Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Bukavu (Fides Service) - A dramatic appeal to the national authorities to guarantee security for the people of south Kivu in the east of Democratic Congo has been launched in an open letter by Prof. Idesbald Byabuze Katabaruka who teaches Law at the Catholic University of Bukavu.
The appeal came after yet another massacre by armed militia operating in the area. During the night of October 9 a gang of armed men attacked the village of Kaniola about 80 km from Bukavu and murdered the population, brutally mutilating bodies of men, women and children.
“Left to their sad plight, with strength born of desperation, our people continue every day to count their dead and look with courage at the scenes of massacre, animated by faith that the future will be better” the letter reads.
Idesbald Byabuze Katabaruka called on the government of Congo to commit itself to disarming local militia groups in the framework of regional security agreement to include all the countries in the area.
Moreover, to promote peace on the Great Lakes Region, Congolese, Ugandan and Rwandan members of parliament have formed a Peace or Amani Forum (Swahili), committing themselves to identifying and collecting agreements signed by their respective governments with regard to security and preventing conflict in the area. The MPs intend to see the agreements do not remain only on paper, but are applied by the respective governments.
The MPs agreed to share information on common problems and to create a system of alarm and immediate reaction in the case of conflict, pushing the respective governments to conclude and apply extradition agreements with regard to criminals operating in the region. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 27/10/2005 righe 28 parole 320)
