By George Nzabanita, PISDEC Founder
Many of the prosecutions which have been conducted here in Rutshuru since November 2014 involved cases of kidnapping. Even though some culprits of kidnappings were convicted and sent to prison, this has not deterred local militias, with the collaboration of some civilians here in Rutshuru, from carrying out this dirty activity. Hence, this network has not been completely dismantled and some people in Rutshuru territory are still been taken into the forest. Kidnappers are asking for a large amount of money which the families of the victims have never even dreamt of having in their entire life. Rutshuru territory has become the theater of murder and kidnapping in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
On March 17, 2015, seventeen kilometers from Kiwanja town on the road to Butembo, an armed group of local rebels stopped and looted passengers who were traveling from Butembo to Goma. Eight passengers were kidnapped after having all their money stolen. Kidnappers are asking for thousands of dollars in order for the victims to be returned. Families of the victims are literally crying and asking the government to do all it can, to set their relatives free from the kidnappers. Shortly before, on March 16, 2015, a truck driver was kidnapped and a military officer who was with him was killed and another passenger wounded from bullet that struck his chest. He was rushed at Rutshuru Hospital for Medical care.
The area between Kiwanja and Rwindi on the road to Butembo has been notoriously insecure since 1998, with many of the FDLR and other local militia operating there, hunting wild animals in Virunga's national park and also cutting trees to make charcoal, even though Congolese soldiers , FARDC, and MONUSCO soldiers patrol it frequently.
The local population of Rutshuru are wondering how this growing insecurity and terrorism will end. Among the questions which that must be answered is the whether the government has the will to handle its responsibilities, including: sufficiently paying the Congolese army, punishing soldiers who do not perform their duties and who collaborate with armed groups, and fighting and disarming the local and foreign rebel groups operating in Rutshuru. As the situation persists, the population of Rutshuru thinks that their leaders have let them down and have failed to address the security issues of the area. When asked about the situation, a local peasant from Rutshuru town remarked: “We have died a lot and we continue to die and be kidnapped…Where we are going to get all that money kidnappers often ask? We are tied of this. We can’t go even to our farms because we are fearing rebels who are asking us to pay farming tax. They don’t beat you if you pay, but when you don’t give money, they can even kill you or beat you to death. Where is our government? What is it doing…?"
Local civil society together with local organization called Peacebuilding Initiatives for a Sustainable Development in Eastern Congo (PISDEC) are trying to advocate to both military and civil authorities in order to obtain a lasting security in Rutshuru territory which has been disintegrated by fighting. A sit-in and a peaceful march was planned in front of the administrator of the Rutshuru territory in mid-April 2015 and the civil and military authorities came to listen to people. That was a success for both the civil society of Rutshuru and PISDEC organization to have everybody come together and tackle the matter. Everyone was involved in finding a lasting peace in Rutshuru. The result was seen in a short while, a couple of days no more than a month, some kidnappers as the notorious such as Elias MANOTI was caught and convicted. After Elias MANOTI was convicted by the military tribunal, kidnappings diminished. Sadly on June 18, 2015 three workers of Save the Children were kidnapped at Buganza, ten Kilometres from the Congolese and Ugandan border, in a town called Ishasha; this town is located in the North-East of the North – Kivu province. One of the three was released after kidnappers were ambushed by the Congolese soldiers who rushed after non identified kidnappers. Sadly, another case of kidnapping happened on Sunday August 2, 2015. Seven Muslim Imam from Tanzania were kidnapped on the same road while they were coming to visit their Muslim members here in Rutshuru. The military response to release those victims and to pursue the kidnappers has been so slow.
Meanwhile, PISDEC is continuing to advocate for peace and security of civilians here in Rutshuru in particular and the whole North-kivu province in general. PISDEC is also educating people on how to vote, why to vote and whom to vote for. A candidate who will represent the will and address the security issues in a n effective ways so as to hold the government accountable for their doings in order towards justice and peace for a sustainable development of the whole country DRC and the whole Great Lakes Region.
Many of the prosecutions which have been conducted here in Rutshuru since November 2014 involved cases of kidnapping. Even though some culprits of kidnappings were convicted and sent to prison, this has not deterred local militias, with the collaboration of some civilians here in Rutshuru, from carrying out this dirty activity. Hence, this network has not been completely dismantled and some people in Rutshuru territory are still been taken into the forest. Kidnappers are asking for a large amount of money which the families of the victims have never even dreamt of having in their entire life. Rutshuru territory has become the theater of murder and kidnapping in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
On March 17, 2015, seventeen kilometers from Kiwanja town on the road to Butembo, an armed group of local rebels stopped and looted passengers who were traveling from Butembo to Goma. Eight passengers were kidnapped after having all their money stolen. Kidnappers are asking for thousands of dollars in order for the victims to be returned. Families of the victims are literally crying and asking the government to do all it can, to set their relatives free from the kidnappers. Shortly before, on March 16, 2015, a truck driver was kidnapped and a military officer who was with him was killed and another passenger wounded from bullet that struck his chest. He was rushed at Rutshuru Hospital for Medical care.
The area between Kiwanja and Rwindi on the road to Butembo has been notoriously insecure since 1998, with many of the FDLR and other local militia operating there, hunting wild animals in Virunga's national park and also cutting trees to make charcoal, even though Congolese soldiers , FARDC, and MONUSCO soldiers patrol it frequently.
The local population of Rutshuru are wondering how this growing insecurity and terrorism will end. Among the questions which that must be answered is the whether the government has the will to handle its responsibilities, including: sufficiently paying the Congolese army, punishing soldiers who do not perform their duties and who collaborate with armed groups, and fighting and disarming the local and foreign rebel groups operating in Rutshuru. As the situation persists, the population of Rutshuru thinks that their leaders have let them down and have failed to address the security issues of the area. When asked about the situation, a local peasant from Rutshuru town remarked: “We have died a lot and we continue to die and be kidnapped…Where we are going to get all that money kidnappers often ask? We are tied of this. We can’t go even to our farms because we are fearing rebels who are asking us to pay farming tax. They don’t beat you if you pay, but when you don’t give money, they can even kill you or beat you to death. Where is our government? What is it doing…?"
Local civil society together with local organization called Peacebuilding Initiatives for a Sustainable Development in Eastern Congo (PISDEC) are trying to advocate to both military and civil authorities in order to obtain a lasting security in Rutshuru territory which has been disintegrated by fighting. A sit-in and a peaceful march was planned in front of the administrator of the Rutshuru territory in mid-April 2015 and the civil and military authorities came to listen to people. That was a success for both the civil society of Rutshuru and PISDEC organization to have everybody come together and tackle the matter. Everyone was involved in finding a lasting peace in Rutshuru. The result was seen in a short while, a couple of days no more than a month, some kidnappers as the notorious such as Elias MANOTI was caught and convicted. After Elias MANOTI was convicted by the military tribunal, kidnappings diminished. Sadly on June 18, 2015 three workers of Save the Children were kidnapped at Buganza, ten Kilometres from the Congolese and Ugandan border, in a town called Ishasha; this town is located in the North-East of the North – Kivu province. One of the three was released after kidnappers were ambushed by the Congolese soldiers who rushed after non identified kidnappers. Sadly, another case of kidnapping happened on Sunday August 2, 2015. Seven Muslim Imam from Tanzania were kidnapped on the same road while they were coming to visit their Muslim members here in Rutshuru. The military response to release those victims and to pursue the kidnappers has been so slow.
Meanwhile, PISDEC is continuing to advocate for peace and security of civilians here in Rutshuru in particular and the whole North-kivu province in general. PISDEC is also educating people on how to vote, why to vote and whom to vote for. A candidate who will represent the will and address the security issues in a n effective ways so as to hold the government accountable for their doings in order towards justice and peace for a sustainable development of the whole country DRC and the whole Great Lakes Region.