Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kisangani (Agenzia Fides) – "I'm ready to take up the pilgrim's stick as defender and herald of peace," Archbishop Marcel Utempi Tapa, Archbishop of Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) said in an interview with Fides.
Kisangani has an important role for peace in the DRC and the Great Lakes Region, because it was there that a training center for the Congolese Army was created with the help of the American Army (the training materials teach compliance with the laws of war and human rights) and it was where the first conference of religious leaders of the four countries affected by the violence of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) was held.
Archbishop Utempi Tapa expressed some considerations on the security situation in the region.
What is the role of Kisangani in the search for peace in the Great Lakes Region?
From the geographical and strategic viewpoint, Kisangani is situated in the heart of Africa. It is a position that allows our city to host institutions and leaders who can ensure the promotion of peace, not only for the DRC, but for the entire Great Lakes Region, and of course, for all of Africa. The war that devastated the DRC in recent years has caused untold damage to Kisangani, where two foreign armies (Rwanda and Uganda) have fought for control of the region's resources. Because of this conflict, we have suffered enormous loss on a human and psychological level, as well on the material and economic level.
The presence of a U.S. military training mission on the Congolese Army base in Kisangani could help improve security in the region, creating a form of persuasion and dissuasion. This base is well established in the area and there are plans to expand its facilities, to allow formation of a greater number of Congolese soldiers.
Could you describe the "problem" of the LRA?
The presence of the LRA in the Eastern Province has been reported with certainty since December 2005. In particular, the rebels of Ugandan origin have settled in Garamba National Park, which is located within the ecclesiastical boundaries of the Diocese of Dungu, and within the administrative district of Haut-Uélé. Over the last three years, the members of the LRA have started to commit violence on local communities: the looting of villages, kidnappings, especially of children, rapes, murders, especially of the elderly. This group now has a regional configuration that works in the DRC, southern Sudan, and the Central African Republic. Among its ranks are not only Ugandans, but also those of Congolese and South Sudanese origin, conscripted by force. The joint military operation conducted two years ago by the Ugandan Army and the Congolese Army against the LRA has not only neutralized the LRA, but has made its members scatter into small groups in Haut- Uélé, as well as in Bas-Uélé and the Central African Republic. The decision of the governments of Uganda and the DRC to seek a purely military solution to the problem has not achieved the expected results but, in contrast, has added to the fury of the guerrillas who have increased violence against civilians. Thus, even those of Central African have been forcibly recruited by the LRA. Faced with this tragic humanitarian and security situation, we have stated that the Church cannot remain indifferent. For this reason, I took the initiative to convene in Kisangani, February 2 to 4, 2010 (see Fides 02/05/2010), an International conference of religious leaders - not only Catholics but also Anglicans, Protestants and Muslims of the areas affected by the violence of LRA: the Eastern Province of the DRC, Uganda (Gulu Province), South Sudan (Juba and Yambio). Representatives of Central Africa were also invited, but were unable to intervene.
What were the aims of the Conference you convened?
The conference allowed us to fully understand the problem of the LRA and, in particular, the damage that its members have caused in our countries. We realized that the humanitarian and social needs are immense, as are the needs for safety. The displaced people are without food (because the crops were looted by the rebels), health care, and education.
In the concluding document of the conference, we proposed some recommendations. Among these, I remember the call to the international community to assist the displaced populations, providing them with food and essential services (health and education), as well as safe places for the collection. In terms of security, we have asked the governments involved to do everything possible to ensure the protection of civilians. Finally, to definitively resolve this issue, we launched an appeal to the four countries involved asking that they develop a common security policy.
Is there any hope for the future?
The conference in Kisangani is having results. We are pleased that the representatives of the DRC, Uganda, South Sudan, and Central Africa recently met in Bangui, to take a common position on the problem of the LRA (see Fides 10/15/2010). We hope that these meetings with the government multiply. As religious leaders, we have a dynamic that has already been developed, because after the meeting in Kisangani we held another conference in July in Dungu (DRC) and a third in September in Yambio, in southern Sudan (see Fides 14/09/2010). In February 2011, we will hold a fourth conference, probably in Central Africa. A preparatory meeting was held in Entebbe (Uganda), where they discussed ways to do lobbying and advocacy work. In our resolutions, we have decided to create a regional committee with the task of bringing the message of the religious leaders to the governments of our 4 countries. But we will not stop here, because we want to involve the European Union and the African Union to make them aware of this problem. We are ready to take up the pilgrim's stick as defender and herald of peace.” (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 15/11/2010)
