Humanitarian crisis in Bandundu, militiamen quartered in inhuman conditions
For the past month, the Congolese Mai-Mai movements and other militias have accepted their cantonment in the village of Bandundu in Ituri following the appeal of the Head of State. Nearly 200 fighters from the Movement of Lumumbist Nationalists (MNL) and the Maï-Maï Congolese Movement (MMC) responded favorably to this appeal. They are awaiting demobilization but have no means of survival and no access to medical care. The leaders of these movements have denounced the inhuman conditions in which they are confined. They fear that, for lack of proper care, their fighters will return to the maquis to resume their guerrilla activities.
Their spokesperson, Willy Nguru calls on the government through the officials of the Disarmament, Demobilization, Community Recovery and Stabilization Program (P-DDRCS) to find solutions for their care. The provincial coordinator of the P-DDRCS, Willy Abibu Maese, urges these former militiamen to be patient, assuring them that they will be taken to and installed in good conditions at the Diango site in the province of Bunia.
Despite the announcement of the nearby installation in the province of Bunia, the situation remains critical for these combatants who risk returning to their guerrilla activities if a solution is not quickly found. It is imperative that the Head of State take concrete measures to respond to this humanitarian crisis