The inhabitants of the chiefdom of Bahema Baguru, in the territory of Djugu in Ituri, can finally breathe a wind of relief. After months of unrest and insecurity, the situation in this customary entity is gradually improving. Local civil society welcomes this return to security, which allows different communities to come closer together and live together in peace.
According to Gédéon Dino, coordinator of the civil society structure of Bahema Baguru, this change is tangible. Residents of Sesele, for example, can now safely go to Lopa and Jina markets to purchase food crops such as cassava and vegetables. For their part, the populations of the Lopa and Jako-Ndahura groups go to Sesele to exploit the Morgue quarry in search of gold.
This peaceful cohabitation was made possible thanks to the awareness campaign led by the NGO Action pour la Paix et la Concorde since last July. Members of different communities realized that it was beneficial to come closer and live together in harmony.
This rapprochement between communities is also seen in other entities in the region, such as the chiefdom of Bahema North and Walendu Tatsi and Pitsi. The populations frequent the markets of Saliboko and Dzud’a together, a sign of a common desire for peace and reconciliation.
These advances are encouraging, but much remains to be done to pacify the entire region. The displaced populations, which number more than one million seven hundred thousand people according to humanitarian figures, are impatiently waiting to be able to return to their villages in complete safety.
In conclusion, the gradual return of security in the chiefdom of Bahema Baguru in Ituri is a glimmer of hope for the inhabitants of the region. Thanks to awareness and the desire to coexist peacefully, communities come closer together and regain trust. However, it is essential to maintain these efforts and extend peace to the entire region in order to allow the return of displaced people and guarantee a better future for all.