A group of 50 Congolese and 9 international civil society groups – including PAX – calls on the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the DR Congo ‘MONUSCO’ to improve their efforts to protect civilians from the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). This rebel group has abducted over 3,400 Congolese civilians and killed over 2,400 since 2008.
This makes the LRA one of the most violent armed groups in DR Congo over the past six years. In the view of the NGO’s the UN peacekeepers can play a more active role in protecting civilians and ending violence in DR Congo once and for all.
Do more
They should build better relationships with community leaders in LRA-affected areas of DR Congo. Improved information sharing can make a difference, as Congolese community leaders play essential roles managing early warning and protection systems and preventing local conflicts. The United Nations peace keeping mission MONUSCO can do more with the resources they have, the NGO’s stated in their letter.
Read the press release of the 59 civil society groups.