The United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) deplores the recent violence in the province of Bas Congo, where the last official assessment was seven dead and 12 injured.

MONUC appeals for an immediate return to calm, for a halt to violence and the continuation of dialogue, in order to find durable solutions to the problems in the province.

MONUC chief Alan Doss, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in the DRC, reiterated, as he declared at the time of his work visit on Thursday 28 February 2008 to Matadi, capital of Bas Congo province, that "violence was not a way of solving the problems; on the contrary, it would only worsen them."

In order to help with the protection of the civilian population - which is central to MONUC's mandate, in Bas Congo and indeed all the DRC - MONUC carries out the reinforcement of its military and police presence in the province with immediate effect.