The head of office of Monusco in Ituri, Cecilia Piazza condemns insecurity and killings by militiamen in ITURI and calls UN to establish another office in the province

The head of office of Monusco in Ituri, Cecilia Piazza made, during an exchange with the press on Monday June 29, 2020 in Bunia, a global return on the work of the UN mission in this province, during the two years of his mandate.
Although "not perfect", she judges the results of her institution to be "satisfactory".
Context of his arrival in Ituri.
It was the day after the outbreak of the atrocities in Djugu that Ms. Cecilia set foot in Ituri. A province plagued by insecurity. For two years, she managed in a "tense" context. CODECO militia activism, "an ongoing battle".
“Two intense years, just with the start of violence in Djugu. Djugu was at the heart of our work and continues to be, "she said.
According to her, the contribution of the UN mission has been of great importance in managing the security situation in Djugu and Mahagi.
In Djugu, several temporary bases have been set up, on the one hand, to ensure daily patrols, and on the other, to protect civilians, in particular displaced people housed in different sites (Blukwa, Bule, Fataki, etc.). An effective means of prevention against rebel attacks.
In the Mahagi territory, the temporary base at Ame, on the border with neighboring Djugu, was of great importance. In this part, very often, the attackers come from Djugu, pass there to commit their crime.
"This presence helped mitigate the infiltration. We have succeeded in stabilizing this limit between the two territories ", while also welcoming the" patrols along the national road N ° 27 ".
Regarding Mahagi, she thinks that beyond the infiltration of CODECO, there are "
earth-related tensions ”. What must find a solution, in the concern of lasting stability.
Peace, another process in Ituri.
In each territory, it leaves behind it, "many projects in progress". Peace, security, impunity, the protection of civilians, justice, youth, the DDR process, (...) the main part of the intervention of Monusco.
Addressing specifically the Djugu stabilization project, which will be executed by STAREC, she insisted on "political commitment and communities" for its "success".
Also, she said, the fight against impunity remains a major priority.
"It is a duty to the victims, to their relatives." Hence, we must "support military justice".
Despite the efforts made, her regret during her reign was that "violence is still there", she said. "I call on all the perpetrators to stop," insists Ms. Cecilia.
When falling, she did not fail to salute the welcome and collaboration of all social strata of Ituri, vis-à-vis Monusco, since her arrival. From the people, to civil society, to the provincial government.
From Bunia, in Ituri, Ms Piazza will go to Beni, in North Kivu, where she will have to assume a new responsibility, within the UN mission.
A new head of the office is therefore expected in the coming days, at the capital of Ituri, at the head of Monusco. In a province, so far, where insecurity is still persistent.

MONUSCO paid tribute to Sergeant Major Wahyudi Rama from the Indonesian contingent, killed on June 22, in an attack by armed men not far from the Semuliki bridge, on the road to Beni-Kasindi, the territory of Beni, North Kivu province. The tribute ceremony was organized on Saturday, June 27, at Beni airport, in the presence of both civilian and military officials of the UN Mission in DRC.
MONUSCO Force Commander, Lieutenant-General Augusto Ferreira Costa Neves; the Commander of the MONUSCO Integrated Force Brigade, Major-General Patrick Dube, and the Acting Mayor of the City of Beni, Modeste Bakwanamaha, took part in the tribute ceremony.