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| Courtesy photo |
Asenior UN official cautioned the Security Council on Monday that the security condition in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has continued to worsen over the past three months, despite a halt in defying between M23 insurgents and the federal army (FARDC).
“So far, the ceasefire between the M23 and the FARDC has held up relatively well and has contributed to some security gains”, said UN Assistant Secretary-General for Africa Martha Pobee.
“The relative calm in Rutshuru territory, for example, allowed more than 45,000 people from the Bishusha group to return home”, she said.
She cited, however, that M23’s withdrawal from the region has been “piecemeal, tactical, and political”, while the armed forces mob still regulates much of Masi's I and Rutshuru, together with the trend of people and goods in these regions.
Moreover, it's “offensive repositioning in recent weeks” puts up anxieties that hostilities could resume at any time.
Disarming M23
She praised the works of regional leaders to commit the parties concerned in executing the decisions of the Luanda Road Map and the Nairobi process. She repeated the eagerness of the UN mission in DRC, MONUSCO, to back up Congolese leaders with the “pre-cantonment and disarmament” of the strong rebel force.
Ms. Pobee said she was glad to note that last week, MONUSCO, the East African Community Regional Force, and the developed Joint Verification Mechanism had undertaken a reconnaissance mission to the Rumangabo base, to evaluate the situations for beginning the disarmament and demobilization method of M23 in earnest.
“For these efforts to bear fruit, it is urgent that the M23 withdraw completely from the occupied territories, lay down its arms unconditionally, and join the Demobilization, Disarmament, Recovery and Community Stabilization Programme,” she added.
She cited that the security gains in North Kivu are weak and beclouded by the eroding situation in Ituri province, which has suffered from the security vacuum created by the redeployment of FARDC to North Kivu.
More than 600 people have been killed by armed groups in the past three months, with CODECO, the Zairean militia, and the ADF, being the main perpetrators of these horrors.
The senior UN official urged all armed groups to “cease hostilities” and called for the redeployment of national security forces, especially in Ituri, to revive State authority.
In reaction to the ongoing insecurity in eastern DRC, MONUSCO continues to “do everything possible to fulfill its mandate to protect civilians.” In Beni, Bunia, Bukavu, and Goma, Mission-supported workshops eased pressures and strengthened local capacity to better respond to security challenges, including disinformation. At the same time, the Mission provided direct physical safety for civilians.
To date, between 50.000 and 70.000 displaced people are being safeguarded by MONUSCO forces in the Roe site, located in Djugu territory, Ituri.
Often ignored crisis
Condition has been further worsened by inflation, epidemics, and natural disasters, including last month’s floods in Kahele territory in South Kivu, which killed more than 470 people and left thousands missing. At the same time, nearly 26 million people, more than a quarter of the population, face food insecurity in the DRC.
The top African official conveyed special concern about the uprising number of women and girls who are becoming victims of gender-based violence and sexual exploitation. Gender-based brutality increased by 2.3 percent across the country and by 73 percent in North Kivu province alone, likened to the same period last year.
She said the humanitarian reaction falls far short of the unusual level of need, welcoming the start of a system-wide scale-up reply in eastern DRC for an initial period of three months.
Pockets of instability
In addition to protection and humanitarian challenges in the east, pockets of fluctuation have resurfaced in the west and south of the country. Brutality persisted in Mai-Ndombe, Kwilu, and Kwango provinces, and has spread to Maluku in Kinshasa province, Ms. Pobee said. Tensions and violence were also reported in Kindu, Tshopo, and Katanga.
She advised authorities to hold perpetrators to account and take steps to reinforce social cohesion to conserve stability in these areas.
Hate speech continues
She said she was particularly alarmed by “the restriction of civic space and the increase in hate speech” and conveyed concern at reports of an increase in violence against women political leaders and activists.
Following the scheduled exit of the peacekeeping task MONUSCO, she said it was necessary to “stay the course for an orderly, gradual and responsible transition“.
“MONUSCO’s departure is planned and initial steps are being taken in several areas. However, MONUSCO’s withdrawal must not compromise the protection of civilians. We must avoid creating security vacuums,” she said.
“An orderly and responsible transition depends on the ability of national security forces to deploy and respond effectively wherever the security situation requires it,” she insisted.
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