Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Bukavu (Agenzia Fides) – Great grief and indignation arose in Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu (eastern Democratic Republic of Congo), at the murder of Didace Namujimbo, a journalist of Radio Okapi, informational agency supported by the United Nations Mission in Congo (MONUC) and the Hirondelle Foundation (foundation based in Switzerland, designed to support independent mass media organizations in difficult situations).
Namujimbo was killed on November 21, by unknown hitmen, as he returned home from a day of work.
The Kataliko Foundation “Actions Pour l'Afrique” sent Agenzia Fides a statement on the similarities between this murder and that of others who fought for peace in truth and justice in Bukavu. “This homicide, after that of Serge Maheshe, of Kabungulu, Archbishop Munzihirwa, and other social leaders, is done with the goal of silencing those persons with their own opinion, or a different opinion, or who know the enemies of the people all too well...” says a statement from the Kataliko Foundation, which takes its name from Archbishop Emmanuel Kataliko of Bukavu, who died in Rome in 2000 and who fought for peace in Kivu. Archbishop Kataliko took the place of Archbishop Munzihirwa, who was assassinated on October 29, 1996 - after the war, which eventually led to Mobutu's fall, had broken out.
Pascal Kabungulu Kibembi, defender of human rights, was assassinated on July 31, 2005 in his home, in front of his family. Serge Maheshe, also a journalist from Radio Okapi, was assassinated on June 13, 2007. The alleged assassins were tried in a court process that was later criticized by civil society leaders for its lack of veracity.
The local non-governmental organization Congolese Action for Peace and Democracy, CAPD, said, in a statement sent to Agenzia Fides, that “in spite of the presence of the International Crime Court investigators, human rights violations continue in the DRC territory.”
In the meantime, in North Kivu, a serious incident has been reported between MONUC Blue Helmets and soldiers from the national army, when army soldiers at a certain check-point stopped two UN vehicles. Reports say that inside one of these, there were a dozen men dressed in civilian clothing and others in uniform. The Blues Helmets said that they were Mai-Mai militia, allied to the government. However, the soldiers believed that they were rebels of Laurent Nkunda. The group of men were then severely beaten, without the UN soldiers being able to intervene. The local people began to insult them and throw stones at the UN soldiers, who were rescued by their companions from a nearby base. The locals suspect that the UN is acting in complicity with the rebels. (LM) (Agenzia Fides 24/11/2008)
