In the DRC, a group of armed men assimilated to the Mai-Mai militiamen kidnapped several farmers in the Banuka village in the Bombo chiefdom, Mambasa territory. According to local civil society sources, this attack took place on Saturday, June 10, and the victims were taken hostage in their fields to serve as porters for the attackers’ loot. Also, some of the hostages managed to escape to raise the alarm.
Engameza Guysha, the coordinator of the citizen organization of the Bafwambaya groupement, called for army patrols in this mining area in order to protect the local population. This situation adds to a series of similar attacks in the region, fueled mainly by territorial disputes and inter-communal rivalries.
In addition to this local news, the Democratic Republic of Congo is facing several major challenges: the reintroduction of white rhinos in the Garamba National Park, the increasing violence of armed groups in the province of North Kivu and their impact on the security of civilians, mining sector development initiatives and the inclusion of women in such initiatives, as well as police accusations of murder and rape in some neighborhoods of Kinshasa.
Through these events, an emerging question arises: can the DRC count on mining multinationals to get out of poverty? The economic dynamics of the country are largely dependent on the mining industry, which in fact relies on a local workforce, often marginalized rural communities, and on access to natural resources that are largely disputed. The sector, dominated by foreign companies, does not benefit the local population and raises difficult ethical questions.
In short, armed violence, economic development initiatives, the reconstruction of the mining sector, the inclusion of women, the societal impact of foreign investments: so many subjects that bear witness to the state of the DRC today. Through their news, the Congolese show their determination to defend their country and their future