05.05.2021

Eastern Congo does not find peace

Several times UEM published a deteriorating security situation in the Eastern region of the Democratic Republic Congo (DRC). An estimated 122 armed groups of varying sizes act in mineral-rich eastern DRC, many being a negative effect of regional wars in the 1990s. Since many years local churches in the region reported massacres of innocent civilians which were not stopped. At different moments in the past, UEM and member churches contributed to emergency appeals sent by the Baptist Church in Central Africa (ECC-CBCA). There is still a persisting appeal pointing out to the killing of innocent people in both regions of North and South Kivu of the DRC.

The danger of a genocide

Mr David Fechner, UEM peace worker of a church Network for Peace in the Great Lakes region (APRED), sends a cry of alarm to UEM as shared by a member of peace theater group. He wrote: “It is with bitterness and sadness that I inform you on the precarious situation which has worsened so much as human clashes took place last week in  South Kivu”. The UEM Advocacy Officer in Africa Region, the Rev Dr Kahongya Kambale, observes: “The insecurity situation and its negative consequences in all sectors of life in the East of the DRC continue to be very worrying. Recent developments in the North as well as the South tend to turn these conflicts into an inter-ethnic war which risks to turn into a genocide”. The Director of Cabinet of the Church of Christ (ECC) in Congo, the Rev Moses Gbema, confirms the situation inviting the UEM International Communion to pray for the DRC, saying:” Please pray for restoration of security and peace by putting an end to the abject massacres and the forced displacement of which the population in the East of the country is a victim”.

Exacerbated by insecurity in Beni

As their parents and the entire community, tired of war, insecurity and massive killings of innocent people, on the 23^rd of April several dozen pupils and students had been camping outside the Beni town hall over the past week. They demand the departure of the UN peacekeeping force MONUSCO. They decided to demonstrate and spent days and nights at the town hall. The category of those who demonstrate include minors of 7 years to 11 years old. They strongly cry for the attention of the international community to be aware of killings taking place in Beni. An 11 year girl says”: We appeal to the President of the DRC, Mr. Felix Tshisekedi, to personally come to Beni to put an end to the killings. Like other children, we wanted peace and be able to receive education in our schools. We are asking the President to come and see the misery we are living in our area.”

In a reply to the general appeal, the DRC President ensured the population that the DRC authorities are in negotiation with the government of Kenya. “Soon Kenyan military troops are arriving in Beni to jointly work with the DRC army to fight those causing insecurity. Our response will be ruthless”, says the DRC President as reported by the local radio in Beni.

Human killings and sufferings in South Kivu

On the 29^th April 2021, the Baptist Church in Central Africa writes to the UEM international Communion and seeks prayers for God’s intervention in the escalating social situation in South Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, causing human sufferings and an estimated 40.000 displaced people without assistance. “Tensions in the territories of UVIRA, FIZI and MWENGA in South Kivu have increased in recent days between the different ethnic groups living in this part which has experienced increasing insecurity for more than two decades”, writes the Church President, Rev Dr Ngayihembako Samuel.

By Rev. Dr. John Wesley Kabango, UEM Executive Secretary Africa

References: https://youtu.be/aCsRPYZ_P90

                  https://nation.africa/kenya/news/africa/dr-congo-announces-state-of-siege-in-two-provinces-3383666