“Lifting of the state of siege in Ituri: a decisive round table to restore peace”

Lifting of the state of siege in Ituri: a round table to restore peace

A round table opened this Monday, August 14 in Kinshasa, aimed at finding solutions to end the ongoing state of siege in the province of Ituri in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This measure, put in place several months ago to fight against insecurity in the region, has not achieved the expected objectives according to many political actors in Ituri. This is why they recommend today the lifting of the state of siege.

Provincial politicians believe that the state of siege has failed to restore peace in an effective and lasting manner. They therefore propose to strengthen the presence of the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) in the region, by restoring the positions that have been depleted to fight the armed groups in North Kivu. In addition, they call for the acceleration of the Disarmament and Demobilization Program in order to put an end to the violence perpetrated by armed groups in eastern DRC.

However, some opposition politicians contest the legitimacy of this round table and believe that only the National Assembly can decide on the lifting of the state of siege, in accordance with the Constitution.

Despite the political debates, it is undeniable that recent months have seen a relative calm in Ituri, following the signing of a peace agreement between the armed groups last June in Aru. This renewed stability has enabled more than 12,000 displaced people to gradually return to their villages of origin. Joint military operations between the FARDC and the Ugandan army against the ADF rebels, as well as the presence of blue helmets from MONUSCO, have contributed to this improvement in the situation.

The ongoing round table in Kinshasa is therefore a crucial moment to assess the effectiveness of the state of siege and decide whether to maintain or lift it. The main objective is to find concrete solutions to restore peace and stability in the province of Ituri, and thus offer a better future to the inhabitants of this region so long affected by armed conflicts

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