Islamist Insurgency in Eastern DRC
The Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the most natural resource rich countries in the world. Despite this, the Congolese people live in poverty and their land is wrecked by war. The Congolese bishops recently issued a statement about the east of the country, where amongst other things, an Islamist group is carrying out an insurgency.
By ACN Staff
Aftermath of an attack in the Butembo-Beni Diocese. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)
The last few decades have seen a lot of suffering and unrest in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The country has been tormented by unrest, rebellion, and civil war. Not many people are aware that there is an insurgency in the eastern part of DRC by an Islamist group from Uganda. This group is called the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and was originally set up to try to establish an Islamic state in Uganda. So far, the ADF has failed in its goals but has spread the area of its operation out of Uganda and into the neighbouring eastern part of DRC.
The Islamic insurgency has made a difficult situation for the Congolese people even worse. Since 2013, 6,000 people have been killed in conflict in the province of North Kivu in the east of DRC. On top of this 3 million people have been displaced and 7,500 people have been abducted.
Aftermath of an attack in the Butembo-Beni Diocese. (Credit: Aid to the Church in Need)
There is certainly a concerted effort to Islamise the east of DRC. Many of those who have been abducted and held by the ADF have reported after escaping that they were forced to convert to Islam. The percentage of DRC’s population who are Muslim is hard to say, as accurate demographic information is difficult obtain. Over half of the Congolese people are Catholics, with around 90% of the population being Christians. The estimates of the Muslim population ranges from 1-10%, although it is likely under 5%.
DRC’s bishops issued a statement about the current situation in the east of the country. This is a relatively unusual development and follows a fact-finding mission to the east of DRC by representatives the Association of Ecclesiastical Conferences of Central Africa last year. The statement talks about the seriousness of the current situation in the east of DRC:
“The situation of insecurity in the East is a veritable crisis, which is affecting the whole country. We cannot hope for the development of this country as long as the East remains under the control of predators.”
The bishops state that the ADF and others are using current instability in DRC and the relative weakness of DRC’s armed forces to advance their own religious and political goals. The bishops commented on the people’s lack of faith in the civil authorities:
“The people feel abandoned. The promises by the central government to rapidly restore peace are plentiful, but in many cases they have remained without any effects.”
The bishops also commented on people’s distrust of the UN peacekeepers in the area. People are suspicious of the UN troops as they have not prevented massacres in the past, even when they took place in the vicinity of UN bases.
It is very obvious that DRC is in need of help of some sort. Bishop Melchisédech Sikuli Paluku recently sent on a moving video message to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) in which he said:
“I hope that help can be given to the poor people here. We feel abandoned in the face of the Way of the Cross that we have had to endure for years now.”
If you want to help ACN in our work, please consider donating. Please also keep the people of DRC in your prayers.