Shabunda, 18 September 2013 - A multidisciplinary team from the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) conducted a mission to Shabunda in South Kivu province, from 11 to 13 September 2013, to raise public awareness on the need and justification for the UN Mission's plans for nighttime training fights in the territory.

The team, composed of staff from the Public Information, Political Affairs, Civil Affairs and Aviation sections of MONUSCO, was dispatched to Shabunda after the local population staged a protest against the planned nighttime operations of MONUSCO aircrafts, even if the UN Mission had successfully conducted similar air maneuvers in other districts of South Kivu, including Uvira, Baraka, Minembwe, walungu and Mwenga.

The team held a very tense meeting with members of the Shabunda Security Council on 12 September, during which a MONUSCO Action representative explained that the envisaged nighttime training flights are critical as they are meant to strengthen security in South Kivu, bring assistance to the government and the population, and to allow MONUSCO aircraft crews to train for the use of nighttime maneuvers.

At the end of the meeting, some local participants remained opposed to MONUSCO aircrafts landing at night, while others accepted to form a local committee to monitor the UN Mission's nighttime exercises on the Shabunda airfield and to report its observations to the population.

Biliaminou Alao/MONUSCO