News: the state of siege in North Kivu and Ituri: lifted, maintained or reclassified?
The Round Table on the state of siege in North Kivu and Ituri, opened by President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi, is about to end. The participants are called upon to decide between the lifting of the state of siege, its maintenance or its requalification. This decision arouses reactions from many Congolese who follow the work of the forum attentively.
A majority of people categorically oppose the lifting of the state of siege. However, they could consider its reclassification in order to correct the weaknesses of this exceptional regime. Why such opposition to the lifting of the state of siege?
Despite its imperfections, the state of siege brought generally positive results to the Republic. Although insecurity has not been completely eradicated, it has decreased considerably. This is particularly the case in Ituri, where the military administration controls nearly 90% of the security, political, economic, social and cultural situation. The vast majority of local negative forces joined the Disarmament, Demobilization, Social and Community Reintegration Program (P-DDRSC) during the Nairobi consultations, thus renouncing armed struggle and recognizing established authority.
The state of siege in Ituri has also allowed the revival of economic and agricultural activities, the reopening of roads, the resumption of school and administrative activities, as well as the implementation of a development program in the territories. The province of Ituri is reborn as a reunified administrative entity, with a decrease in the harmful activities of armed groups.
On the other hand, the state of siege has not yet produced the expected results in North Kivu in terms of the fight against insecurity, illicit mineral trafficking and the restoration of State authority. However, it has made it possible to identify the enemies of peace, both internal and external. There can no longer be any doubt about the instrumentalization of the M23 rebels by Rwanda, nor about the latter’s involvement in attacks on national sovereignty and the looting of natural resources in the DRC.
Thanks to the state of siege, the internal complicity that contributed to the precarious security situation in North Kivu is being unmasked, whether within the political class, national and provincial institutions, security forces security or the economic environment. Several influential personalities are currently being prosecuted for high treason to the fatherland.
The Congolese fear that the lifting of the state of siege will plunge the eastern part of the country into a worse situation than before. They therefore await with apprehension the final decision of the Round Table..
It is undeniable that the state of siege has had a significant impact in Ituri, contributing to an improvement in the security situation and to the development of the province. However, further efforts are still needed to achieve similar results in North Kivu. The final decision will have a major impact on the security and stability of the region, as well as on the perception of the rule of law in the DRC. It is therefore crucial to consider all aspects before making a final decision