The territory of Kwamouth has been shaken for two years by the instability caused by the conflict between the Teke and Yaka communities, giving rise to the formation of an active militia in several provinces, notably in greater Bandundu. This worrying situation was recently the subject of an interview given to Actualité.cd by Garry Sakata, an elected official from the Greater Bandundu region. In this interview, Sakata shared recommendations aimed at resolving this security crisis in a progressive and strategic manner.
According to the elected official, it is imperative to establish peace by force before engaging in any negotiations. This pragmatic approach must be followed by the return of populations to their places of residence before the conflict, as well as by the organization of a dialogue on the sites of the clashes, involving the real actors and victims of this conflict. Sakata insists that this dialogue should not take place in the air-conditioned rooms of Kinshasa, far from the realities on the ground, but on the spot, giving voice to local populations who have experienced the torments of insecurity.
The MP warns against superficial solutions and pseudo-agreements concluded far from the affected areas, stressing that these initiatives do not produce the expected effects on the ground. He also calls for legal action to bring those responsible for the abuses to justice, emphasizing that the conditions for crimes against humanity are present and that the justice system must actively engage in this direction.
Garry Sakata plans to take parliamentary steps to challenge the Ministers of Defense and the Interior, in order to obtain explanations as to the persistence of this deadly conflict. He insists on the need to carry out in-depth investigations and ensure the presence of the military prosecutor’s office on the ground, in order to shed light on the violence and identify the culprits.
At the origin of this crisis, a dispute over customary fees in the Masiakwa village degenerated into an inter-community conflict, leading to violence and population displacements. It becomes imperative to act in a concerted and determined manner to put an end to this spiral of violence and restore peace and stability in the Greater Bandundu region.