So here I am ready to offer you a new article that deals with a very topical subject in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This is the recent massacre of civilians in a site for displaced people in the Bahema Badjere chiefdom, in the territory of Djugu in Ituri. The attack was carried out by the militias of the cooperative for the development of Congo (CODECO), despite the peace agreement they had signed with the government.
According to sources on site, these militias attacked the site overnight from Sunday to Monday, causing several civilian casualties and burning many houses. The provisional toll is very heavy: around forty displaced people killed, including 23 children, and more than 800 burned down shelters. This new massacre perpetrated by CODECO illustrates the fragility of the peace agreement signed by local armed groups in Aru in February 2023.
The situation in Ituri is very worrying, with many abuses committed against civilians. Faced with this situation, MONUSCO called for rapid action to guarantee the safety of civilian populations. But despite the presence of the UN peacekeeping mission in the region, the militias continue to sow terror and reign insecurity.
In this context, it is urgent that the Congolese authorities take measures to put an end to this violence and to protect the civilian populations. Recent ongoing electoral reforms, which have sparked heated debate among senators, should not overshadow this urgency. The Democratic Republic of Congo must first guarantee the security of its citizens in order to be able to build a stable and prosperous future for the entire population.