Don’t expect solutions from those who wage war, says DR Congo bishop

Bishop Sébastien Muyengo of Uvira in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has condemned the security situation in the Great Lakes region and calls for peace, which requires true and sincere dialogue.

A dialogue based on lies can only lead to insignificant results, said Bishop Muyengo in his tenth year as head of the Diocese of Uvira (DR Congo) in the Great Lakes region plagued by insecurity and fighting between the M23 rebel group and government forces. 

The recent escalation of violence marks a concerning upturn in the group’s activities, as they have gone on the offensive, capturing territories. The situation has been exacerbated by accusations of Rwandan support for the M23, including the provision of heavy weaponry, which Rwanda denies.  Since February 7, the M23 armed group has launched an offensive near Goma, the capital of North Kivu, in the east of the DRC. 

Bishop Muyengo spoke with La Croix Africa‘s Prisca Materanya, and following is that interview: 

La Croix Africa: What is the current sociopolitical situation in the Great Lakes region?

Bishop Sébastien Muyengo: The multitude of conflicts around the world almost makes us forget what is happening in our region on the high plateaus of Uvira, Mwenga, and Fizi: there, foreign troops from Rwanda and Burundi, various Congolese militias, and the armed forces of the DRC are fighting, without always knowing very well who is with whom and for what cause.

Today, Minembwe (in South Kivu), like Bunagana (in North Kivu), have become like autonomous territories within the DRC. And to believe the information circulating on social networks, many elements of M23 waging war in North Kivu are increasingly infiltrating the high plateaus, ready to pounce on Uvira, Baraka, and why not join Bukavu. This would then be the completion of the balkanization process dreamed of by some, both inside and outside the country.