19/08/2024
Kinshasa, 19 August 2024- Today, on 19 August, we commemorate World Humanitarian Day.
We pay tribute to those who risk their lives to help the most vulnerable around the world.
This year's commemoration takes on particular significance in the context of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, given the escalation of atacks on civilians and humanitarian workers. Six humanitarian aid workers were killed and 11 kidnapped between January and June this year, with more than 200 incidents directly targeting humanitarians in the field.
In recent weeks, we have also witnessed a concerning upsurge in atacks by armed groups against civilians in the provinces of Ituri and North Kivu. Between January and July, more than 630 civilians were tragically killed in the territories of Mambasa and Irumu in Ituri, and in the territories of Béni and Lubero in North Kivu. These atacks have resulted in tens of thousands of people being displaced and the temporary suspension of humanitarian assistance in certain areas.
Despite the seriousness of these killings and suffering, the world has not shown enough outrage at this catastrophic situation. This lack of collective outrage, this tolerance of violence, raises profound questions about our humanity and our ability to prevent and act against the systematic violence claiming the lives of innocent civilians. This is why I call the crisis in the DRC, not only one of the most neglected in the world, but also one of the most tolerated.
It is imperative that the voices of those who are suffering be listened to and heard, and that concrete measures be taken to stop this unbearable cycle of violence that has been going on for decades and to protect the most vulnerable.
We must not allow these violences to become accepted as normal. It is just unacceptable.
This year, the theme for the World Humanitarian Day commemoration, “Act for Humanity”, is a call to action.
We must act to protect civilians and humanitarian workers from violence; we must act against impunity for the perpetrators of atacks on humanitarian workers and civilians. We must act for peace.
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