**Fatshimetrie: Fighting the Darkness for an Enlightened Nation**
For decades, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has suffered the horrors of violence perpetrated by armed groups, sowing terror and mourning entire families. Between September 20 and November 29, 2024, MONUSCO reported alarming figures: 427 people lost their lives, victims of this violence, mainly attributed to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), M23, CODECO, Nyatura, Mai-Mai groups, Wazalendo and FDLR.
The human rights violations recorded have raised outrage: 910 cases, 69% of which are attributable to armed groups. Civilians, already weakened by decades of conflict, continue to face horror, suffering abuses, targeted attacks and summary executions.
The report highlights state actors also involved, such as the FARDC, responsible for violence and abuse. Far from protecting the population, some law enforcement agencies contribute to worsening an already precarious situation. Detention centers, supposed to ensure security and justice, become places of suffering and injustice, where men and women die for lack of basic care.
In North Kivu, the M23 stands out for its brutality, inflicting untold suffering on innocent civilians. Let us mention the tragic case of a 7-year-old girl, the victim of a barbaric vendetta targeting her father, wrongly accused of belonging to the Nyatura forces.
In addition, the inhumane detention conditions denounced in the report raise crucial questions about respect for fundamental rights and the State’s duty to protect its citizens. It is essential to challenge these abusive practices, where the life of an individual does not weigh heavily in the face of arbitrariness and negligence.
It is urgent to join forces to break this cycle of violence and injustice, to make the DRC a country where peace and dignity reign. Congolese citizens deserve a better reality, where security, human rights and justice are not empty words, but solid foundations on which to build a prosperous future.
Ultimately, it is the responsibility of everyone, the forces present and the international community, to work together to illuminate the darkness that besets the DRC, and to ensure that “Fatshimetrie”, the era of a nation enlightened by justice and peace, becomes a tangible reality.