Since that fateful day of July 29, the city of Oicha, capital of the Beni territory in North Kivu, has been plunged into unprecedented socio-economic chaos. The streets usually animated by the noise of motorcycle taxis are deserted, the doors of shops remain closed, and the central market remains strangely silent.
This paralysis is the response of the inhabitants to the call of the local civil society, urging them to observe a three-day strike to express their anger and frustration at the inaction of the authorities after the horrific killings that cost the lives of more than a hundred people in the Babila-Bakaiku group, near Mamove.
Isaac Kavalami, president of the civil society of Oicha, raises with emotion the deafening silence of the authorities in the face of this tragedy: “It is abnormal that lives are lost in such circumstances without any authority having taken a position on these events. In one week, more than 100 people have been torn from their loved ones, and the silence persists”.
Reports from local civil society speak of a terrible massacre that decimated 100 individuals in the space of a week. The bodies of 35 victims were found in the morgue of the general hospital of Oicha, testifying to the barbarity of these acts. The inhabitants were mercilessly attacked with machetes and axes in their own fields, in localities such as Katerain, Kota okola and Nzakiya.
This three-day strike is, according to civil society, a cry of despair and revolt against the inability of the authorities to protect citizens. “It is time for the authorities to take responsibility and ensure the security of the population, instead of simply collecting taxes without guaranteeing peace and protection,” emphasizes Isaac Kavalami.
The violence perpetrated, attributed to the ADF rebels, a group affiliated with ISIS since 2019, continues to increase in intensity in the region. Despite Operation Shujaa led by the Congolese and Ugandan armies since November 2021, the violence persists, causing more than 1,000 human losses in a few months. The situation is particularly critical in the northern part of the Beni territory and in the south of the Ituri province, where this violence has intensified.
The population of Oicha, in love with dignity and justice, is mobilizing to denounce these atrocities and demand a radical change in security management. By joining together, they hope to make their call for help and action heard, reminding the authorities of their fundamental duty to protect and serve their people. It is high time to act, to end impunity and restore peace in this conflict-torn region.