DR Congo police kill 55 in the month of April as part of a coordinated crackdown

Police in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has killed at least 55 people in April as part of a coordinated crackdown against a separatist religious group, according to a news report by New Delhi Times.

Bundu dia Kongo (BDK) leader Zacharie Badiengila, also known as Ne Muandu Nsemi, had previously called for his followers to expel members of other ethnic groups, prompting the government to counter his rhetoric with violent raids. The raids primarily occurred in the capital, Kinshasa, and other rebel strongholds in the country's west.

Lewis Mudge, Central Africa director at Human Rights Watch (HRW) said, "Congolese authorities had a responsibility to respond to the BDK movement's messages that incite ethnic hatred. However, the government response violated international standards on the use of force, causing a bloodbath."

The interior minister initially reported that 22 members of Bundu dia Kongo had been killed in just two raids. According to the news report, one of the raids led to Badiengila's arrest.

The U.N. Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials states that the use of violence is only permissible as a method of self-defense, adding, "intentional lethal use of firearms may only be made when strictly unavoidable in order to protect life."