A year ago, over 5000 people fled from this territory of the Ruzizi plain, following consecutive massacres and inter-communal tensions. Ever since, local authorities, MONUSCO and Civil Society organizations joined forces to facilitate the return of the displaced to their community.

Mutarule, 15 August 2015 – They were a few to bet a kopek for the return of the Mutarule displaced to their community with the commitment and mobilization of amongst others the United Nations Mission in the DRC; MONUSCO, since the June and August 2014 massacre, made every effort to facilitate the return that was celebrated on Saturday 15 August 2015. Day by day, MONUSCO mobilized its teams and resources to offer security guarantees and protect the displaced in Mutarule, roughly 1500 out of the 5700 who fled the village in 2014 – decided to return home on Saturday. The preconditions set by the displaced to return to Mutarule included, inter alia, their safety, besides income-generating activities or rehabilitation of the basic infrastructures during the August 2013 and June 2014 events (schools, health center, market, water wells, etc.).

Saturday 15 August 2015 was a festive day in Mutarule-Katekama. The locality, emptied of almost all its population in 2014 received the first returnees. Among those who witnessed the event, the population living in the neighboring villages, civilian and military teams of MONUSCO-Uvira, members of the Congolese Police and FARDC Battalions assigned to this post and the territorial Administrator of Uvira. Samuel Lungange Lenga said “it is a day of joy, regrets and reflection. We are happy to welcome back our brothers who left the village under the conditions known to you; we regret because they remind us the sad events of the last year; At last, reflection, because we must think of finding means and ways to prevent recurrence of such events”.

For the purposes of a safe and dignified return of the population to Mutarule-Katekama, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (HCR) availed two trucks which made several rotations between Kasenga, Uvira, Sange, Kyanunda, Nyakabere and Mutarule. Other displaced decided to walk or take their own means (motorbikes, cars...) to return home. Upon arriving, the chief of village, also displaced, notable Bireke Saidi, decided to mo mobilize the population, starting next week to do the cleaning work in the village, invaded by weeds for over a year. Altogether, 362 households, say more than 1500 persons, returned to Mutarule on Saturday 15 August. The rotations will go on Monday.

United Nations support for the Mutarule displaced return goes beyond the logistic means. Within the framework of civilian protection and the restoration of state authority, MONUSCO, amongst others, worked for the restoration of trust between FARDC and the displaced, with the deployment of a new team and of command. The United Nations Mission in Congo also opened an island of stability dedicated to the Plain for a better interaction with the populations. As part of the Quick Impact Projects (QIP), MONUSCO funded the construction of 2 offices for the Immigration Department for a better control of the border on the Ruzizi river; it also built 2 water wells one of which was officially handed over to the returnees on that Saturday.

Moreover, besides joint patrols with FARDC, MONUSCO established an operational military base (COB) in Mutarule; likewise, it organized several inter-community sports as well as social and cultural activities; it pleaded with the authorities for increased police strengths; the Police receives support in terms of fuel to enable them to carry out their activities; MONUSCO also organized dozens inter-community meetings which helped resume dialogue between the different communities.

On top of those actions and several others, three visits were made by Martin Kobler, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in the DRC, within 9 months; Early Warning Mechanisms were put in place to verify allegations and other threats on the civilian populations. Those are the actions taken with the help of MONUSCO’s advocacy which helped restore confidence and persuaded thousands displaced to return to Mutarule.

Jean-Tobie Okala