In a region shaken by conflict and violence, the NGO Action pour la promotion rurale (APRU) works tirelessly for the repatriation of former Congolese hostages held by the rebel movement Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). At the heart of this humanitarian mission are some forty children, among whom 23 are still young and 23 are young mothers.
For years, these innocent souls have lived the unspeakable, imprisoned in a cycle of trauma and suffering. Thanks to the intervention of the NGO APRU, these survivors of horror are now gathered at the Gulu transit camp in Uganda, awaiting a long-awaited return to their homeland, the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The APRU regional coordinator, Jean-Claude Malitano, is making a poignant appeal to the Congolese authorities to speed up the repatriation process. He stressed the urgency of sending a team of experts to identify and support these children, in order to ensure their safe return. The reintegration of these survivors into their communities of origin requires not only considerable financial resources, but also holistic support to rebuild lives shattered by violence and oppression.
Thanks to the collaboration with the organization Pax/Pays Bas, the NGO APRU was able to set up a transit center in Faradje, in the province of Haut-Uélé, to offer adapted support to these damaged children. This transition place will serve as a springboard towards family and social reintegration, allowing them to find a semblance of normality after years of captivity.
Despite the deep after-effects left by their ordeal, these former hostages hope to be reunited with their loved ones and to turn the page on a painful past. Their poignant story highlights the resilience and strength of the human spirit in the face of the worst ordeals. It is now imperative that the relevant authorities act quickly to facilitate the return of these survivors to a better future, marked by peace and reconciliation.