– One month later, day by day after the first returnees arrived at Mutarule, their future is still uncertain; some of them are disappointed whilst others say they have been abandoned, disappointed by “the unfulfilled promises”. One of the rarest returnees with an income-generating activity, who sells cow milk, rather praised MONUSCO for “not abandoning them’”…

In Mutarule, from sun set to sun rise, returnees stay idle; some young people cut trees to sell fire wood, but that is not enough! Others wonder why they returned home. “after receiving all kinds of guarantees to return, we find ourselves abandoned to our fate”, declares Kenge Kimanuka, thirty years old. “if the Government is aware of our plight… “ ! Why shouldn’t they help us? We only see MONUSCO staff every day.

However, the 470 families of returnees versus 350 three weeks ago – voiced their grievances against the United Nations Mission in Congo. If security has improved on the spot with effective reinforcement of the Congolese Police and FARDC presence and change of the units commanders for both forces, if MONUSCO managed to install an operational military Basis in that village, Mutarule returnees are blaming MONUSCO for not fulfilling other promises promptly; especially with regards to micro-credits, rehabilitation of Health centers and schools in the village or construction of markets. They also recalled that during his visits to Mutarule, Martin Kobler, Chief of MONUSCO and Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General pledged to “plead the cause of Mutarule with humanitarians… Unfortunately, neither humanitarians nor NGO has come to our rescue… “. During his visit to Mutarule on 24 August 2015, Martin Kobler expressed his “disappointment” due to the lack of humanitarian response…

This morning’s meeting between MONUSCO-Uvira Public Information and the Mutarule returnees served as an explanatory session and an opportunity for the head of the public information MONUSCO-Uvira to remind its interlocutors what MONUSCO is: basically a Peacekeeping Mission; what it is not: a development or humanitarian agency or achievements made with support from MONUSCO: two water wells built through Quick Impact Projects (QIP), security enhancement in and around the Village, establishment of local protection Committee, advocacy to the Government with a view to increasing the strengths of the Police and FARDC personnel, and establishment of a Committee of the Wise in Mutarule I and Mutarule II tasked to reflect on the inter-communal relations.

The returnees applauded the efforts but highlighted the need for development projects susceptible to help the community to combat unemployment and poverty, which is the responsibility for other stakeholders.

Jean-Tobie Okala