The recent violence in Oicha, in the Beni territory, North Kivu, continues to arouse horror and dismay. The Kyavisiko cell, one of the neighborhoods affected by the massacre of civilians, is today a deserted place plunged into terror. The doors of the houses are closed, the streets are deserted, the local population having fled en masse.
The tragedy that unfolded in this neighborhood will leave indelible scars. The plot of Mr. Julien Kakule, a teacher at Tembwe primary school, bears witness to the horror that struck the region. He, his wife and their four children were brutally murdered with machetes.
Today, only the cries of pets residing in the plot break the silence, while neighbors, traumatized by the atrocities committed just meters from an army position, have fled the neighborhood. The population is demanding the departure of the military so they can rebuild.
Survivors testify to the horror they experienced. Kakule Bwanandeke, a courageous resident still present in the cell, expresses his anger: “In this area, 11 people were killed. All my neighbors left the neighborhood, because it is unacceptable that people are murdered so close to a military position . We demand the departure of all soldiers from here so that we can take our destiny into our own hands.”
The tension remains palpable in the city. The police are on alert in sensitive areas to prevent any possible demonstrations. Nearly twenty soldiers and police officers were deployed at the Oicha roundabout. While awaiting the funeral, the bodies of the 26 victims, including 12 children who were still attached to the corpses of their parents, are currently resting in the morgue.
The Oicha tragedy once again reminds us of the fragility of the situation in this region of the DRC. It is urgent that measures be taken to ensure the safety of populations and put an end to this spiral of violence.
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Author’s note: This text is an adapted rewrite of the original article to improve fluidity and clarity while respecting the substance and the subject covered.