Former Militia Members Want to Return to the DRC and Find Peace

The conflict has caused severe damage in Ituri, Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, a ray of optimism is beginning to appear amid the rubble. Following years of violence, hundreds of former militiamen have surrendered their weapons and are making an effort to reintegrate into society. 20-year-old Leonie Safari has experienced hell. After her parents died in 2020, she joined the rebellion in an attempt to exact revenge as a former warrior of CODECO, an armed group involved in the Ituri conflict.

“I decided to join because of life’s challenges. I didn’t have to go into the jungle, but poverty forced me to do so after my parents passed away. Léonie Safari, a former rebel with CODECO, states, “I later made the decision to leave the rebellion in order to promote peace in our country.” These former members of the military, who formerly terrorised the locals in the village of Dionga, have now dedicated themselves to community development, providing a glimmer of hope to a town in ruins.

“I’ve dropped my arms. There hasn’t been any job since I arrived in this community today. Sumaili Irachani, a former member of the FPIC, says, “What you see me doing is the first job I’ve been given, working on the road to earn a small amount that will help us, because life is becoming harder and harder.” Despite having already given up their weapons and opted for reintegration, at least six armed groups say they feel “abandoned by the government.”