The Civil Society in Bahema-Nord, Ituri province is reassured by MONUSCO’s and FARDC’s patrols

The Civil Society in Bahema-Nord, Ituri province is reassured by MONUSCO’s and FARDC’s patrols. Photo MONUSCO/Force

3 Jul 2020

The Civil Society in Bahema-Nord, Ituri province is reassured by MONUSCO’s and FARDC’s patrols

Jean-Tobie OKALA

The Civil society in Bahema-Nord, Djugu Territory, Ituri province, has welcomed MONUSCO’s action which helped to restore calm in this entity located approximately 73 kilometres from Bunia, east of the DRC.

The head of this structure, Charité Banza, who spoke on the UN radio Radio Okapi in Bunia on Thursday, July 2, 2020, declared that thanks to the intensified MONUSCO peacekeepers’ patrols, the populations of the locality of Roe and its surroundings, including Chai, Maze, Drodro, Largu, Djedha…, and more particularly the displaced people, now live a peaceful life:

"We commend the effort made by MONUSCO in Roe, having recently increased their patrols which help the once insecure displaced persons to now spend peaceful nights. There is also a good collaboration between Monusco and the civil society in Bahema-Nord. With the night and day patrols conducted by the Bangladeshi troops serving within MONUSCO, the population are no longer afraid of going about their business," said Charité Banza.

With the night and day patrols conducted by the Bangladeshi troops serving within MONUSCO, the population are no longer afraid of going about their business.

The leader of the Civil Society in Bahema-Nord has also welcomed MONUSCO peacekeepers’ promptness in swiftly responding to the population’s alerts.

"When faced with a raid by Codeco attackers and when MONUSCO is called upon, the latter reacts immediately by deploying its tanks and troops, which put to flights the militiamen. We are living peacefully, although the attackers are never far away; but thanks to MONUSCO peacekeepers and the FARDC, we are somewhat reassured”.

Furthermore, from June 25 to 27, three journalists from Bunia were embedded in Bangladeshi peacekeepers’ patrols in the Roe region to allow them as media professionals to see for themselves how peacekeepers fulfil their mission of protecting civilians and deter criminal activities by armed groups.

One of them said after the mission "based on the reality we have seen with our own eyes, we have understood that we should not trust the rumours spread by some people for the purpose of denigrating peacekeepers’ work”.

The territory of Roe, in Ituri, is facing activism by militiamen from CODECO armed group, whose members regularly commit atrocities against the civilian population.