An American Medical Student ambushed in Uvira in South Kivu (Congo)

MJPC                       ~Cliquez ici pour lire en français ~~                      Press Release An American Medical Student ambushed in Uvira in South Kivu MJPC is urging the Congolese government to ensure the safety of an American medical student, Espoir Kyubwa, ambushed by armed groups in eastern Congo in the territory of Uvira in South Kivu. ____________________________________________________________________________________   Espoir Kyubwa The incident occurred at around 7pm in the evening of August 8, 2010, in the stretch of Rushima about 50 km from the city of Uvira, near Sange and no more than five kilometers from a major military camp/center of Luberizi in Ruzizi valley. Some victims are hospitalized and others were killed on the ground thus their number still remains unknown.   According to local sources, Espoir and other passengers were coming from Bukavu going to Uvira on national road 5 when their vehicle was attacked by armed men in military uniforms who not only robbed all the passengers and looted all their belongings, but also raped and fired at them after having stopping the vehicle by gunfires. According to the parents of Espoir who live in California, Bitisho and Delphin Kyubwa, their son who turns 24 in two months, was on his way back to the U.S. via Bujumbura (Burundi) after spending a 4-week vacation in Congo. He is a student at the University of California at San Diego where he recently obtained with Honors his Bachelor's of science and master's degree in bioengineering. He starts his dual doctoral program in bioengineering and medicine (MD/PhD) at the same university in two weeks.   MJPC urges the Congolese government to assist families affected by this attack and to hold people accountable for their actions in order to have a deterrent effect. The MJPC also reiterates its call on the government of Joseph Kabila to ensure the respect of human rights and values by assuming its responsibilities in restoring security and protection of persons and their property in the east Congo where persisting insecurity shows a lack of government authority in the area.    According to witnesses, in most cases the assailants are dressed in official uniforms of the national army troops who rely on the civilian population for rationing because they are rarely paid. And even when it comes to attacks by negative forces of Burundi or the Interahamwe of Rwanda operating in the region, troops of the National troops poorly managed are not motivated to confront the enemy because they are badly fed, badly clothed and badly housed. According Makuba Sekombo, Director of Community Affairs of MJPC, "the Congolese government's complicity is also evident by the fact that serious investigations are never taken against the attackers that cause grief to Congolese families." This shows clearly that the current insecurity is maintained by the Congolese government which does not assume its responsibilities. "Security measures must be taken to protect the people and prevent similar cases," he said _________________________________________________________________________________________  About the MJPC MJPC is a nonprofit organization that works to defend and promote justice and peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo with particular emphasis to the east where thousands of innocent civilians, including children and women continue to be victims of gross violations of human rights while the armed groups responsible for these crimes remain unpunished.   For more information on MJPC and its activities, visit http://www.mjpcongo.org or email info@mjpcongo.org   __________________________________________________________________________