By Paschal Norbert
GOMA, MARCH 9, 2024 (CISA)- Catholic Bishops of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have condemned the indiscriminate bombing of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at Lac-Vert and Mugunga camps, resulting in the death and serious injury to people, including women and children, on the outskirts of the city Goma, in the Province of North Kivu that occurred on May 3.
“The Bishops who are members of CENCO condemn with the utmost energy this barbarity which constitutes a denial of humanity and remind its authors that human life is sacred and belongs to God who will not leave them unpunished,” read the statement dated May 6, 2024, and signed by Fr Donatien Nshole, the Secretary General of National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO).
The bombing which has claimed at least 18 lives with 32 wounded details the heightened tensions of the conflict between DRC forces and the Rwanda-backed rebel group M23. The fighting which has moved closer to Goma has forced many people to seek refuge in the city.
“It is difficult to understand that the M23 rebels, supported by the Rwandan army and the loyalist FARDC forces who are confronting each other, are inviting themselves to position themselves on either side of a camp for displaced people which has existed for years, thus permanently exposing poor people who already live as if they were left behind. It is also surprising that this tragedy occurred at the gate of GOMA, a hyper-militarized city where many indications were given inviting the competent authorities to be on maximum alert to secure the population,” said the bishops.
In the statement, the bishops appealed to the M23 rebels to lay down their arms “because the Congolese cannot pretend to save the Congo by killing the Congolese,” and also pleaded with Rwanda to stop supporting the rebellion and the rebel group.
“We ask the African Union and the United Nations to launch an independent investigation to establish responsibilities, and to bring together the various stakeholders involved in this conflict which has already caused many deaths, to immediately stop the war,” stated the bishop members of CENCO.
