the citizen's blog
The restructuring of the FSRDC will not affect the financing granted by the World Bank. The Congolese authorities have reassured the World Bank about the legal motivations for this reform and are currently working with it to find transition solutions in order to calmly continue the operations in progress.
Virunga National Park was attacked on Thursday by armed men identified as Mai Mai, leaving four dead and six injured. This attack targeted a convoy of technicians working on development projects for the benefit of local populations. ICCN condemned this act and called for the opening of an investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice. Virunga National Park is one of the most important parks in Africa, but it is regularly the site of clashes between armed groups and authorities. The eco-guards have already suffered several attacks.
In North Kivu, DRC, two self-defense groups are fighting over the management of the Kyavinyonge fishery. The fighting threatened the safety of the local population as well as fishing activities. General Robert Kasongo ordered the combatants to leave the area and reassured the population that the FARDC are committed to pacifying the region. This phenomenon of self-defense is growing in the DRC, which requires the intervention of the authorities to restore peace and security in the areas concerned.
Gen. Aphaxard Muthuri Kiugu, a senior Kenyan army officer, took over as the East African Community Regional Force Commander, following the resignation of Gen. Nyagah. General Kiugu brings experience in peace and stability missions, notably in the DRC in 2003 and 2004. Although the East African region is unstable due to the presence of M23 rebels, the contingents of the Regional Force have made progress in terms of protection of civilians and humanitarian support. The new commander aims to maintain cooperation and collaboration with all stakeholders to continue making progress and ensuring security and peace in the region.
Military cooperation between the DRC and Belgium is under discussion in the face of the Rwandan aggressions camouflaged by the M23 terrorists. The Congolese and Belgian defense ministers are discussing the possibilities of reviving their military cooperation to respond to this threat. This article also mentions other current issues in the DRC, such as the increase in human rights violations, the contestation of financial governance and the establishment of a climate of terror by the Mobondo militia. Finally, African journalists are trained in investigative journalism against corruption, a subject at the heart of concerns in the DRC.
The United Nations Joint Human Rights Office has just published its report on human rights violations in the DRC in March 2023. It reveals a 12% increase in human rights violations compared to the previous month, for a total of 495 documented violations. Armed groups are responsible for the majority of cases with 376 human rights abuses while state agents committed 158 cases. The most affected provinces are North Kivu, Ituri, Tanganyika and South Kivu. The protection of children is highlighted with 190 serious violations of children’s rights recorded. Action must therefore be taken to stop human rights abuses in the DRC.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the UDPS party is demanding the resignation of the governor of the province of Kasai Oriental for having mismanaged public finances. The UDPS accuses the governor of having received a sum which constitutes financial evasion and accuses the provincial authorities of lacking transparency in financial management. Faced with this situation, the General Inspectorate of Finance has frozen all the accounts of the province and the UDPS is asking for the intervention of the central power to save the population in danger. The political situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo is complex and with an opposition that demands more transparency from local elected officials.
The United Nations inter-agency mission has handed over new offices and computer equipment as well as means of transport to the Congolese national police in the province of Kasaï. The National Professional Preparation Institute (INPP) has also received new equipment, as part of a project to strengthen the capacity and efficiency of the police in the province. However, questions remain as to how these resources will be used and the transparency of their management. Beneficiaries should make good use of this equipment and monitoring measures should be put in place to prevent any misuse.
This article relates the concern of the bishops who are members of the Provincial Episcopal Assembly of Kinshasa in the face of the upsurge in the activities of the “Mobondo” militia in the province of Kwango in DR Congo. Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu denounces the situation of terror experienced by the population and recommends an analysis of the security situation to appease the people with a powerful message. This situation is a reflection of the insecurity of the most remote Congolese regions, which calls for political reflection to allow a peaceful life for the population.
This article traces the story of Laurent Désiré Kabila, who fought to free the Congolese people from Mobutu’s dictatorship and succeeded in doing so in 1997 with the help of his foreign allies. He brought many significant changes to the DRC, but was ultimately betrayed by his former comrades, leading to continued insecurity in the east of the country. Despite the security challenges facing the DRC, the national coordinator of the club “Vision Modeste Bahati Lukwebo” calls on the Congolese to take ownership of the fight of this “People’s Soldier” for an independent Congo.