Dongo conflict
Encyclopedia
The Dongo conflict is an armed conflict centered in Dongo
, on the left bank of the Ubangi River
in the Kungu
territory of Sud-Ubangi District
, Democratic Republic of the Congo
. Fighting started in late October 2009 as a conflict between members of two communities over access to fishing ponds: the villages (Enyele and Monzaya) are of the same tribe (the Lobalas). By 22 December 2009, more than 168,000 people had fled their homes, many to the neighbouring Republic of the Congo
.
(ROC) and Dongo had become a ghost town.
. They had to flee with their families because they had neither weapons nor ammunition to protect themselves. More clashes occurred in the village of Buburo, which was attacked on 20 November. Although the inhabitants had already fled, this didn't stop the attackers from destroying the houses there, including the UNHCR offices, which had earlier evacuated its staff. By 30 November 2009 more than 70,000 people had been displaced. About half of the displaced remained inside DRC, taking temporary shelter in locations such as Kungu
, Bokonzi, Bomboma and Bonzene. The rest of the displaced crossed the Ubangi River into ROC.
By this point, the violence had become a full-scale insurgency by an alliance calling themselves the "Resistance Patriots of Dongo
" (Patriotes-Résistants de Dongo). The group is said to be led by an animist
priest called Udjani, who claims to have a magical sword that can poison people and pass its powers to the curved machetes wielded by many of his followers. Udjani's followers apparently include former members of the Movement for the Liberation of Congo
, led by Jean-Pierre Bemba
, which fought the Congolese government during the Second Congo War
(1998–2003). Udjani’s supporters patrolled the Ubangi river, shooting at barges filled with people trying to escape.
By 10 December the conflict had left 100 dead and forced 115,000 people to flee their homes, two thirds of them into the Republic of the Congo, according to the UNHCR.
The United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo
(MONUC) rushed peacekeeping troops to Dongo in an effort to protect the local population. A MONUC helicopter that was restocking the 20 troops stationed there fell under gunfire from armed men. The helicopter crew, all of Russian nationality, facilitated the evacuation of 25 people, including 5 injured people (including the helicopter pilot), who were brought to Brazzaville
for emergency medical treatment.
Sources in Kinshasa
reported that in mid-November DRC President Joseph Kabila
secretly airlifted a battalion of Rwandan Defense Forces (RDF) across Congo to put down the small rebellion. The operation involved multiple flights in November and was supported by the United Nations Observes Mission in Congo (MONUC) and the United States Africa Command
. The RDF forces, moved to Congo from Rwanda exclusively for the operation, were uniformed as FARDC troops. Pitched battles involving RDF occurred in past weeks on 22–24 and 26–28 November in the Dongo region. Along with RDF regulars, MONUC troops have been fighting alongside Tutsi
Rwandan soldiers infiltrated by Rwanda, with the Kabila government's support, into the national army, the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC). President Kabila reportedly asked Central African Republic
(C.A.R.) president François Bozizé
to intervene and flank the resistance forces through the remote frontier town of Zongo
, DRC, also in Sud-Ubangi Province, across the border from Bangui
, the C.A.R. capital.
an army who had sought refuge in ROC.
At the weekly MONUC press conference of 16 December 2009, it was announced by MONUC spokesperson Madnodje Mounoubai that the first MONUC peacekeeping troops were deployed in Dongo, where a temporary operational basis is functional, as well as in nearby Bozene. The 500 MONUC troops will come from the Ghana
ian, Tunisia
n and Egypt
ian contingents as well as troops from the Guatemala
n Special Forces. Military equipment such as armored personnel carriers, transport and combat helicopters will also be at their disposal to support their mission.
in the northern Republic of Congo, about 40 kilometres (24.9 mi) north of Dongo. By 22 December, the number of refugees was estimated to be 168,000.
Dongo, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Dongo is a town in the Kungu territory of Sud-Ubangi District, Democratic Republic of the Congo.-See also:*Dongo conflict...
, on the left bank of the Ubangi River
Ubangi River
The Ubangi River , also spelled Oubangui, is the largest right-bank tributary of the Congo River of Central Africa. It begins at the confluence of the Mbomou and Uele Rivers and flows west, then bends to the southwest and passes through Bangui, after which it flows south to the Congo at Liranga....
in the Kungu
Kungu
Kungu is a town and capital of one of the four territories of Sud-Ubangi District, Democratic Republic of the Congo....
territory of Sud-Ubangi District
Sud-Ubangi District
Sud-Ubangi District is a district located in the Équateur province, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo....
, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
. Fighting started in late October 2009 as a conflict between members of two communities over access to fishing ponds: the villages (Enyele and Monzaya) are of the same tribe (the Lobalas). By 22 December 2009, more than 168,000 people had fled their homes, many to the neighbouring Republic of the Congo
Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by...
.
Initial attacks
According to Congolese government spokesman Lambert Mende, a certain Edo Bokoto, who had been suspended from his post of sector chief, mobilized about 10 men from his community who wanted to take control of fish ponds which belong to people from Enyele and Monzaya villages. They started to attack people from outside their community and seven policemen who intervened in the fighting were killed. The Lobalas of Enyele attacked those of Monzaya. By 5 November 2009 at least 16,000 civilians had fled to the neighbouring Republic of the CongoRepublic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by...
(ROC) and Dongo had become a ghost town.
Escalation
Further to the south, in Saba-Saba and in the Bomboma area, new fighting started on 17 November and the residents and the refugees from Dongo had to flee. The refugees include members of the DRC's navy, which patrols the Ubangi RiverUbangi River
The Ubangi River , also spelled Oubangui, is the largest right-bank tributary of the Congo River of Central Africa. It begins at the confluence of the Mbomou and Uele Rivers and flows west, then bends to the southwest and passes through Bangui, after which it flows south to the Congo at Liranga....
. They had to flee with their families because they had neither weapons nor ammunition to protect themselves. More clashes occurred in the village of Buburo, which was attacked on 20 November. Although the inhabitants had already fled, this didn't stop the attackers from destroying the houses there, including the UNHCR offices, which had earlier evacuated its staff. By 30 November 2009 more than 70,000 people had been displaced. About half of the displaced remained inside DRC, taking temporary shelter in locations such as Kungu
Kungu
Kungu is a town and capital of one of the four territories of Sud-Ubangi District, Democratic Republic of the Congo....
, Bokonzi, Bomboma and Bonzene. The rest of the displaced crossed the Ubangi River into ROC.
By this point, the violence had become a full-scale insurgency by an alliance calling themselves the "Resistance Patriots of Dongo
Resistance Patriots of Dongo
The Resistance Patriots of Dongo are a rebel group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo . Between October and December 2009, they took over several towns in Sud-Ubangi District in northwestern DRC, including Dongo on the Ubangi River, the border with the Republic of the Congo .The group is said...
" (Patriotes-Résistants de Dongo). The group is said to be led by an animist
Animism
Animism refers to the belief that non-human entities are spiritual beings, or at least embody some kind of life-principle....
priest called Udjani, who claims to have a magical sword that can poison people and pass its powers to the curved machetes wielded by many of his followers. Udjani's followers apparently include former members of the Movement for the Liberation of Congo
Movement for the Liberation of Congo
The Movement for the Liberation of the Congo is a political party in Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was a rebel group operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo that fought the government throughout the Second Congo War. It subsequently took part in the transitional government and is now...
, led by Jean-Pierre Bemba
Jean-Pierre Bemba
Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo is a politician in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was one of four vice-presidents in the transitional government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 17 July 2003 to December 2006. Bemba also leads the Movement for the Liberation of Congo , a rebel group...
, which fought the Congolese government during the Second Congo War
Second Congo War
The Second Congo War, also known as Coltan War and the Great War of Africa, began in August 1998 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo , and officially ended in July 2003 when the Transitional Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo took power; however, hostilities continue to this...
(1998–2003). Udjani’s supporters patrolled the Ubangi river, shooting at barges filled with people trying to escape.
By 10 December the conflict had left 100 dead and forced 115,000 people to flee their homes, two thirds of them into the Republic of the Congo, according to the UNHCR.
The United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo
United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo
The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or MONUSCO , is a United Nations peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of the Congo which was established by the United Nations Security Council in resolutions 1279...
(MONUC) rushed peacekeeping troops to Dongo in an effort to protect the local population. A MONUC helicopter that was restocking the 20 troops stationed there fell under gunfire from armed men. The helicopter crew, all of Russian nationality, facilitated the evacuation of 25 people, including 5 injured people (including the helicopter pilot), who were brought to Brazzaville
Brazzaville
-Transport:The city is home to Maya-Maya Airport and a railway station on the Congo-Ocean Railway. It is also an important river port, with ferries sailing to Kinshasa and to Bangui via Impfondo...
for emergency medical treatment.
Sources in Kinshasa
Kinshasa
Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The city is located on the Congo River....
reported that in mid-November DRC President Joseph Kabila
Joseph Kabila
Joseph Kabila Kabange is a Congolese politician who has been President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo since January 2001. He took office ten days after the assassination of his father, President Laurent-Désiré Kabila...
secretly airlifted a battalion of Rwandan Defense Forces (RDF) across Congo to put down the small rebellion. The operation involved multiple flights in November and was supported by the United Nations Observes Mission in Congo (MONUC) and the United States Africa Command
United States Africa Command
The United States Africa Command is one of nine Unified Combatant Commands of the United States Armed Forces, headquartered at Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany. It is responsible for U.S. military operations and military relations with 53 African nations – an area of responsibility covering all...
. The RDF forces, moved to Congo from Rwanda exclusively for the operation, were uniformed as FARDC troops. Pitched battles involving RDF occurred in past weeks on 22–24 and 26–28 November in the Dongo region. Along with RDF regulars, MONUC troops have been fighting alongside Tutsi
Tutsi
The Tutsi , or Abatutsi, are an ethnic group in Central Africa. Historically they were often referred to as the Watussi or Watusi. They are the second largest caste in Rwanda and Burundi, the other two being the Hutu and the Twa ....
Rwandan soldiers infiltrated by Rwanda, with the Kabila government's support, into the national army, the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC). President Kabila reportedly asked Central African Republic
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic , is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It borders Chad in the north, Sudan in the north east, South Sudan in the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo in the south, and Cameroon in the west. The CAR covers a land area of about ,...
(C.A.R.) president François Bozizé
François Bozizé
François Bozizé Yangouvonda is the President of the Central African Republic. He came to power in March 2003 after leading a rebellion against President Ange-Félix Patassé and ushered in a transitional period of government...
to intervene and flank the resistance forces through the remote frontier town of Zongo
Zongo
Zongo is a city in Sud-Ubangi Province in the northwestern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, lying on the south bank of the Ubangi River, across from Bangui in the Central African Republic...
, DRC, also in Sud-Ubangi Province, across the border from Bangui
Bangui
-Law and government:Bangui is an autonomous commune of the Central African Republic. With an area of 67 km², it is by far the smallest high-level administrative division of the CAR in area but the highest in population...
, the C.A.R. capital.
Recapture of Dongo
The Congolese army (FARDC) had recaptured the town of Dongo on 13 December. According to the Congolese press among the rebels who had captured several towns in the area were former soldiers of the Congolese army, deserters, and former members of the ZaireZaire
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
an army who had sought refuge in ROC.
At the weekly MONUC press conference of 16 December 2009, it was announced by MONUC spokesperson Madnodje Mounoubai that the first MONUC peacekeeping troops were deployed in Dongo, where a temporary operational basis is functional, as well as in nearby Bozene. The 500 MONUC troops will come from the Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
ian, Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
n and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian contingents as well as troops from the Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
n Special Forces. Military equipment such as armored personnel carriers, transport and combat helicopters will also be at their disposal to support their mission.
Refugee crisis
The crisis in Dongo led to an exodus of the civilian population, first due to the advance of the rebels and then due to the counter-attacks of the army. Humanitarian agencies were facing major logistical obstacles since the entire refugee population was spread across an area of 500 km2 along the banks of the Ubangi River. With its local staff, the UNHCR has supported the creation of nine clinics around the places with the highest concentration of refugees, where there is a greater need for medicines and medical staff. There are also mobile medical centers for remote areas. Humanitarian agencies have also installed six large water tanks with a total capacity of 60,000 litres near BétouBétou
Bétou is a town on the right bank of the Ubangi River in the Likouala Department, Republic of the Congo. Betou is a "Sous-prefecture" and has its own Mayor. The town has a disused air-strip . Betou is the border town with the Central African Republic , located approximately 90km from the border by...
in the northern Republic of Congo, about 40 kilometres (24.9 mi) north of Dongo. By 22 December, the number of refugees was estimated to be 168,000.
External links
- Armed group claims firing at UN chopper in DRC (Mail & Guardian, 27 November)
- DR Congo: After Dongo violence, 90,000 refugees and displaced (Missionary International Service News Agency (MISNA), 2 December)
- What's going on in Dongo? (Congo Siasa, 10 December)
- DR.Congo troops take back town from tribal forces: govt (Agence France Presse, 14 December)
- Congo army retakes stronghold of western uprising (Reuters, 15 December)
- RDC-Congo-Brazzaville : une mission parlementaire conjointe attendue à Likouala et à Dongo (Radio Okapi, 21 December)
- Dongo : Un bataillon de la PIR décimé? (Congo Indépendent, 23 December)
- Alliance de Patriotes pour la Refondation du Congo
- Press Release (20 December)