The massacre perpetrated by members of the Cooperative for the Development of Congo (CODECO) militia in the Lala site for displaced persons, in Ituri, has aroused the indignation and disapproval of many actors in the international community.
On the night of Sunday June 11 to Monday June 12, around fifty people were massacred, according to a provisional report, by elements of this militia.
The European Union and the United States strongly condemned these attacks. They called on the Congolese authorities to open a thorough investigation as soon as possible to identify the culprits and bring them to justice, as well as to strengthen their efforts for a political resolution of the crisis in Ituri. The Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bintou Keita, also strongly condemned this attack.
The attack on the Lala IDP camp is a serious violation of international humanitarian law. Monusco, the UN mission in the DRC, has reinforced its security system in the area and urges the Congolese authorities to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice. She also called on armed groups to immediately cease violence against civilians.
This attack is a reminder of the unstable and dangerous situation in which eastern DRC finds itself, with in particular the rise of hate speech and communal violence. The security challenges facing the region also have a negative impact on the health and environmental situation.
Despite everything, some local actors continue to mobilize to promote peace and social cohesion, like the cultural group Kipfumu Bwenge Muisha, which performed recently on the occasion of the 63rd anniversary of the independence of the DRC. . Initiatives such as these contribute to the construction of a strong and engaged civil society, essential to bring the country out of the crisis.