Title: Dialogue for peace in Ituri: hope for the future?
The inter-community youth dialogue for the consolidation of peace in Ituri ended on Thursday. Organized since last year, these exchanges aim to involve young people from all communities in the province in the peace process and their level of adherence to the Disarmament, Demobilization, Community Recovery and Stabilization Program (P-DDRCS).
Commitments have been made, such as raising awareness among young people at risk of joining armed groups and the fight against any form of communitarianism. The participants also reflected on finding elements of cohesion between young people from different communities and identifying concrete actions to be taken to contribute to the peace process.
While these exchanges between young people in the province are a step in the right direction, the situation in the region remains worrying. Despite the recommendations and the commitments made, the militias continue to operate in the region, forcibly enlisting young people to be the armed arms of their abuses.
Placed under a state of siege for a time, the province of Ituri sought alternatives by opting for dialogue in order to restore the authority of the State. However, the results are limited so far.
In any case, the time has come to turn our backs on the manipulators and that the commitment of these young people be translated into action on the ground so that the province of Ituri finally regains its tranquility and triggers its development.