Beni, North Kivu: Chronicling violence and responses by civilians and government
by Garrett Moore | January 10, 2015
Recent rebel violence around Beni in eastern Congo had resulted in the brutal murder of over over 250 individuals, mostly civilians, and displacement of over 88,000 people in eight weeks. The Ugandan Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) is the suspected perpetrator. Boston for Congo chronicles the atrocities and subsequent government and civilian response.
BFC calls on the UN mission in Congo (MONUSCO), the Congolese government and Congolese army (FARDC) to be more proactive and remain committed to peace and the protection of civilians throughout eastern Congo.
Timeline
by Garrett Moore | January 10, 2015
Recent rebel violence around Beni in eastern Congo had resulted in the brutal murder of over over 250 individuals, mostly civilians, and displacement of over 88,000 people in eight weeks. The Ugandan Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) is the suspected perpetrator. Boston for Congo chronicles the atrocities and subsequent government and civilian response.
BFC calls on the UN mission in Congo (MONUSCO), the Congolese government and Congolese army (FARDC) to be more proactive and remain committed to peace and the protection of civilians throughout eastern Congo.
Timeline
- 12/6: Over 35 civilians killed in a overnight attack by suspected ADF rebels in Beni
- 12/5: UN Special Representative in Congo, Martin Kobler, visits Eringeti, a town outside of Beni, that was the site of one the the recent suspected ADF attacks on civilians. He calls on the Congolese military (FARDC) and UN peacekeeping mission (MONUSCO) to react quickly and cohesively.
- 11/20: Suspected rebels of the ADF kill over fifty people with machetes and axes in villages just north of Beni
- 11/5: Over 200 individuals arrested in relation to recent attacks in and around Beni, announces MONUSCO. ADF fighters are among those arrested, and "[w]eapons, ammunitions, bombs, radio sets and other military equipment"
- 11/5: Congolese Ministers urge locals not to form militias to protect themselves in eastern Congo, warning that it would further complicate the conflict in the town of Beni that has seen a rapid increase in rebel attacks with inadequate Congolese government and UN response
- 11/4: Second day of fighting between MONUSCO-backed government forces (FARDC) and suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels
- 11/4: Mayor of Beni establishes curfew as civil society calls on government to declare state of emergency
- 11/3: Police quell additional protests that were response to an overnight attack that left eight dead including three women, a child, and two soldiers, reports a local civil society leader
- 10/30: Additional attack with eighteen people confirmed killed or seriously wounded; local authorities claim to have captured an ADF rebel in connection to attack
- 10/30: President Kabila visits Beni, expects no negotiation with "terrorists" committing violence, and requests increase of peacekeeping forces; request welcomed by UN
- 10/27: Martin Kobler, the head of UN mission in Congo, MONUSCO, demands proactive action for peace in eastern Congo while briefing the UN Security Council. He claims that UN "presence without action undermines our credibility", echoing recent complaints by community members seeking greater protection from UN and Congolese forces.
- 10/22: MONUSCO increases security at its North Kivu bases after additional protests resulted in damage to UN property. Civilian criticism of both UN and Congolese armed forces (FARDC) for not offering adequate protection increased recently in Beni after repeated rebel attacks. This mirrors similar local and international criticisms of the UN and FARDC's inadequate protection against the Lord's Resistance Army in remote north-eastern Congo.
- 10/17: Children "hacked to death" in second rebel attack in past week near Beni, North Kivu. This brings the total number killed in the past 10 days to 80. Kinshasa is in talks with Kampala due to unconfirmed reports that attacks were committed by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).
- 10/16: At least 26 people killed with machetes in Beni, North Kivu. Suspected perpetrator is the Ugandan rebel group, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).
- 10/13: Vice News releases story and images of survivors and the brutality of the Ugandan rebel group, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). Warning, graphic content.
- 10/8: MONUSCO reports the killing of nine civilians by suspected members of the Ugandan rebel group the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in the town of Oicha near Beni, North Kivu. The attack caused the displacement of 3,000-5,000 individuals. This increases the total number killed between October 5-8 to fifteen, including six children, and total number displaced in the past six weeks to approximately 35,000.