At the entrance to the MONUSCO base in Fataki, a locality situated in the territory of Djugu, about sixty kilometers north of Bunia, makeshift shelters line up along the trenches dug around the perimeter secured by Nepalese peacekeepers.
Every night, families from neighboring villages come to take refuge there to escape armed attacks carried out by local militias who take advantage of darkness to target civilians. The fear is such that some sleep directly in these trenches originally designed for the defense of the base, but which have become for civilians a survival space under the benevolent protection of peacekeepers.
At the end of July, ADF rebels attacked a church in Komanda, in the territory of Irumu neighboring Djugu, killing about forty people, including women and children, and burning neighboring homes. In February, Fataki was the scene of a massacre perpetrated by CODECO militiamen, costing the lives of 63 civilians and injuring 19.
« Our villages live in fear »
It is in this context marked by insecurity and the still vivid memory of this violence that General Ulisses de Mesquita Gomes, Force Commander of MONUSCO, went on August 21 to Fataki then to Lodha to meet with communities and listen to their concerns to better protect them.
At Lodha, the meeting with the community takes place in a vast hall with a wooden frame and covered with tarpaulins provided by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. On wooden benches, women, children, internally displaced persons, customary chiefs, and local representatives sit side by side, in an atmosphere heavy with emotion and expectation. All have come to welcome the MONUSCO delegation and listen to the message of the Force Commander who leads it.
“On behalf of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Ms. Bintou Keita, I present MONUSCO’s condolences to the families bereaved by recent attacks attributed to the armed groups CODECO, Zaïre and ADF. We stand with you, and we hope that dialogue remains the essential path to end this violence.” declares General Ulisses.
In turn, community leaders take the floor to emphasize how much the presence of peacekeepers remains essential in the face of recurring attacks on the RN27, a vital road axis for the local economy, connecting Bunia to Mahagi and regularly targeted by armed groups. They insist on the need to guarantee security to be able to move freely, work in the fields, send children to school and preserve a dignified life despite persistent tensions.
In this climate of anguish, a mother, looking toward General Ulisses, launches, her voice choked with emotion, a true plea: “I am alive thanks to MONUSCO. Don’t leave. If you leave, we will no longer feel safe.” A representative of local communities pleads for reinforced security. “Our villages live in fear. We ask that security be guaranteed so that we can live with dignity and envision the future.” he mentions.
« The peacekeepers help keep us safe »
The Force Commander recalls that MONUSCO has reinforced its operational posture in Ituri with the intensification of patrols, the deployment of operational mobile bases and the conduct of joint operations with the Congolese army. Their presence is greatly appreciated, and a breath of relief passes over the assembly when General Ulisses announces that the operational mobile base installed at Fataki would remain longer. This presence constitutes precious support and is part of a joint approach, where the protection of civilians relies on close collaboration between FARDC and MONUSCO.
“Going to meet displaced persons alongside the territorial administrator and customary chiefs gave full meaning to MONUSCO’s support to local authorities. The community, particularly women and young people, was able to express its concerns and see the Mission’s commitment to stay by their side, in a spirit of listening and protection,” declares Teohna Williams, MONUSCO’s Principal Adviser for the Protection of Civilians.
Taking the floor in turn, Colonel Ruphin Mapela, administrator of the territory of Djugu, emphasized the importance of this tripartite collaboration between local authorities, population, and peacekeepers: “We work for peace. For this, we collaborate with peacekeepers to better secure the population. Our concern is that all these displaced persons can return to their respective villages.“
These words find an echo in the intervention of Chrysostome Safari Malo, president of the Lodha site, who carried the voice of the displaced with insistence: “If we are here, it is thanks to MONUSCO. The peacekeepers help keep us safe. We are happy that a temporary camp has been installed, but we ask that the peacekeepers stay with us because the Djaiba base is too far away.“
In Ituri as elsewhere, MONUSCO remains committed to the protection of civilians and supporting the Congolese government to strengthen stability and work together for lasting peace. In this province, between 80,000 to 100,000 internally displaced persons find refuge near the Mission’s bases in Gina, Fataki, Roe, Drodro and Bayoo.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Mission de l’Organisation des Nations unies en République démocratique du Congo (MONUSCO).