DRC: Monusco requests investigation into violence in Ituri

Last Thursday, March 1, the village of Maze located about 80km north of Bunia in Ituri, was the target of an attack that killed between 33 deaths according to the authorities, and 49 dead according to the Catholic Church.

The region is experiencing renewed violence between Hema and Lendu.

Not fewer than 76 people have been killed since December according to Unicef.

The UN mission in the DRC condemned the attack on Sunday, March 4, 2018.

Chief Leila Zerrougui said he was deeply “shocked” by last Thursday’s attack that targeted mainly women and children.

“This is a situation, once again, that is very worrying,” worries Florence Marchal, spokesman for MONUSCO, which recalls that the violence in Ituri is coupled with disturbing abuses against villages and their populations.

“In addition to the attacks, reports from our colleagues on site show, for several weeks, homes were burned, forced displacement, sexual violence against women.”

Florence Marchal recalls that the head of the Monusco, Leila Zerrougui, asks the authorities to quickly shed light on this violence.

“The UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative in the DRC, Ms.  Leila, said she condemned all forms of violence and called on the authorities to investigate the attack promptly and to ensure that justice is respected, fully rendered, and the perpetrators of these acts must be held responsible.

It is important that there is no impunity for those who have committed these attacks.”