Goma, 30 September 2010 - After a money changer was killed by an armed man in Kiwanja town, Rutshuru territory on 25 September, the population suspected the people in the local camp for internally displaced persons to be involved in the killing. In protest the population had established three road blocks on the main road connecting KIWANJA to RWINDI and the crowd threatened UN and civilian life and property. Kiwanja-based peacekeepers of the Indian Battalion under the North Kivu Brigade launched a strong patrol and cleared the road blocks.

In the morning of 26 September, a crowd of 400-500 people gathered around the IDP camp and tried to attack the people and burn the huts. The peacekeepers whose mission is to protect all civilians, launched more than 150 blue helmets including officers, junior commissioned officers and other ranks along with four combat vehicles to protect the IDP camp. The crowd threw stones and used sticks fixed with knives to break in the security cordon and burn the IDP camp. However the officers and men of the Indian Battalion demonstrated professionalism and restraint to control the agitated crowd. During the incident, two officers received injuries while they were trying to bring the situation under control.

Meanwhile, the territorial administrator of Rutshuru, the commander of the 133rd Brigade of the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC), and the local chief of the Congolese National Police (PNC) were contacted to come on the spot to defuse the tense situation. After reaching the site, along with the commanding officer of the Indian Battalion, they appealed to the people to calm down and assured to address their concerns.

The North Kivu Brigade commander, the head of MONUSCO North Kivu office, and human rights activists also reached Kiwanja and interacted with the civil administration and the local population. The IDP camp was then thoroughly searched for any weapon which the population had alleged, but nothing was found. This information was given to the population and was broadcasted on two local radio stations to reassure them of MONUSCO's commitment to address their concerns.

On the evening of 26 September, information circulated that young people of Kiwanja were planning to attack the IDP camp in the hours of darkness. To prevent any incident and loss of life, the Indian battalion cordoned off the entire IDP camp. The cordon remained throughout the night. The following day, 27 September, calm had returned to the IDP camp of Kiwanja, thanks to the efforts and swift action of the Indian contingent.