Fatshimetrie is on everyone’s lips at the moment. Eyes are turning to two Catholic parishes, Sainte Marie Médiatrice de Kpandroma and Bienheureuse Vierge Marie Reine de Jiba, located in the territory of Djugu, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. These places of worship were the scene of an event that deeply upset the faithful and the entire local community.
Indeed, the doors of these two parishes were sealed simultaneously by CODECO militiamen, an action as unexpected as it was mysterious. In addition, two lay faithful, the vice-president of the pastoral implantation sector council in Kpandroma and the parish secretary in Jiba, were taken hostage by the attackers, thus plunging their loved ones into anguish and uncertainty.
The reasons for this radical act remain unclear for the moment, but some suggest a possible repercussion of the remarks made by the Bishop of the Diocese of Bunia, Dieudonné Uringi, during his recent visit to the territory of Djugu. Indeed, during a Eucharistic Mass, the Bishop had launched a poignant appeal to the CODECO militia, urging them to renounce violence and return to reason after years of chaos and unimaginable violence inflicted on the local population since 2017.
Asked on this subject, the Catholic diocesan chancellery of Bunia confirmed the sealing of the parishes and revealed that the attackers are demanding a ransom to release the hostages. A situation that is all the more worrying as it highlights the persistence of kidnappings and exactions perpetrated by armed groups in this region already scarred by years of conflict.
It is therefore urgent that concrete measures be taken to stop this spiral of violence and instability that threatens the peace of local populations. Bishop Uringi’s call for reason must be heard and followed by actions to restore peace and security in this region, where the population legitimately aspires to live in dignity and serenity, safe from the permanent threat of armed groups.
In these troubled times, when violence seems to take precedence over reason, it is essential that the international community mobilize alongside local authorities to put an end to these abuses and guarantee the protection of the most vulnerable civilians. Together, it is possible to restore hope and confidence in a better future for all.