Following the killing of civilians by armed groups in the area this week, Bishop Sabiti has sent an urgent prayer request.

Closely involved with our project in Eastern DRC, The Right Reverend Sabiti Tibafa Daniel, the Bishop of Kamango, visited Feba UK earlier this year to meet supporters and share about the radio station Umoja FM and the community they serve. 

The message from Bishop Sabiti, Diocese of Kamango Eastern Congo reads: 

The Most Revd Archbishop of the Province of the Anglican Church of Congo,
Their Excellencies Bishops of the Province of the Anglican Church of Congo,
Dear Partners in Mission from both inside and outside the DR Congo,

Dear Brethren,

Warm greetings in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We praise God because he is trustworthy and loving to those who love him in spite of the situation in which we are and work.

This is to inform you that since last week the situation in Beni territory, especially on the Mbau-Kamango road has not been good.

In fact on Saturday 07 October 2017 the ADF/NALU attacked the positions of the FARDC, the Congolese national army, between 25 to 40 kms on Mbau-Kamango road where they brutally killed several innocent citizens who were going to Beni from Kamango.

The victims were 22 people (including 21 men and 1 woman). Some of them were going for funerals, some for studies and others for business. They included one Immigration officer and one from the Revenue authority (Customs). Up to now the bodies of the deceased are still laying there with no body to reach and pick them.

There have been, even though, some three people who escaped including a Revenue authority officer. As for now, fearing the upsurge and attack on the population in Watalinga, many people have left their homes and flocked into the Kamango and Nobili areas.

Nobili is the business centre near the border with Uganda. This is another unexpected situation which is worsening the condition of living of the people in this area. The local government and the church are concerned about this unbearable condition of the people in the Watalinga. Some of it is due to rumours according to which the Semuliki bridge, where the MONUSCO army and FARDC are located, has been attacked and taken over. From that bridge the way is normally free up to Kamango. 

The main concern is about children, women and men who have no shelter, food and medicine. From our general Hospital of Kamango, the doctors have been obliged to move the operated on and vulnerable patients to local health centres near the border to avoid any loss of lives in case the situation worsens in Kamango. 

Beni is at about 90kms and yet it is one of the main towns we get provisions from in terms of manufactured goods, food and the like. The road from Mbau to Kamango has now been closed. No access to that town now. The only way of provision and outing is through Bundibugyo, Uganda. 

Please pray for our country the DR Congo, Beni territory and the Watalinga constituency where our diocese is located, and the people in general and the Christians in particular.

Please pray for us and advocate for the needs of these poor people who have lost their dear ones and for some all their homes to seek refuge at the border with Uganda with no conducive shelters.

Sincerely,

Rt Rev. Sabiti Tibafa Daniel,

Bishop and Legal Representative of the Diocese of Kamango.