The Family of Ishimwe Joselyn of Gisozi Village, Kanombe Parish in Muramba Sub County, Kisoro District have said Government abandoned their daughter and never offered her any support after being shot in the leg during fighting between Congolese Government Forces and rebel group M23 in March last year.
Ishimwe, who is now a casualty of war, says she developed some physical impairment in her leg after being shot by a stray bullet.
Since that time, no Government official or Politician has paid their family a visit to offer any kind of support.
“As a mother, I used to support my child by digging for others, but this is no longer possible because I cannot stand for long and moving long distances is unbearable. I am now restricted to my home”, Ishimwe explained.
David Munyakarato, Ishimwe’s father-in-law, says that her daughter has been so weak since the incident happened.
Munyakarato says, his household lives in perpetual fear of war breaking out again in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo because all his life and property is right on the border with the restive country.
Munyakarato’s fears could be justified following growing tensions in the D.R.C of another war.
Last week, during the Council of Ministers, the new Minister of Defense and ex-warlord Jean-Pierre Bemba declared that the Rwandan army and the M23 were strengthening their positions “in anticipation of a general offensive” with the objective ” the occupation” of Goma.
In early May, at a summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi condemned the observed cohabitation between EAC troops and M23 terrorists.
Following the announcement of possible troop dispatch by SADC countries, President Tshisekedi said the East African force could be asked to leave the country at the end of June – just three months after its full deployment – because “the mission assigned to this force is not fulfilled.”
Kisoro Resident District Commissioner Hajji Shafiq Sekandi said Ishimwe’s report was never submitted to his office adding that Government is more than willing to offer support, through its partners like CAFOMI which has been instrumental in helping such victims regain and live dignified lives.
Discussion about this post