After years of horrific bloodshed, MONUSCO has finally recognized the massacres committed by ADF and CODECO in Ituri. But this acknowledgment comes after countless lives have been lost raising a critical question: Why did it take so long?
For years, while ADF and CODECO butchered civilians in Ituri and Beni, MONUSCO remained largely silent. Instead of confronting these atrocities, their focus seemed fixated on M23 and the conflict narratives tied to Rwanda. Meanwhile, entire communities in eastern Congo were being wiped out.
Every single day, Congolese families mourn fresh losses. Yet, the Tshisekedi regime and the so-called international community continue their deafening silence. Why? Because these tragedies do not fit neatly into the propaganda framework centered on M23 and Rwanda.
In 2023, ADF killed between 1,063 and 1,198 people across Ituri and North Kivu, in February 2025 CODECO militants attacked Djugu territory, killing at least 50 civilians, including 18 children, using guns and machetes, and burning homes, From 2023 to 2025, thousands have died in Ituri and Beni yet these killings barely make headlines, and condemnation remains weak or non-existent.
Why does it take years for MONUSCO to issue statements while Congolese civilians die daily? Why does the suffering of the people of Ituri and Beni seem to mean nothing to Kinshasa or the global powers?
The truth is that these deaths don’t serve the current political narrative. They don’t allow for easy blame games or scapegoating Rwanda, so they are conveniently ignored.
The humanitarian catastrophe in eastern DRC fueled by ADF, CODECO, and FDLR demands urgent international attention. MONUSCO must move beyond symbolic statements and take concrete steps. Otherwise, these massacres will continue, unchecked, under their watch.
The people of Ituri and Beni deserve more than words. They deserve action.
ellenkampire