The governor of Ituri, Johnny Luboya N’kashama, took advantage of the visit of the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, in his region to issue a clear warning to the armed groups which are rampant in his territory. “The armed group that does not want to stop committing abuses against the population will be confronted with national and international justice”, he said, recalling that impunity and the violation of human rights will no longer be tolerated.
The governor also offered the possibility to armed groups to choose dialogue and join the disarmament, demobilization, community recovery and stabilization (P-DDRCS) program in order to avoid being prosecuted. For Johnny Luboya N’kashama, the ICC prosecutor’s visit to Ituri was an opportunity to show the executioners that their freedom is in danger, and that they will have to be held accountable for their actions.
The governor of Ituri did not stop there, also launching an appeal to all armed groups which continue to abuse innocent civilians. “For those who do not want to stop, who think they are on land where we cannot reach them, military operations will resume by then,” he warned.
The message is clear: violence and impunity will no longer be tolerated in Ituri, and the perpetrators of these acts will have to answer for their crimes before the courts. Governor Johnny Luboya N’kashama is thus sending a strong signal to the armed groups in the region, demonstrating unfailing determination in the protection of civilian populations.