ON the side of a national road in Mavivi, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), stands an imposing UN base. Inside are peacekeepers from various countries, tasked with defending civilians in this restive region. However, just a few kilometres away, civilians express feeling unprotected.
“We are living with fear in our stomachs,” says Gervais Makofi Bukuka, head of the village of Vemba-Mavivi. This year, he has counted five attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a rebel group allied to the Islamic State, resulting in about 200 deaths, some very close to UN camps.
MONUSCO, the UN peacekeeping mission in DRC, is set to withdraw from the country in the coming months after a 25-year deployment. While diplomats fear this could create a security vacuum, residents like Bukuka say they won’t miss the mission’s presence.
Beni, home to roughly 1.5 million people, has faced over a decade of violence and massacres linked to the ADF, local armed groups, and the national army. The region has become a hotbed of anti-MONUSCO protests, with residents strongly criticizing the mission’s perceived inaction and counter-insurgency operations.
Residents describe disturbing accounts of the ADF killing civilians as nearby peacekeepers allegedly failed to act. They also criticize MONUSCO’s airstrikes on ADF camps, claiming these have killed scores of civilians held hostage by the rebels.
Augustin Makasi, a youth council member, summarizes the local sentiment: “We are at the end of our hopes. They have abused our trust. We are ready for them to leave.”
MONUSCO’s spokesperson, Ndèye Khady Lo, says the mission undertakes “extensive measures” to protect civilians, despite facing major constraints such as the size of Beni territory, lack of infrastructure, and the ADF’s knowledge of the terrain.
Not everyone criticizes MONUSCO. Guillaume Kandibaya, a human rights activist, says the peacekeepers have been able to “hinder the enemy” and have helped train civil society actors. He cites a 2017 ADF raid that left 15 Tanzanian blue helmets dead as “proof that they are sharing this difficult moment with us.”
However, most describe a complete breakdown in trust with MONUSCO. Jeanne Bahati, who heads a network of peace activists, says some residents prefer sleeping in the forest to avoid attacks rather than in villages adjacent to UN camps.
Rodrigue Kabulwese, secretary of the youth council of the Beni-Mbau district, points out that the number of conflicts and armed groups in the east has mushroomed since the mission was first deployed.
Lo says the mission “continually” refines its approach to protecting civilians based on identified threats and as the situation evolves. She mentions deployed forces at key locations, quick reaction forces, and a 24/7 operations and coordination centre.
Residents also raised concerns about sexual abuse and exploitation by peacekeepers. Two women said they had relationships and children with MONUSCO troops. Interviewees claimed UN troops bribed some families to stay silent, while others cited cases where women struggled to identify perpetrators who had used false identities.
Papy Kasayi, a youth leader from Beni, called on MONUSCO to deal with outstanding paternity cases and other allegations of sexual abuse before completing its disengagement from DRC.
Lo said MONUSCO has strengthened efforts to prevent and respond to sexual misconduct through various measures, including holding contingent commanders accountable and conducting regular training programs. She added that addressing sexual exploitation and abuse involving peacekeepers will remain a priority for UN agencies that stay in DRC after MONUSCO’s withdrawal.
The timeline for MONUSCO’s full withdrawal from Beni is unclear. While the government had initially asked all peacekeepers to leave DRC by year-end, officials recently called for a pause due to the security crisis triggered by the M23 rebellion and its Rwandan backers.
Kasayi expressed concern that the peacekeepers seem less committed as their mission nears its end, preferring to patrol national roads rather than deep in the forest “where the enemy is hiding.”
Nzingene, another youth leader, summed up the local sentiment: “They found us at war and want to leave us at war. They have been here too long to have done nothing.”
