MONUSCO United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission
in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Fact Sheet: What MONUSCO is doing to address the LRA threat
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With some 1,200 peacekeepers based in Haut Uélé, Orientale province, MONUSCO conducts targeted military operations unilaterally as well as jointly with the FARDC with the aim of protecting civilians. ƒ
This includes establishing a number of forward operating bases from which the Mission conducts day and night patrols and carries out a range of protection activities, including market escorts and escorting farmers to their fields. ƒ
MONUSCO peacekeepers also play a key role in facilitating the delivery of humanitarian assistance, including by providing escorts for humanitarian partners. For example, MONUSCO provides regular escorts for humanitarian partners along the Dungu‐Faradje road in Haut Uélé twice a week. ƒ
MONUSCO engineering units have rehabilitated some main roads connecting important population centers, which has significantly improved access and facilitated trade in the LRA‐affected sub‐region. So far, MONUSCO has rehabilitated the Dungu‐Faradje road and the Dungu airstrip, and is working on the Dungu–Duru and the Faradje‐Durba roads. ƒ
MONUSCO provides logistical support to FARDC units operating in the LRA‐affected area of the DRC, with the proviso that those units are not associated with having been responsible for human rights violations themselves and that the military operations undertaken by those units are jointly planned with the Mission. This includes providing rations and transportation for some 2,000 FARDC troops. ƒ
MONUSCO has established a Joint Information and Operations Cell in Dungu, Haut Uélé, to monitor and verify information regarding LRA attacks and coordinate operations. The Cell is the hub for communicating operational information on the LRA, including with neighbouring UN peacekeeping missions in South Sudan and the Central African Republic. ƒ
MONUSCO encourages LRA combatants to defect and enter the Mission’s disarmament, demobilization, repatriation, resettlement and reintegration programme. This includes producing leaflets in local languages, which the armies operating in the affected areas in the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan are involved in distributing. ƒ
MONUSCO has also worked to establish or enhance regional FM and shortwave radio stations in Obo, Central African Republic, Yambio and Ezo, South Sudan, and Dungu and Faradje, DRC, through which “coming home” programmes are transmitted. Sensitization messages focus on increasing community understanding of the LRA as well as encouraging defections in a range of local languages. As a result of these efforts, MONUSCO has repatriated over 120 LRA elements to the Central African Republic, South Sudan and Uganda. ƒ
MONUSCO has enhanced the community alert network run by the Catholic church in Haut Uélé and Bas Uélé, which enables communities to inform local authorities and/or MONUSCO of an impending or actual attack. To date, 40 high‐frequency radios have been installed in communities as part of the initiative. ƒ
In the event of reports of human rights abuses by suspected LRA elements, MONUSCO deploys joint protection and/or human rights investigations teams as appropriate to gather information and identify relevant responses. This can also include facilitating humanitarian assessment team visits to affected‐areas. ƒ
In support of regional efforts, MONUSCO is supporting the establishment of a Regional Task Force on the LRA by the African Union. The Mission is also collaborating closely with relevant UN partners including BINUCA, UNMISS, UNOCA and UN agencies, funds and programmes in developing a coordinated UN regional approach on the LRA. http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/monusco