A young Congolese man named Alpha is stationed in Saké, an eastern DRC hamlet, atop a hill.
M23 rebel forces lie beyond these hills in Saké, in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The rebels are one of over a hundred armed factions fighting for control of the mineral-rich region close to the Rwandan border.
Due to this circumstance, a large number of young people from the areas have joined the Wazalendo, also known as the Patriots in Swahili, a local armed group.
“I made the decision to pick up arms due to the state of security in my nation. We are battling the M23 movement, an adversary that is foreign, not Congolese, and is fighting the country. We will not allow them (M23) to seize control of our nation, declares Alpha.
How many of the Swahili nationalists who support the Congolese military forces have left Saké Wazalendo already? similar to certain inhabitants.
The enemy is on the opposite hill, as far as I can see. And here at home, alongside the government soldiers, are the Wazalendo, one of the armed factions against the M23 rebels. As long as the enemy is present, I’m not sure if I’ll stay at home or not, Bitakweya adds.
The UN peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of the Congo patrols the streets of Goma further east, away from the front lines.
Kinshasa claimed that Rwanda was supporting the M23 rebels, who are located only a few dozen kilometers from the North Kivu province.
“The strategy of MONUSCO depends upon the level of the violence that is created by the belligerent groups. It totally depends upon the level of threat that is posed by the illegal groups or for the protection of civilians,” Brig. General Ranjan Mahajan, Monusco Center Sector Commander for North Kivu explains.
The security situation is precarious, marked by recurrent clashes, massacres of civilians and massive population displacements.
The UN estimated in July that the North Kivu province was home to 2.8 million displaced.
(Africanews)
