**Fatshimetrie: CODECO militiamen occupy classrooms at Boa primary school**
There is concern on the Lake Albert plain as the situation in the Boa primary school, Djugu territory, is extremely worrying. Since November 5, six classrooms have been occupied by a group of CODECO militiamen, plunging the school community and villagers into fear and uncertainty.
According to local information, the militiamen, accompanied by their dependents, have invaded the area where the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo have few troops. This armed presence has already forced school authorities to temporarily suspend classes, disrupting the education of children in the region and depriving them of their fundamental right to education.
CODECO, whose activities threaten the stability of the region, has recently extended its influence by setting up in surrounding villages, including Mbechi and Boa. The inhabitants, fearing reprisals and exactions by these armed men, have fled to safer localities such as Tchomia and Kasenyi, on the shores of Lake Albert.
Human rights defenders and members of civil society in the region are dismayed, deploring the fact that hundreds of children have had to interrupt their schooling. They urge the authorities to act to dislodge the CODECO militia, a presence that generates a climate of fear and insecurity among the local population.
It is imperative that urgent measures be taken to restore peace and normality in this community living under the constant threat of armed violence. Children have the right to go to school, to receive a quality education and to grow up in a safe and healthy environment. It is the responsibility of the authorities and the international community to protect these fundamental rights and guarantee the security of all citizens of the Djugu territory.