This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-30913739

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
DR Congo unrest: Kinshasa Catholic schools shut DR Congo unrest: Catholic church backs protests
(about 3 hours later)
The Roman Catholic Church has shut its schools in the Democratic Republic of Congo's capital, Kinshasa, as protests against President Joseph Kabila continue for a third day. The Catholic Church in the Democratic Republic of Congo has thrown its weight behind protests against President Joseph Kabila extending his rule.
Church head Cardinal Monsengwo Pasinya called on people to peacefully oppose government moves to delay presidential elections until a census is held. It called on people to peacefully oppose his move to delay presidential elections until a census is held.
The highly influential Catholic Church runs many schools in the country.
At least 11 people have so far been been killed in the protests.At least 11 people have so far been been killed in the protests.
Demonstrators say government plans for a census are a ploy to delay next year's elections so that Mr Kabila can hang on to power. It is the worst unrest in the capital, Kinshasa, since the riots which broke out after Mr Kabila won a second term in disputed elections in 2011.
Mr Kabila, who has won two disputed elections, is constitutionally barred from running for a third term. Mr Kabila, who first took power in 2001 following the assassination of his father Laurent, is constitutionally barred from running for another term in elections due next year.
'Dormitories ablaze'
The opposition says government plans for a census are a ploy to delay the poll so that he can hang on to power.
The government admits the election could be delayed, but says the census is vital to ensure polls are free and fair.The government admits the election could be delayed, but says the census is vital to ensure polls are free and fair.
The Catholic Church is the largest religious group in DR Congo, and its intervention on the side of the opposition is significant, correspondents say. The Catholic Church, the largest in DR Congo, has shut its schools as violent protests continued in Kinshasa for a third day.
Schools in Kinshasa would remain shut until Monday, Cardinal Pasinya said. The BBC's Maud Julien reports from the city that security forces and protesters clashed again at the government-run University of Kinshasa, the focal point of protests.
Shots rang out as protests continued in the city on Wednesday, AFP news agency reports. Demonstrators told her that security forces fired live ammunition, killing four of them. There is no independent confirmation of this.
The security forces had sealed off the government-run University of Kinshasa, the focal point of protests, correspondents say. During a visit to the campus, she saw many buildings gutted by fire, including dormitories for female students.
Kinshasa has a population of more than nine million, and is seen as an opposition stronghold. Windows had been shattered, and the impact of bullets was clearly visible.
Government spokesman Lambert Mende said the 11 dead included a policeman shot by a sniper and 10 civilians killed by security guards while attempting to loot private properties. Radio France International, which is popular in DR Congo, has been pulled off air, our reporter says.
Looting
On Tuesday, internet connections and text messaging services were blocked, apparently on the orders of the government.
Many shops had been looted and set ablaze as the protests turned violent, our correspondent says.
Catholic Church head Cardinal Monsengwo Pasinya said "certain political men, with the security forces" were in "desolation" and causing insecurity in DR Congo.
"Stop killing your people," he said in a statement.
The cardinal called on the public to challenge by all "legal and peaceful means any attempt to change laws that are essential to the electoral process".
'Constitutional coup'
Government spokesman Lambert Mende said the 11 who died in Monday's and Tuesday's clashes included a policeman shot by a sniper and 10 civilians killed by security guards while attempting to loot private properties.
He said 22 people had been wounded, most of them policemen.He said 22 people had been wounded, most of them policemen.
Opposition leader Vital Kamerhe disputed the government 's figures, saying 28 protesters had been killed - eight on Tuesday and 20 on Monday. Opposition leader Vital Kamerhe disputed the government's figures, saying 28 protesters had been killed - eight on Tuesday and 20 on Monday.
The protests coincided with a debate in the Senate, the upper parliamentary chamber, over government plans to hold a census before elections.The protests coincided with a debate in the Senate, the upper parliamentary chamber, over government plans to hold a census before elections.
Most senators, including members of the governing party, said they were opposed to the plan because it risked destabilising the country.Most senators, including members of the governing party, said they were opposed to the plan because it risked destabilising the country.
The lower chamber, the House of Representatives, approved the plan on Saturday, in a vote boycotted by opposition MPs.The lower chamber, the House of Representatives, approved the plan on Saturday, in a vote boycotted by opposition MPs.
The opposition says this amounts to a "constitutional coup" by Mr Kabila, as it will take about three years for a census to be conducted in DR Congo, which is two-thirds of the size of western Europe, has very little infrastructure and is hit by instability in the east.The opposition says this amounts to a "constitutional coup" by Mr Kabila, as it will take about three years for a census to be conducted in DR Congo, which is two-thirds of the size of western Europe, has very little infrastructure and is hit by instability in the east.
DR Congo, formerly known as Zaire, has never had a reliable census since independence from Belgium in 1960.DR Congo, formerly known as Zaire, has never had a reliable census since independence from Belgium in 1960.
Mr Kabila took power in 2001 following the assassination of his father Laurent Kabila.
DR Congo is rich in natural resources, but most people are poor.