21 January, the Congolese Catholic Church's Archbishop, Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo stated "We denounce these actions which have caused death and we are launching this plea: stop killing your people,...(call on the people to use ) all legal and peaceful (to oppose the law change )." The Roman Catholic Church counts around half of the country's population amongst its congregants.〔 The same day, American, British, French and Belgian diplomats met with the Congolese Senate President, Léon Kengo, and urged him either to suspend debate and voting on the modifying law or to remove the controversial provisions. On 24 January, diplomats from Belgium, the European Union, France, the United Kingdom, the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Congo, and the United States met privately with President Kabila at his home in Kinshasa.〔 On 25 January, the Congolese Senate removed the controversial provision from the proposed law and passed it, leading the opposition to call off plans for protests on the next day. President Kabila has until 24 February to sign the bill into law.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「2015 Congolese protests」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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