MONUSCO Peacekeepers' Arrival Rekindles Hope in Mambasa

A sense of hope has returned to Mambasa in the Ituri province following the deployment of the MONUSCO Rapid Intervention Force. For the past week, the presence of these peacekeepers has offered a glimmer of optimism to a local population weary from persistent activism by ADF rebels. Community leaders have pledged to cooperate with security services, including reporting suspicious movements, as they engage with a mixed MONUSCO delegation visiting Mambasa-Centre.

The Mambasa territory has endured nearly four months of relentless ADF attacks. Local sources report that dozens of villages have been targeted, resulting in over 150 deaths, significant material damage, and the displacement of thousands of residents. The Forces Vives de Mambasa civil society group views the joint presence of MONUSCO peacekeepers and FARDC soldiers as crucial support in the fight against armed groups and for enhancing regional security.

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We welcome the arrival of MONUSCO in Mambasa, especially the force that comes to meet our need. Mambasa is under threat from the enemy ADF. With the arrival of the MONUSCO force, Mambasa will be saved.

Mungeni Yuma, the coordinator for Forces Vives de Mambasa, welcomed the deployment, stating, "We welcome the arrival of MONUSCO in Mambasa, especially the force that comes to meet our need. Mambasa is under threat from the enemy ADF. With the arrival of the MONUSCO force, Mambasa will be saved." This sentiment reflects a widespread desire for increased security and stability in the region.

Representatives from various community segments have expressed their readiness to bolster collaboration with security services to facilitate military operations against the ADF. However, they also urged the forces on the ground to respond swiftly and effectively to alerts provided by the population. "We are supposed to collaborate with the security services so that things work. We have always done it. But, unfortunately, the reactions are timid or arrive late," noted Marie-Noëlle Anotane of the New Civil Society of Congo (NSCC). This highlights an ongoing tension between the community's willingness to cooperate and the perceived shortcomings in the security forces' response times.

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We are supposed to collaborate with the security services so that things work. We have always done it. But, unfortunately, the reactions are timid or arrive late.