A Catholic bishop in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has criticized the country’s security forces after Islamist militants brutally murdered 37 children during a church vigil.
The attack took place in the early hours of July 27 at the Blessed Marie-Clémentine Anuarite Nengapeta Catholic Church in Komanda, Ituri Province. Armed extremists from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a jihadist group aligned with ISIS, stormed the parish hall where children had gathered to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Eucharistic Crusade movement.
The young victims were shot and hacked to death with machetes. Six others were seriously wounded, and four managed to escape.
Bishop Dieudonné Uringi of Bunia, speaking to Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), condemned what he described as a delayed and inadequate response by local authorities. He said, “The police and the military were not far away, but they did not act in time. They should have intervened more quickly to protect the population.”
He added that the atrocity has left deep scars on the local community: “Many people have been traumatized. When the adults found out, they came immediately to see what had happened.”
Despite the violence, Bishop Dieudonné said there are no tensions between Christian and Muslim communities locally. He attributed the attack to long-standing rebel activity in the region, particularly by foreign fighters from Uganda.
The bishop, known for his commitment to pastoral ministry, continues to travel into dangerous areas for mission work. He revealed that many young priests have been forced to flee their parishes and seek shelter in Bunia, a city in eastern DRC.
“Many had to leave their parishes and seek refuge in Bunia,” he said. “We welcome them, but we have no means to sustain them. It would be a great relief to receive help as we have before from your foundation to accompany us at this time.”
The National Episcopal Conference of Congo also issued a statement on July 28 condemning what they called a “hateful massacre.”
They said: “This latest massacre has occurred in one of the provinces that has been under a state of siege for several years, with the presence of the joint operation of the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) and Ugandan (UPDF), in addition to MONUSCO [United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo]. In these provinces, we are witnessing murders and kidnappings.”
