Transmitted copy for information:
Ref: n ° 006 / COJEUNAK-APRIL / 2018
– To His Excellency the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Head of State.
in Kinshasa / Gombe
– To the Honorable President of the National Assembly
– To the Honorable Speaker of the Grand North Caucus
– To the Honorable President of the Caucus of Deputies of North Kivu
– To the Honorable Vicky KATUMWA
– To the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior
(All) in Kinshasa / Lingwala
– Heads of Diplomatic Missions accredited in the DRC (USA, EU, AU, MONUSCO, France, Belgium and Russia)
– Minister of Defense and Territorial Integrity
– At the National Episcopal Conference of Congo, CENCO in acronym
(All) in Kinshasa / Gombe
To His Excellency the Governor of North Kivu in Goma / Himbi
– To the management committee of ACN-Kinshasa
in Kinshasa / Barumbu
Subject: Persistence of targeted killings in Beni-Lubero, North Kivu.
0. Introduction
1. We young Nande of Kinshasa, write this letter to express our deep indignation at the degrading security situation in North Kivu in general and in the territories and cities of Beni, Lubero and Butembo in particular.
2. This letter aims to raise the awareness of the Congolese population and Congolese state institutions, as well as the international community, about the carnage of the civilian populations of Beni, Butembo and Lubero in North Kivu because of their membership of the Nande Community. native of the area.
3. Thus, besides the introduction and the part of the annexes on the mapping of the massacres, this correspondence focuses on four points namely: the brief overview of the context, the Nande community and cohabitation, the analysis of the recent facts of news and recommendations.
I. Brief overview of the context
4. Since April 2014, the civilian population of Beni has been the target of targeted killings. These have unfortunate consequences for human life and state institutions: the unprecedented humanitarian crisis and mistrust of the state by the people, followed by the erosion of the authority of the state. The record of these four years of massacres is catastrophic: thousands of people killed savagely, thousands of people missing, hundreds of villages burned and devastated and thousands of people dedicated to wandering and indescribable poverty. These massacres would be the work of the alleged ADF, a Ugandan rebellion whose relations with Kinshasa evolve in a sawtooth.
5. The military operations launched for several years to combat these alleged ADF have brought nothing so far. They have rather militarized the area and creates an insecure transplant by uncontrolled soldiers whose pay is sometimes diverted. The parliamentary missions and the official missions of the politico-administrative authorities of the State summit descended to Beni because of these massacres only resulted in reports deposited in the drawers of the authorities without the situation improving on ground. This situation creates mistrust of the population vis-à-vis the government of the Republic.
II. The Nande community and cohabitation
6. North Kivu, like the other provinces of the DRC, is a space with a mosaic of tribes. This province, rich in natural resources and enjoying an important geopolitical and geostrategic position, opens the DRC to the Great Lakes region, a region whose expansionist spirit is hastening some well-known communities. These antagonistic attitudes are at the basis of the politico-military alliances that are made and disintegrated with serious consequences on the ethnic communities that live there and live there. North Kivu is not immune to this dynamic in the Great Lakes region. Thus it has always been the gateway to the instability of the DRC through the manipulation and complicity of certain tribes backed by neighboring countries who cherish the dream of domination beyond the conventional border of the DRC. our country.
7. This complicity seems to have historical facts, sad memory, the wars of the DRC / Goma, the CNDP, the M23 and the massacres of Beni-Lubero. The double game displayed by these communities thus undermines peaceful interethnic coexistence.
8. The Nande community, recognized for its nationalism and committed to the inviolability of the DRC’s borders, has long been the victim of a campaign of intoxication and hatred by the forces of evil, calling it a tribalist in which an entire people would be taxed from May-May, armed groups not originating from its territory. This misleading opinion unfortunately spread to the DRC institutions.
9. Yet, for a long time, the region of Beni-Lubero has always been hospitable and peaceful. As proof, members of other communities calmly exercise their professional activities in the public service, public and parastatal enterprises, as well as public and private institutions. This part of the Republic has even hosted great personalities from various communities on the national scale like Mrs. Olive LEMBE DISITA, Angel NYIRABITORO (Deputy Mayor of Beni from 2006-2018), Honorary Prime Minister Augustin MATATA PONYO , Hon. François NZEKUYE, all having lived in Beni territory. Not to mention General Charles BISENGIMANA in Luotu, Professor KANYANKOGOTE MPAGAZEHE in Butembo / Kambali and many businessmen such as the Fire RWAKABUBA SHINGA and NGEZAYO who have worked in the region, to name but a few.
From the foregoing, in the name of national unity and peaceful coexistence, Youth Nande takes this opportunity to grant a collective forgiveness:
– To all those who vilify and try to tarnish the image of the Nande community when it needs national compassion and solidarity;
– To all those who have the means of the State to secure the population victim of the massacres but who remain indifferent, or disinterested;
– To all those who play the super firefighter and who try to victimize the victim and prevent any procedure of setting in clear in these massacres of Nande.
10. Since 2010, there has been a movement of displacement of unidentified populations from the Masisi and Rutshuru territories. These populations are said to be armed with knives and firearms, part of which has settled south of Lubero, relying on the Nyatura militia, and another part bound for Boga, an area not far from Beni, currently considered as the scope of the massacres. These movements were suspended by a recommendation of the National Assembly and a decision at the level of the provincial government of North Kivu, in view of the security situation and the fact that Beni-Lubero is an operational zone that does not favor this. state of affairs because the enemy is able to hide from everything.
11. The Nande people have always been actors in ethnic cohabitation, but they still advocate for a sincere and non-hypocritical cohabitation with groups of unarmed people. Also, the Nande Community lives everywhere in the DRC and around the world. Its integration and promotion in host societies is justified by the fact that it does not interfere in the political, administrative or customary organization of the hospital space.
III. Analysis of recent developments
12. The rejection of the motion against the national defense minister during the plenary session of Monday, April 16, 2018, is detrimental to the Congolese population as a whole, which calls for an end to the massacres in Beni. Indeed, relying on the missions that Ordinance-Law No. 15/015 of 21 March 2015 setting the powers of ministries including those of the defense are included. It is in this logic that the « Jeunesse Nande » of Kinshasa was able to note the government’s inability to put an end to the insecurity and thus demands the resignation of the National Defense Minister:
13. In terms of the defense of territorial integrity on the ground, it is observed incursions and attacks by people unknown so-called ADF, of various nationalities leading terrorist actions in the policy of infiltration and occupation by gouging at a frantic pace the civilian populations. (See details in appendix).
14. In terms of organization and structuring of the army: the lack of control of the military personnel, the burrs of the uncontrolled elements, the circulation of FARDC uniforms in the hands of the attackers, the defective logistics, the irremovable officers with poor balance sheets, the lack of material motivation of soldiers at the front are signs that aggravate insecurity in the country.
15. In terms of the design, execution and monitoring of the integration and training of the army: we note the near presence of ex-M23 and CNDP rebels integrated as officers and soldiers who committed crimes in North Kivu province still operate in the same province they mourned compromising the public’s confidence in the military, a near total presence of the military, the absence of the creation of a specialized training center on asymmetric warfare, the deaf ear to the recommendation to erect Nyaleke in a training camp and the rehabilitation and equipment of the training camp in Kisangani closer than Kananga. The precariousness of the life of the recruits in the military training centers pushing them to give up.
16. In terms of ground, river, lake, maritime and air surveillance: There is the inaction of the army despite the announcements and alerts even see leaflets of alleged ADF that materialize under the helpless eye of our security forces. Thus, even today, even the government with more than 15,000 military personnel deployed in a small area of 40 km2 still can not identify the enemy.
17. Nande Youth is deeply concerned about the psychosis created by revelations at the meeting of Monday, April 16, 2018 when the President of the Republic would have described the Nande tribalists, although officially described as intoxicating. This situation coincides well with what the Nande community deplores despite its economic and demographic weight, its low representation in the national government (only one ministry only), among the officers (only one second commander), within the public agents (only one DG) besides the deliberate asphyxiation to the total abandonment of pro growth infrastructures. In addition to this there are false trials organized in Beni for the sole purpose of whitewashing the culprits like Mundos, who is cited in a variety of reports and charge the innocent. Without stopping, they go so far as to reduce the troublesome witnesses to silence, or even to threaten them with providing the false testimony of the convicted. As an illustration, the witness Jean-Paul NGAHANGONDI and the others whose names we do not know are today on the run of fear to suffer the same spells as those mentioned above. All these visible facts, combined with the ongoing massacres in the region, suggest a well-endowed conspiracy to exterminate this people.
IV. The recommendations
18. In the pacification process of North Kivu in general and of Beni-Lubero in particular, we recommend the following:
a) Re-evaluate the recommendations as formulated in the memorandum of the Cultural Association Nande / Kyaghanda-Kinshasa addressed to the President of the National Assembly on March 18, 2016;
(b) Conduct a parliamentary inquiry in the territories of Beni, Lubero and Rutshuru, and bring the culprits to justice;
c) Create a framework for the arrest of political actors, comanditaries, planners and stringers of these massacres, well known and pointed out by the local population during the humanitarian and awareness-raising mission of ministers from the North -Kivu;
(d) Continue the total and systematic neutralization of all local armed groups Mongol, Nyatura, Local Defense, Magrivi, Mazembe, Apcls, Cheka, Fountain, Les Fdlr / Rudi, Fdlr / Foka and Maimai, still active in this area;
(e) Restore the authority of the State in this area, which has long been under the occupation of armed groups;
f) Repatriate and / or otherwise identify all Rwandan refugees living in DR Congo;
(g) Raise military and police officers from North Kivu and South Kivu, whose acquaintance with local militias is well established;
(h) Collect firearms distributed by some political leaders to the civilian populations of Masisi, Rutshuru, Goma, Nyiragongo;
i) Encourage the framework of intercommunity consultations and support them in initiatives aimed at consolidating peaceful coexistence between communities;
(j) To take up the international survey in the region;
(k) To call upon an international force of the Artemis genus of Bunia;
(l) Require an International Criminal Tribunal for Beni;
m) Reassess the recommendations made in the various urgent appeals of COJEUNAK and open letter of the civil society of Beni-Lubero, cities of Beni and Butembo, which despite multiple arrests of the authorities, remained dead letters.
APPENDIX: TABLE OF REBEL INCURSIONS, REDITIONS, EMBUSCADES AND OTHER SECURITY INCIDENTS SINCE JANUARY 2018
1. On Tuesday, January 2nd, 2018 in Eringeti, FARDC second lieutenant BONGISA Faustin fires a shot at a civilian named KABENGE MUKENDI Prince. The fact is at 23h. The injured victim in the neck and thorax, refused to give a lift to the military reports the local civil society. The latter wants the military author of this act to be tried in a fairground in Eringeti balance a wounded civilian victim from Nyanya -ituri.
2. On Thursday, January 4, 2018, the FARDC note the disappearance of Mr. KASONGO BULEMO Honoré. This resident of Kisiki has not been visible since December 31, 2017. In his search, the military found only traces of his passage in Mapobu where the victim was trapping in this part of the group Bambuba-kisiki.
3. Sunday, January 07, 2018, the inhabitants of Ngadi get their hands on a woman in the morning. She is suspected of being an ADF element coming out of the bush, she would pretend to be a mute. The Batangi-mbau civil society reports that this woman was taken to the military camp of the place for analysis.
4. On Thursday, 11 January 2018, several civilians are taken into the bush by gunmen on the Beni-Kasindi road, precisely in Nyaleke. The victims, including Kasereka MANGWENGWE Jadot from RTGB, came from Kasindi. Arrivals between Nyaleke and Semuliki, motorcycles and vehicles fall into an ambush. There, a woman is wounded by a bullet, some are released and a dozen brought into the bush. The well-armed attackers are dressed in FARDC uniform.
5. The same Thursday, January 11, 2018, bullets were heard in Oicha around 8 pm. Everything is caused by a FARDC soldier who wanted to break into a house. The owner of the house having resisted, that is what led the two to fight over the soldier’s weapon. And in this fight, bullets were released from the gun, but without causing damage. The soldier was mastered thanks to the arrival of his companions.
6. The radios and television of Beni city and territory cut the signal to claim the release of Jadot MANGWENGWE.
7. On Saturday, January 13, 2018, General MBANGU MASHITA Marcel commander of Operations SOKOLA 1 Grand Nord launches new operations tracking the rebels of the ADF. Symbolic shots are fired at Matombo in a FARDC camp. By this gesture the army swears by the rebellious extermination at the price of the last sacrifice. To die to win.
8. Wednesday, January 17, 2018 in Mavivi, we talk about NDIVITHO Jean-Marie teacher by profession was shot in his shop and death followed. The fact happened the night of Tuesday to Wednesday. Popular events recorded
9. Thursday, January 18, 2018, the radios resume the activities but without a spoken newspaper. That, while waiting for the liberation steps to succeed.
10. On the night of Friday, January 19 to Saturday, January 20, 2018, the journalist Jadot MANGWENGWE is released by his captors. Credible sources speak of a ransom paid without saying how much.
11. Saturday, January 20 in the evening, the village of Banoli-Liva is attacked by alleged ADF, total disorder in the population. A woman named Jacqueline is dead. She was hit by the shrapnel of a bomb. Another civilian, teacher MUMBERE was hit in the head.
12. On the same Saturday, 20 January, a FARDC position is attacked on Kasindi Road between Nyaleke and Semuliki River. The record is not made public by the army.
13. On Sunday, 21 January, three civilians were killed and another was shot and wounded during a rebel attack on FARDC military positions in Kokola, a village in Bambuba-Kisiki about 20 km north of Oicha. Civil society also speaks of 4 missing persons.
14. On Wednesday, 24 January, the ADF attack a FARDC position in Opira, 3km south of Eringeti. The FARDC repelled the attack without any damage.
15. Thursday, January 25, 2018, one person killed, four others seriously injured and two missing. This is the result of an ADF attack in Tungudu 2km from Eringeti, Bambuba-Kisiki group. The fact goes to 9h.
16. On the same day, January 25, the city of Kasindi was attacked by Maimai militiamen. A maimai is killed. In the pursuit of the rebels, the military taught themselves to Christians in a Catholic parish. They believe in some of the attackers who have been hiding there. Some civilians and a priest were reportedly tied up.
17. On Tuesday, 30 January, more than five people were kidnapped by ADF rebels allegedly in Ruwenzori commune in Beni city.
18. On Wednesday, January 31, MASUMBUKO BWANAKAWA NYONYI, mayor of Beni escapes an attack. Two young people on a motorcycle threw a grenade into his jeep at night when he returned from his office. The urban authority managed to reject this explosive before it reacted. The criminals fled.
19. On Thursday, 1 February, two young men were shot and wounded in Kisiki near Maymoya in a Bambuba-Kisiki group. This happens around 8:30 pm These two civilian children of a soldier came from Lume for Mayimoya. Military sources speak of the attempt to cross the ADF, while the local civil society speaks of an attempt by the FARDC soldiers to loot.
20. On Friday, February 02, 2018 in the evening, the ADF incursion causes death to 4civiles and the disappearance of 4 others to Kithevya, village being in horse of the groups Bambuba -Kisiki and Batangi-Mbau; north-west of Oicha. Beyond the human damage, the village was systematically looted, including the health center of the place. At the time of the incursion, there was no FARDC position in the village. More than 5 times this village has been attacked.
21. On Sunday, February 4, 2018, Kithevya’s balance sheet became heavier. 2 other bodies are found in the Ngilingili bush.
22. On Monday, 05 February, the FARDC patrol discovered another body in Kithevya. This leads to 7, the number of victims of the ADF incursion on February 2, 2018 in the village.
23. On Wednesday, 07 February, the ADF tried to attack the village of Eringeti from Kasana. Soldiers based at a fence in Kasana, retaliated and the enemy fled
24. On Thursday, February 08, a FARDC soldier disguises himself at an ADF and asks everyone on his way to escape, because according to him, the ADF like him were around. Everything is happening in Makele near Kithevya. This soldier had the intension of stealing the goods of the population to the point of creating a return of those who wanted to go to the fields.
25. On Friday, February 09, 2018, ADF rebels invaded the village of Ngite near Mavivi around 6 pm, five civilians were killed, three houses and a motorcycle burned; the provision of a wedding carried away. That’s the record. The armed intervention was reported late at 20h. 4 were shot and the 5th victim is a woman who has a fit. There are also 5blessés reported.
26. On Sunday, February 11, 2018, another body was found at Masulukwede at about 900m from the road. This body brings to 6 the number of victims of the attack of Ngite Friday 9 February.
27. On Monday, February 12th, 3 other bodies are discovered in the mavivi-ngite bush. This brings to 9 the number of victims of the attack on Friday 9 February.
28. On Tuesday, 13 February, a FARDC soldier murders his fellow gunman in Mambanike near Oicha. The two would have quarreled because of a rival.
29. Mr. VIHUTHO, capita of the village Ntombi was found dead Friday, February 16 in the bushes of Kakwavya in North-west of Mayimoya in the group Bambuba-Kisiki. According to family members, he was reportedly killed by maimai in the area for some time.
30. On the night of Thursday February 15 to Friday, February 16, the teacher MUHINDO KOMBI SAFARI is threatened by two men in military uniform with firearms who have entered his shop in the Oicha1er district. The victim was injured in the leg. The population accuses the FARDC.
31.On Saturday, February 17, 2018, a 4fois4 vehicle of the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature, ICCN falls into an ADF ambush at Tungudu not far from Eringeti. The attackers launched a rocket on the vehicle causing 5morts and 8blessés. Two days later, two wounded are also dead. The vehicle was leaving Beni for Mambasa in Ituri.
32. On the night of Saturday to Sunday, February 18, 2018, Mrs. KAVIRA KIVAHIMBENDE was shot dead. This happened in Kazimoto, Kafeza around 8 pm The perpetrators of this murder are two armed men who are assimilated to the FARDC. They shot their target in the chest.
33. On Thursday 22 February 2018, the ADF rebels raided Mbau in the afternoon. The attack did not last because pushed back directly by the FARDC. A soldier and a rebel fell, 3 civilians killed to clarify the civil society.
34. On Sunday 25 February 2018, the ADF ambush Mukoko near Maibo. A civilian, a soldier are killed; a vehicle and a bicycle are burned, two wounded are also reported.
35. On Thursday, March 1, 2018, a Fuso-branded vehicle escapes an ambush at Tungudu on the Oicha-Eringeti axis around 11:00 am. FARDC soldiers chased the ADF attackers, killing one of them. His body was exposed to Eringeti.
36. The same Thursday, March 1st, the inhabitants of MambanikeII in locality Bakila-Tenambo denounce military harassment the evening hours.
37. On Saturday, March 03, 2018, ADFs enter Minibo, Baungatsu-Luna village near Eringeti. They killed 7civils and kidnapped 11 others.
38. On the night of Monday, March 5 to Tuesday, March 6, the ADF attack the village of Mangolikene near Beni-Boikene. Balance 7morts.
39. On Tuesday, 6 March, the ADF kill 3 civilians, including a couple on the Mbau-Kamango road between PK16 and PK17. All the victims are inhabitants of Oicha.
40. Tuesday, March 6 at 8 pm, 1 civilian ANGWANDIA ADO is murdered at his residence in Mambanike, Bakila-Tenambo village. This assassination is attributed to the FARDC according to the population who went down to the streets.
41. On 07 March 2018 in Mangolikene 9 people were killed including the couple of Udanga, Mrs. Marie and Mr. Maskos all of Rwangoma; Kalau’s MumbereMufunza and Kalalangwe, Taliata’s Vumi, Taliata Kanoya and Paida’s Djakis
42. On 09 March 2018 in the attack on Mavivi 7 people are killed including Mbusa MAGAZINE, Kulikoko, Sinatra, three bikers and a Papa
41. On Tuesday, 13 March, three people died on the Beni-Kasindi road following clashes between the FARDC and the alleged ADF rebels on the aforementioned road. Including KAKULE Kyasunza and his brother KambaleKyasunza and a motor taxi driver, living in the city of BENI.
42. On Wednesday, 14 March 2018, a FARDC soldier attempts to rape a girl at 18:45 in Mambanike-Oicha. The victim is called KAVUGHO MATATA Aimé. The soldier met her at the KIKAI water source. Trying to rape her, the girl fled and the soldier fired at her, fortunately the bullet passes by. However, the military retrieves the phone from the poor girl. In this insecure zone, this shot of the ball plunges the population into panic.
43. Thursday, March 15, 2018, a soldier crackles bullets during the day in Oicha-Mbimbi. No human damage, witnesses report that everything started from a sexual rivalry with a civilian.
44. Thursday, March 15, 2018, passage of the ADF to Kididiwe behind Nyaleke and Beni. 3 civilians are killed including Justin Kasereka of Butsili, KambaleNzole of Kaliva, Belgian MuhindoKathatho and 3 others who were found dead in the forest. The three bodies are taken to the city of Beni in their families. Civil society asks the army to do everything to free the hostages.
45. On Friday, March 16, 2018 at night, a civilian who wants to go to the toilet is shot by an armed man who hid in the plot. The ball passes by and the bandit vanishes in the wild. No investigation paid.
46. On Sunday, March 18, 2018, the ADF attacked the FARDC at Mapobu-Sesele deep in the village of May Moya. It is in a country already emptied by the population. Nothing filters the attack.
47. On Monday, 19 March 2018, socio-economic activities were paralyzed in the afternoon at May Moya village 13 km north of Oicha. Clashes between FARDC and ADF were reported in Kisiki-Mudole about 1 km from the National Highway No. 4. The entire population on the east side moved to the west side.
48. Monday, March 19, 2018, presentation at the parade of the Mayor of Beni, alleged bandits kidnapping perpetrators in the city and territory of Beni. The military prosecutor’s office presented some firearms and military uniforms held by thugs.
49. Tuesday, March 27, 2018, in Kasana 11 people are killed, about 150m of the military positions between 19h and 21h00 and 5 Kidnapped, in this part General Mbango was passing in this place and had gathered the military present, the population thinks that his presence had a purpose to give a slogan to operate the night by killing the people, the day of Wednesday an uprising of the population from Paida backed by the biker who cried theirs will be reprimanded by the military in Real bullets after the population have encircled a battle tank of the Monusco.
50. Wednesday, March 28, 2018, an attack occurs on the axis Beni-Kasindi, precisely in Kitchanga where a Motard is killed
51. On Tuesday, April 10, 2018, a person is slaughtered in Vemba in his field Mr MUMBERE KANDO inhabitant of the Kalinda Quarter in Beni.
OTHER TYPES OF REMOVAL AND KIDNAPPING IN THE AREA OF BENI 2018
Saturday, January 6, 2018, villages Mununze and Mangwengwete are attacked by six armed men. They systematically looted the property of the population on the spot and kidnapped 2 civilians including: Mr. GEDEON a taximan of his state and BAROO buyer of gold. Sunday, January 7, they are released after payment of a ransom.
Monday, January 22, 2018, 6 people including Father Robert MASINDA are kidnapped at Bingo near the farm school Nino BANGLIERI grouping Baswagha Madiwe. They are released Wednesday, January 24, 2018.
On the night of Thursday 25 to Friday, January 26, 2018, two people from the company ESCO-KIVU including Mr. KESEREKA KIGHOMA Zablon are kidnapped in Cantine, grouping Baswagha-Madiwe.
The night of Sunday February 11 to Monday, February 12, Mr. KALIRA MWANGA, director of the EP MANGWENGWETE was kidnapped in his house. The event took place in Nyoyo, 5km from the city of Mangina.
Sunday, February 18, 2018, the abbot MYATSI of the parish of Visiki is kidnapped at 17:50 ‘while it comes from a pastoral mission of Cantine, in grouping Baswagha-Madiwe. This priest will be found Monday 19 February 2018.
Done at Kinshasa, April 25, 2018
KAKULE KOLOBANI Treasor
COJEUNAK Spokesman
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