North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo was hit by a bloody attack this Thursday, May 18, 2023. Four people, including three eco-guards, were killed in an ambush against a team of Virunga National Park agents in Lubero. The attacked convoy was returning from Ivingu where the ICCN erected a hydroelectric power station with a capacity of 14.6 Megawatts to serve the residents of Virunga National Park with electricity. This source of energy should have encouraged local populations to support the conservation efforts of this protected area, but this did not prevent the attack perpetrated by the Mai-Mai militiamen. This attack also caused the disappearance of the technician from Virunga Energie. Three members of the convoy and three civilians were injured. ICCN condemned this barbaric act and rushed all the injured to health facilities for appropriate treatment.
These attacks are unfortunately common in this region of the DRC, which has faced persistent insecurity for many years. The situation is becoming more and more worrying, and the local populations need an adequate solution to put an end to this violence. Beyond this attack, other problems are also present in the country. The credibility of the elections is called into question with the debates around the appointment of an international body to audit the electoral register. The Catholic University, meanwhile, is promoting light by imparting Christian values to students, while the Justice and Peace Commission is calling for an urgent investigation into the continuing insecurity in Lubumbashi.
Faced with all these difficulties, it is more necessary than ever that effective solutions be put in place to restore peace and tolerance in the country. An action plan to restore peace and tolerance is already in place in Kasumbalesa, a town affected by these problems. In addition, an international symposium recently took place in Kinshasa to discuss the crucial role of constitutional justice in consolidating the rule of law and democracy in the DRC. The return to Laurent-Désiré Kabila, who died many years ago, is also topical. All this shows that the DRC still has many challenges to overcome, but that concrete solutions are possible to get out of this difficult situation.