Urgent Action on behalf of Blaise a Human Rights Defender at risk in Goma North Kivu DRCongo

Muhindo Kalisha Blaise, a Human Rights Defender, lives in insecurity in Goma after denouncing the insecurity caused by the Wazalendo in a video circulated in social media, he was kidnapped and narrowly released by the Congolese Army, and he needs support to manage the risks security.

Support Human Rights Defenders in Goma  from here ” https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/emergency-funds-to-refugee-human-rights-defenders/

Name: Muhindo Kalisha Blaise

Date of birth: 04/25/1999

Place of birth: Kibirizi,

Religion: Catholic

Tribute: Nande

Marital Status: Single,

Nationality: Congolese

Level of study: Student at UNIGOM

Place of residence in Goma: Majengo, Commune Karisimbi, City of Goma, Province of North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo

Blaise Kalisa, is a human right activist, member of La LUCHA (Struggle for Change) which is one among the Pro-Democracy Pressure Groups in DRC which he joined since 2018, he made a Video that circulated on social networks in which he denounced the insecurity in Goma caused by the Wazalendo (Local Militia supporting the Congolese Army), the same insecurity is also caused by elements ofthe National Army (FARDC) in this same video he also called for mobilization against the deployment of the Kenyan Army in DRC as well as the departure of MONUSCO in North Kivu.

He was the victim of a murderous kidnapping orchestrated by a certain Sibomana Mushatsi, an activist of a Bacha Citizen Movement (Bale of Change) who facilitated his arrest by the Wazalendo of the CMC who are at the base of the insecurity actions in Goma and in Nyiragongo. As of Thursday, September 5, 2024 Sibomana, who knows Blaise very well, had requested a meeting to discuss with him the security situation in Goma and the North Kivu Province, so Blaise granted this meeting and they agreed on the place and time, so around 3 p.m. of that same Thursday Sibomana and Blaise met in Majengo a district of Goma as planned.

During the conversation between Blaise and his comrade Sibomana in a bar at the place they chose, Blaise noticed the presence of other people who came to greet his comrade Sibomana but he did not have the reflex to flee, after At least 20 minutes, an Officer from Wazalendo also entered the room, he greeted Sibomana and then he asked Blaise to go outside because he had something to tell him. Arriving outside, Blaise found himself in the middle of more than ten armed men, all Wazalendo from the CMC Group. So the officer took him to a room where they were and from the room he told Blaise that he was arrested. So they took his phone, the money he had and other necessary things and asked him to sit on the ground. After a while they came with clothes to tie him up and then they started torturing him to the point where he lost consciousness.

Around 7 p.m., they took him out of this house and put him in a Jeep belonging to a certain high-ranking Officer Muzalendo for an unknown destination. Leaving the house, they headed towards Kanyaruchina (Nyiragongo) and then Blaise no longer knew anything because he was already in a state of unconsciousness.

During the night, Blaise recovered a little strength and he found himself in a small house somewhere that he didn’t even know, after a while they came to take him and took him out of the house with a group of three Wazalendo Armed, who led him to a Common Grave where they wanted to bury him alive, this is how one of the three refused to let him be put in this common grave, so they began a dispute among themselves to the point of shooting bullets, this pushed the Government Soldiers to come and see what was happening when they arrived at the place they saw Balise who explained his situation to the soldiers and then the soldiers saved Blaise , he then left with them for two days at their position and then he was released to return home to Goma.

Blaise’s current situation

Blaise lives in a situation of fear and his security is in danger because of the presence of the Wazalendo in Goma, he thinks that if these Wazalendo find him they can shoot directly at him, so he hides and has reduced his circulation. This causes him problems finding food, paying the rent and affects his studies. Blaise is also sick because he has not yet had the opportunity to seek treatment following the torture he suffered during his arrest by the Wazalendo.

 

 

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