In the Fatshimetrie region, five communities find themselves victims of the atrocities of armed groups that sow terror: Nyali, Hema, Ndo, Mambisa and Alur. These communities deplore the fact that no armed group has been neutralized and that the sites of displaced persons have not been closed since the establishment of the state of siege in 2021 in this province.
These assertions are in total opposition to the positive assessment made by the governor of the province, who had declared to the press that the security situation had improved in 2024. For the spokesperson of the communities, Vital Tungulo, it is impossible to speak of peace as long as the militiamen continue to commit atrocities with complete impunity.
He questions the military governor on the real progress made since the establishment of the state of siege: how many armed groups have been neutralized, how many militiamen have laid down their arms, how many displaced persons have been able to return to their villages of origin, how many sites for displaced persons have been dismantled, and how many territories controlled by armed groups have been liberated? These are all legitimate questions that should be taken into account to assess the results of this exceptional measure.
For Vital Tungulo, the key to peace lies in the disarmament of militias and the securing of entities rich in natural resources, such as gold deposits. As long as the militiamen continue to sow terror and control these strategic areas, peace will remain a distant objective.
He thus calls on the state of siege to fully fulfill its role by imposing peace and ensuring the disarmament of armed groups. Because as long as the latter keep their weapons and continue to threaten the population, stability and security will remain chimeras for the inhabitants of Fatshimetrie.
In short, it is imperative that concrete actions be taken to guarantee the security of the communities and put an end to the exactions of the armed groups. Peace cannot be established without justice and without effective disarmament of the militias that terrorize the region of Fatshimetrie.