In the city of Beni, civil society has called for a series of dead city days to protest against the rise in urban crime which has increased since the beginning of the year. Paralyzing the city, the doors of the various shops and stores are closed, the schools have not opened their doors and the parents have not sent the children to school. More than 850 cases of shootings, robberies, and home burglaries have been reported since January by civil society. The latter even demands the resignation of the urban security committee.
The tension is palpable in the city, burnt tires to barricade the roads, large stones on the roads and a police presence in hot spots to clear the barricades and prepare for any eventuality. The inhabitants of Beni are tired of this insecure situation which prevents them from coming and going freely and which puts them in danger every day.
Faced with this growing insecurity, the authorities must take urgent measures to restore the safety of the inhabitants of Beni. This notably involves taking drastic decisions to fight against urban crime. The population needs to feel safe in their own city to be able to go about their daily business in peace.
This situation is not unique to the city of Beni, insecurity and violence are challenges for the authorities of many cities in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is high time for the authorities to really take into account the safety of the population before the situation degenerates even more