Bukavu, 4 June 2011 – A joint team comprising several sections of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) recently made a security and sociopolitical assessment visit to Nindja, 80 km north of the Sud Kivu provincial capital, Bukavu following the departure of the National Armed Forces (FARDC.)

The departure of the FARDC from this area paved the way for an incursion by combined elements of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), and a Mai-Mai rebel group of the "Résistance Nationale Congolese" (RNC).

This combined group reportedly took control of Nindja which has huge mineral and agricultural potentials. It is one of the two chiefdoms in the territory of Kabare, situated 50 km from Bukavu.

During the visit the team learnt of a number of criminal acts that were allegedly committed by these rebel groups in different areas. For instance they were reported to have looted the villages of Kalinganya, Lwizi, Chololo and Lugerero between 11 and 13 May. The insecurity thus created by their presence forced the local population to flee and seek refuge with FARDC elements posted some distance away.

Against this backdrop, MONUSCO's Sud-Kivu brigade decided to deploy a Mobile Operational Base to Kabona, more than 80 km west of Bukavu. Local populations also appealed to MONUSCO for better protection through Temporary Operational Bases, and through the deployment of a DDR/RRR team to sensitize FDLR troops in the area, and also to take measures to end illegal mining.

Biliaminou Alao/ MONUSCO