The interim military governor of North Kivu, Maj. Gen. Peter Chirimwami has prohibited Wazalendo militia group members from roaming around Goma city with guns and asked them to set up base at the frontlines.
“We should no longer see a wazalendo commander in town with a weapon. And the wazalendo headquarters must be removed from the population, and set near the FARDC,” said Maj. Gen. Chirimwami.
The Governor noted that Wazalendo’s positions must instead be located on the front lines to clean up the tourist city with defence and security forces.
The Wazalendo derived from Volunteers for the Defense of the Fatherland (VDP) or simply patriots have recently been behind a string of execution-style murders in Goma city forcing residents to live in panic and fear.
On Friday, elements of the Wazalendo militia group met with the Goma city authorities after the public raised concern over the deteriorating security situation in the city in which dozens have been gruesomely murdered.
The meeting aimed to raise awareness among Wazalendo a volunteer militia group on the notions of international humanitarian law.
According to the interim military governor of North Kivu, Major General Peter Chirimwami, “During the meeting, civil society and MONUSCO shared ideas on human rights, and several resolutions were made.”
Jean Claude Bambaze, president of the civil society of Rutshuru in North Kivu, said, “We leave with a feeling of satisfaction because, at a certain point, we had just noticed that the VDPs were starting to behave as they wanted and it was no longer a question for them of respecting human rights.”
“Once again, wazalendo had to be called to order, for them to understand that they are also liable to justice when they commit abuses, at least for us it is a feeling of satisfaction,” said Bambaze.
Wazalendo Commander Beauer Luanda said, “We have been equipped in matters of international humanitarian law. We will therefore ensure that in the exercise of our work,” he promised.
Wazalendo elements are present in the provinces of Ituri, South Kivu and Tshopo.
These meetings took place the day after cases of fatal shootings, robberies, looting and other abuses which led to at least 10 deaths, in the space of less than 72 hours in the city of Goma.
On Thursday, April 11, the police mayor of Goma, Senior Superintendent Kapend Kamand Faustin, announced the arrest, by specialized services, of the alleged perpetrators of the robbery, which left at least four dead on Wednesday evening in Goma in the Himbi district, along Goma-Sake road.
