Friday, 29 March, 2024, 7:46 AM
Advance Search
Home

BD peacekeepers defend Congo people from communal violence

Published : Wednesday, 11 December, 2019 at 12:00 AM  Count : 172

Bangladesh Army peacekeepers have protected some 21,000 Hema herders from attacks of Lendu farmers over grazing rights in the last eight months. Bangladeshi peacekeepers of BANRDB's Roe Camp for the Internal Displaced Persons seen on patrol at Roe in the Democratic Republic of Congo.     	 PHOTO: OBSERVER

Bangladesh Army peacekeepers have protected some 21,000 Hema herders from attacks of Lendu farmers over grazing rights in the last eight months. Bangladeshi peacekeepers of BANRDB's Roe Camp for the Internal Displaced Persons seen on patrol at Roe in the Democratic Republic of Congo. PHOTO: OBSERVER

At least 21,000 Hema community people took shelter surrounding BANRDB's Roe Camp just for the security offered by the Bangladesh Army peacekeepers.
They have fled inter-communal violence in last eight months and set up internally displaced persons (IDP) camps here.
Maj Wahid, Camp Commander of BANRDB of Roe Camp, told the Daily Observer on Tuesday that at least 500 people have been killed in a northeastern province of the Democratic Republic of Congo from February to June. After setting up of a camp in June no such killing incident happened there.
This was an apparent resurgence of ethnic clashes between farming and herding communities, he said. We also provide security to the farming people in this area, he added.
Armed militia groups stormed the Roe IDP camp three times but the BANRDB repulsed the attacks with heavy weapons.
Bahbmuka, Secretary of Roe IDP camp, told this correspondent, "We, the Hema people, are very grateful to the Bangladesh Army peacekeepers in this area. Had they not been here the Landu people would have killed us all. The BANRDB members gave us basic medical training so that we can provide primary treatment."
A series of attacks in Ituri province has mostly targeted Hema herders, who have long been in conflict with Lendu farmers over grazing rights.    Conflict between Hema and Lendu tribesmen extends from 1999-2007  which resulted in an estimated 50,000 deaths in one of the bloodiest chapters of a civil war in eastern Congo that left millions dead from conflict, hunger and       forced tens of thousands more to flee their homes, but a tenuous calm had taken hold of the area, Secretary of Roe IDP camp said.
The assailants' tactics were to "empty out the villages, burn them and pursue those who had fled to the surrounding areas with sharp weapons," he said.
At least 70,000 people had fled their homes in Ituri's Djugu Territory since December 12, local sources said.
"The camp is in a real mess and still expanding as 200 to 300 new IDPs have arrived," Secretary of Roe IDP said.
"There are many people suffering from diarrhoea and the sanitation in the camp is deplorable and we need clean water. But 100 per cent security of the camp has been ensured by BANRDB," he said.






Latest News
Most Read News
Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Online: 41053014; Advertisement: 41053012.
E-mail: info©dailyobserverbd.com, news©dailyobserverbd.com, advertisement©dailyobserverbd.com, For Online Edition: mailobserverbd©gmail.com
  [ABOUT US]     [CONTACT US]   [AD RATE]   Developed & Maintenance by i2soft