Demobilized rebels of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in the Central African Republic will soon be repatriated to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Thanks to the logistical support of MINUSCA and the Ugandan government, these Congolese combatants, identified among the 77 demobilized rebels of the LRA, will be brought back to the level of the Congolese embassy in Uganda before being repatriated to their country of origin. .
According to Jean-Claude Malitano, coordinator of the NGO Action for Rural Promotion (APRU), some of the demobilized have already been identified, including six Congolese women, a 17-year-old boy from Haut-Uélé, as well as 12 children born to Congolese women and 4 other unaccompanied children whose mother is a member of the LRA.
The LRA, or Lord’s Resistance Army, is a rebel militia that has operated in the region since the 1980s. Under the leadership of Joseph Kony, the LRA has committed numerous atrocities, killing and abducting hundreds of thousands of people. The group claims religious principles, in particular the ten commandments of the Bible, but acts in total contradiction with these values.
The repatriation of these demobilized LRA combatants is an important step in the process of disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and resettlement in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The aim is to enable these former combatants to reintegrate into society and contribute to the stability and development of their country of origin.
This operation is made possible thanks to the cooperation between MINUSCA, the Ugandan government and the Congolese authorities. It bears witness to the efforts made to put an end to armed conflicts and to promote reconciliation and peace in the region.
The repatriation of these demobilized combatants is a crucial step in the fight against insecurity and violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. By reintegrating these former combatants into society, the country can move towards lasting peace and equitable socio-economic development for all its citizens.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to work actively to restore stability and security on its territory