RDC: La CENCO Denonce Les Attaques Contre Veglise Catholique et sa Hierarchie (11.01.2018)

RDC: Proces Contre les ADF et Leurs Collaborateurs, Encore 6 Verdicts Rendus a Beni (10.01.2018)

RDC: Groupes des Catholiques pour la Paix (G.C.P) – “A l’Attention de l’Archeveque Metropolitain de Kinshasa Son Eminence le Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya” (10.01.2018)

RDC: U.P.L.C – “Declaration Politique” (08.01.2018)

Secretary-General announces Special Investigation into attacks on peacekeepers in Democratic Republic of Congo (08.01.2018)

This Special Investigation will include a focus on the 7 December attack in Semuliki, in which 15 Tanzanian peacekeepers were killed, 43 wounded and one remains missing.

NEW YORK, United States of America, January 8, 2018 – The Secretary-General today (January 6, 2018) announced the appointment of Dmitry Titov of Russia to lead a Special Investigation into recent attacks on peacekeepers and peacekeeping bases in the Beni territory of North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo. This Special Investigation will include a focus on the 7 December attack in Semuliki, in which 15 Tanzanian peacekeepers were killed, 43 wounded and one remains missing.

The Special Investigation will examine the circumstances surrounding these attacks, evaluate MONUSCO’s overall preparedness and response to the events and provide recommendations on how to prevent such attacks from occurring in the future or when they do occur, from having such lethal consequences. The investigation team will travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo early in January and will also visit relevant countries in the Great Lakes region.  In addition to officials of the United Nations, the team will also include two military officers from Tanzania.

Mr. Titov joined the United Nations in 1991. He served as Assistant Secretary-General for Rule of Law and Security Institutions in the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) from 2007 – 2017.  Mr. Titov also served as Africa Director in DPKO’s Office of Operations.

South Sudan: SPLA GHQS – Bilpam – “Press Release on Shootings Outside of Juba” (05.01.2018)

Opinion: We never learn, the conflicts doesn’t stop!

This year has been bloody and the doomsday switch is itching. The trigger fingers are used on dozens of battlefields. Some places with hope of peace and of just rule. It is other places, which is in dire need of change and quickly. The are continuation of wars and conflicts. Internally and across borders. There are possible new problems and making it more hectic. As so many nations have porous borders where militias and armies are floating in between. Since also even with supposed arms blockade to certain conflict zones, the merchants of death is delivering their loads.

The battles continues, the ramifications of innocent lives, villages burnt and kids disappearing. The utter violence and crimes against humanity. That get touched and burned for war-lords, generals and Presidents to stay in power. While AID and NGOs are afraid of sending help and often also stopped. The United Nations might have troops in the nearby area, but easier to get a towing vehicle, than armed supported of a IDP Camp. The insurgency and the escalations, the results is death.

It happens, as the world is looking at Premier League, NBA and Formula One. It is happening while Miss Universe is lost on a God-Forsaken Island. We never know why these innocent lives had to die. We just read the numbers in small notices in the papers and moves on.

That is not justice, that is not right. We didn’t learn anything. Nothing. It continues daily in South Sudan, Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Yemen, Burma, Burundi, Mali, Niger, Cameroon, Nigeria and the list goes on. To many nations have internal conflicts or conflicts across their borders. Where merchants are securing the deaths of the innocent.

It happen all through the year. It didn’t stop. It continues and we just watch. We let it happen right under our nose for all sort of different reasons. This isn’t the big-man complex within me, this is the man who questions the world order and wonder when will it stop. We should not accept these deaths. It could be me and next time you. Who knows when conflicts will strike our shores and our clan. We never know, the future is not written yet, but we can make sure that doesn’t happen to them. That we shield and stop the aggressors. The endless violence and death. The destruction of society, of families and of basic functions.

Where the men and soldiers with the guns are respected and the law, where the respect and protocol is bypassed. Where the institutions and the general code of law is undermined at any moment. Where the bullet has the final say, where the use of weapons and ammunition; is the final outcome to any trade. The justice is what the guns say and the ones that uses them. The ones that is supplying it, is making sure the vote get heard and the War-Lord get signed off.

The determination and the lack of will, the mismanagement and the international community lack of acknowledge the reality. The blood-thirst and the power-hungry individuals who rule and who uses this to silence the public. Send them packing and fleeing. Take their lands and the resources. Secure their future, while the majority is in utter disgrace in foreign lands. They fear and wonder when peace will be in their village and around their home. If it is safe and if the government will promise their safety.

This is what we should be afraid of, that people are afraid of their homes and their lands. That they are afraid of returning, because they know that they might lose their lives and also their children. This is the evidence of the crime that is committed. What is taken from these people. We learned nothing in 2017, as the conflicts are continuing and no peace in sight. No justice and no respect for human dignity, as more innocent lives are taken away everyday before their time. Peace.

South Sudan: CTSAMM Press Release (05.01.2018)

RDC: Violence dans l’Archdiocese de Kinshasa pendant le 31 Decembre 2017 – Note Technique (03.01.2018)

South Sudan: SPLM-IO Memo – “Kidnapping of SPLM/A-IO Kapoeta State Governor, Marko Lochapio Lokidor, by the Kenyan Authorities” (30.12.2017)