Young people from the Ngadi district, located in the city of Beni (North Kivu), recently paid tribute to the victims of the massacres by inaugurating a symbolic monument called “October 15 Monument”. This work was erected by the local community to perpetuate the memory of the first victims of the attacks perpetrated in Beni by the ADF.
It was on October 15, 2014, nine years ago, that thirty-three civilians were brutally murdered during an attack in Ngadi. This sad event left its mark and remains engraved in the collective memory of the population.
The president of local civil society, Stéphane Mbakama Nikonja, underlines the importance of this monument in the process of mourning and commemoration: “This monument is for us the symbol of a painful memory of our missing compatriots. The name of the stadium where our young people play football in Beni is already that of October 15. But for us, residents of the Ngadi district, this was not enough to honor the memory of the victims. This is why we launched this project to build the monument of the 15 October here in Ngadi, by mobilizing the population to obtain the funds necessary for its realization.”
For Stéphane Mbankama, this monument is a tragic reminder of all the unfortunate events that occurred in Ngadi on October 15, 2014. He appeals to the authorities so that peace and stability are restored in the region so that everyone can return home. him in complete safety: “What we want above all is peace. We can lose a lot of things, but peace is invaluable. It allows us to continue living and going about our daily activities in complete peace. We want to be able to return to our villages, to our homes, to our respective communities, and that is why we ask the authorities to do everything possible to restore peace in the region.”
The construction of this monument testifies to the resilience and desire of the inhabitants of Ngadi not to forget the victims of these terrible events. It is a way for the community to remember, pay homage and express their legitimate demand for peace and security.
This October 15 monument is much more than a simple stone structure, it embodies the courage and determination of a population who refuse to give in to violence and who aspire to a better future.
Beyond the construction of this monument, it is important that local and national authorities invest fully in the search for lasting solutions to prevent such tragedies and guarantee the safety of the population. It is also essential to promote dialogue and reconciliation between communities in order to promote social cohesion and peaceful cohabitation..
By inaugurating this monument, the young people of Ngadi are sending a clear message: they want their voice to be heard, they want the memory of the victims to be preserved and they aspire to a future where peace and justice will prevail.