The town of Butembo, located in the province of North Kivu, was the scene of a paralysis of socio-economic activities last Saturday June 15. This paralysis was caused by the call for a dead town day launched by the pressure group “Standing Parliament of Furu”. The objective of this day was to denounce the recent attacks perpetrated by ADF rebels which caused the death of around a hundred civilians in the localities of Kantine and Kambau, in the territory of Beni.
The consequences of this call were quickly felt across the city, with shops, stores, markets and other activities closing. Residents responded overwhelmingly to this call by staying at home, thus contributing to the immobilization of usual activities.
From the start of the day, barricades were erected on the main arteries of Butembo by the demonstrators of the Standing Parliament of Furu. The latter also set fires before being dispersed by the police. It should be noted that the police had to use shots in the air to disperse the demonstrators, while avoiding the use of more violent means.
Civil society reported that most residents preferred to stay at home for safety reasons, while waiting for the situation to calm down. This day was therefore marked by palpable tension and a certain fear among the inhabitants of Butembo.
It is important to emphasize that this type of demonstration reflects the deep dissatisfaction and anger of the population in the face of the precarious security situation in the region. Recurrent attacks by armed groups, such as the ADF, have a devastating impact on the civilian population and require urgent and effective responses from the authorities.
In conclusion, the dead city day in Butembo was a strong signal of citizen mobilization against the insecurity and violence plaguing the region. This peaceful but resolute protest demonstrates the desire of residents to see their fundamental rights respected and to live in a safe and peaceful environment.