The local armed groups in Ituri signed, on Thursday June 1, 2023, a memorandum of understanding in the capital of the territory of Aru in the province of Ituri. This historic agreement was reached between four of the most deadly militias in the region, namely FRPI, FPIC, URDPC/CODECO and MAPI. This signature follows negotiations that began on May 26 of the same year. The memorandum of understanding covers the cessation of violence against civilians, the free movement of people and their goods, the facilitation of the return of displaced persons, the cessation of movement with weapons or military indices, among other measures.
The signing ceremony took place in the presence of the 32nd military region commander who chaired the meetings, MONUSCO, the administrators of the territories as well as other stakeholders. This protocol is an important step towards peace and stability in Ituri, where violence by armed groups has become commonplace for a decade. However, it remains to be hoped that these commitments will be respected on the ground so that the population can regain the security and peace to which it aspires.
Although this agreement is commendable, the reactions of certain political and social actors have been mixed. While some people have welcomed the historic agreement, others are concerned about the method. The provincial deputy Mugisa Byarufu, elected from the territory of Djugu, where CODECO operates in particular, insisted on the need to force these militiamen to lay down their arms. He considers that the government must be firm with them, otherwise the population will never be safe.
In short, this signing of the memorandum of understanding by four of the local armed groups in Ituri is a hope for the population of this region. It offers a glimmer of hope in an environment where acts of violence have been commonplace for many years. Nevertheless, for this agreement to become a reality on the ground, concrete actions must be put in place to guarantee the security and protection of the population.