Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo patrol the streets
KINSHASA, June 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Over 40 civilians in the DR of Congo have reportedly been killed by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in the last three days, the Convention for the Respect of Human Rights (CDRH) has reported.
CDRH said the ADF massacred more than 40 people from Friday, May 27 to Sunday, May 29, in Beu-Manyama and Bulongo. The human rights organisation said many bodies were found next to burned vehicles and houses, which were looted clean in the territory of Beni (North Kivu).
In a statement, the human rights organization’s monitoring officer, Elie Kiyonga, expressed sadness at the scale of the mass killings of the civilian population by ADF, despite the joint FARDC-UPDF operations as well as the presence of MONUSCO in the Beni region.
However, Kiyonga indicated that it was time for the joint forces to do everything possible to put an end to the ADF atrocities.
CRDH recommended that the military command strengthen the workforce in Beu-Manyama given that Manyama is a crossroads linking the three territories of Beni, Mambasa and Irumu.
The organisation also recommended; “the military command to take preventive measures to secure the agglomerations located along the national road number 4, which are totally exposed; the military command to relieve all the officers from the brassage, outside the Sokola 1 operational zone; the military prosecutor to investigate the recent massacres of Manyama and Bulongo centre so that the responsibilities of each other are established and finally, that justice is done.”
Meanwhile, CDRH and other civil society organisations in eastern DR Congo have warned civilians in seven villages within the Beni-Mbau sector of the presence of ADF extremists within their vicinity.
In a statement released by authorities in DR Congo, the civil society groups, which work closely with the UN structures in DR Congo, also alerted the Congolese army (FARDC) about the existence of the ADF elements.
This was after locals reported sighting the rebels in the villages of; Samboko, Butuweyi, Mbingi, Carrière, Kasoko, Pakolu and Monge. The Civil society’s concerns follow killings by the ADF in which hundreds of civilians have in the past few months been butchered.
However, the spokesperson for FARDC Sokola 1 operations, Capt. Antony Mwalushayi assured the locals that the army has taken measures to secure this entire region.
“We have made a commitment to reinforce the troops on the other side so that the western part in general between Tchanitchani, Mamove, Mantumbi up to the side of Beu-Manyama, is protected and reinforced in the military to secure our population.”
According to Mwalushayi, the enemy is in disarray and they are seeking to reorganize in the western part of the Beni-Mbau sector.
“We started from Beni territory, on the Ruwenzori side to the east, and here is the enemy who was defeated on the Ruwenzori side, on the Kamango side, but he crossed to the west side, to hurt our population,” observed the FARDC spokesman based in Ituri.
Mwalushayi called on the population to calm down, saying they will work with them to “put an end to the ADF and their collaborators.”
Uganda and Congolese armies launched an attack on ADF extremists with air and long-range artillery strikes on Novr 30, last year. As a result, several ADF fighters have been killed and their camps captured.
On Wednesday, the Operation Shujaa commanders meet in Fort Portal, Kabarole district, to review the operation. — NNN-AGENCIES
