Kitchanga

Kitchanga
Kitchanga town center destroyed after heavy fighting between the APCLS militia and the FARDC, March 2013
Kitchanga town center destroyed after heavy fighting between the APCLS militia and the FARDC, March 2013
Kitchanga is located in Democratic Republic of the Congo
Kitchanga
Kitchanga
Location in the Congo
Coordinates: 01°15′8″S 29°3′32″E / 1.25222°S 29.05889°E / -1.25222; 29.05889
CountryDR Congo
ProvinceNorth Kivu
TerritoryMasisi and Rutshuru
ChiefdomBashali
Population
 (2015)
 • Total18,927 for the Masisi Territory and 25,157 Rutshuru Territory
Time zoneUTC+2 (CAT)
Official languageFrench
National languageSwahili
ClimateAw

Kitchanga, also known as Kitshanga, is a town and a camp for Congolese Internally Displaced People (IDPs) strategically positioned between Masisi and Rutshuru territories of the North Kivu Province, with a vantage point overlooking Lake Kivu in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).[1][2] Administratively, the Masisi part of Kitchanga functions as a larger urban center and the capital of the Bashali Chiefdom,[3][4][5][6] while the other part is situated in the Bwito Chiefdom of the Rutshuru Territory.[7] Geographically, Kitchanga is located approximately 90 km northwest of Goma and 10 kilometers north of Burungu, in close proximity to the villages of Kizimba and Budey.[3][8][9] As of 2015, the population of Kitchanga was estimated at 18,927 for the Masisi Territory part and 25,157 for the Rutshuru Territory, excluding the populace within the displaced sites of Kahe and Mungote adjacent to Kitchanga in the Masisi Territory.[10]

During the 1990s, Kitchanga experienced a rapid demographic surge. The region's infrastructure evolved with the construction of wooden, brick, and multi-storey houses, coupled with the development of roads, utilities, and a diversified local economy comprising various commercial enterprises, positioning Kitchanga as one of eastern DRC's burgeoning cities and boomtowns.[11] The predominant economic activity is subsistence agriculture, with local agrarians producing crops such as maize, beans, potatoes, and assorted vegetables.[1][12][13][14] Animal husbandry also constitutes a pivotal component of the local economy. It provides a source of income along with dairy products, meat, and ancillary by-products for local consumption and commerce.[15][16][17] Kitchanga also hosts various service-oriented businesses, including healthcare facilities,[18][19] educational institutions,[20][21] and hospitality establishments.[22][23]

Since the First Congo War, Kitchanga has been affected by the protracted conflict that has engulfed the region, becoming a site of violence and mass displacement.[24][25][26][27] On 20 November 2012, the M23 rebel military group seized control over significant portions of North Kivu Province, eventually capturing the provincial capital of Goma.[28][29] The M23's reign was characterized by widespread human rights abuses, including the conscription of child soldiers, sexual violence against women and girls, and the forced displacement of civilians. Consequently, Kitchanga has become a shelter for those fleeing violence while concurrently functioning as a contested town, a rebel stronghold, and combat zone.[1][30][31][32]

  1. ^ a b c "Zone autour de Kitchanga" (PDF). Search for Common Ground (in French). Washington, D.C. October 2014. p. 9. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  2. ^ "Kitshanga: les combats ont perturbé l'intégration des miliciens dans l'armée, selon les notables de Masisi" [Kitshanga: the fighting disrupted the integration of militiamen into the army, according to Masisi notables]. Radio Okapi (in French). March 7, 2013. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Sungura, Amir; Ndeze, Ndakasi; Mbamba, Murenzi; Rugambwa, Hadji; Kitonga, Limbo (May 2021). "Politics of the Past and the Present: The changes and continuities of conflict in Eastern Congo's petit Nord-Kivu" (PDF). Gicnetwork.be. p. 8. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  4. ^ Biregeya, Daniel Bahati (2011). "Tontines et développement dans le groupement Bashali Mokoto à Masisi en RDC" [Tontines and development in the Bashali-Mokoto groupement in Masisi in the DRC] (in French). Gona, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo: Université de Goma. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  5. ^ "Annexe IV: De la repartition des sieges pour l'election des conseillers de secteur ou de chefferie" (PDF). www.ceni.cd (in French). Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. September 20, 2018. p. 333. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-09-20. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
  6. ^ "Qu'est-ce qui s'est passé dans le Territoire de Masisi au courant de ce mois de Janvier 2004?" [What happened in the Territory of Masisi during the month of January 2004?]. Utexas.edu (in French). CPDH-PHRC. February 11, 2004. p. 3. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  7. ^ "Analyse de Conflit: Zone autour de Kitchanga" [Conflict Analysis: Area around Kitchanga] (PDF). Sfcg.org (in French). Search for Common Ground. October 2014. p. 9. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  8. ^ Trimbur, John (2013). The Call to Write. Boston, Massachusetts: Cengage Learning. p. 189. ISBN 9781285630823.
  9. ^ "Kitchanga to Goma". Kitchanga to Goma. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  10. ^ Mathys, Gillian; Büscher, Karen (2019). "Politique d'urbanisation, déplacement interne et conflit armé dans l'Est de la RDC: l'histoire de Kitchanga" [Urbanization policy, internal displacement and armed conflict in eastern DRC: the story of Kitchanga] (PDF). Eca-creac.eu (in French). p. 107. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  11. ^ Mathys, Gillian; Büscher, Karen (2019). "Politique d'urbanisation, déplacement interne et conflit armé dans l'Est de la RDC: l'histoire de Kitchanga" [Urbanization policy, internal displacement and armed conflict in eastern DRC: the story of Kitchanga] (PDF). Eca-creac.eu/fr (in French). pp. 104–107. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  12. ^ Hovil, Lucy (August 30, 2016). Refugees, Conflict and the Search for Belonging. New York City: Springer International Publishing. p. 106. ISBN 9783319335636.
  13. ^ "DRC: "We all end up living in fear"". Msf.org.uk. Geneva, Switzerland. May 10, 2023. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  14. ^ Long, Nick (May 27, 2013). "DRC Farmers, Facing Theft, Switch to Less Edible Crops". VOA. New York, New York, United States. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  15. ^ "The world's least blessed cheesemakers are in Congo". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  16. ^ Dogon, Mondiant (October 11, 2022). Those We Throw Away Are Diamonds: A Refugee's Search for Home. New York City: Penguin Publishing Group. p. 231. ISBN 9781984881304.
  17. ^ "Kitchanga: Une vingtaine des vaches pillées par des hommes armés" [Kitchanga: Around twenty cows looted by armed men]. Kivu Times. December 11, 2022. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  18. ^ "Circuit de référencement: En cas de violence baseé sur le genre, oriented-vous aux services confidentiels suivant" [Referral circuit: In the event of gender-based violence, refer you to the following confidential services] (PDF). Humanitarianresponse.info (in French). 2021. pp. 3–4. Retrieved 2023-12-13.
  19. ^ "Difficulté de fonctionnement de l'hôpital général de référence de Kitshanga" [Difficulty in operating the Kitshanga general reference hospital]. Radio Okapi (in French). 2011-05-26. Retrieved 2023-12-13.
  20. ^ "Our Centres". CENYESED. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  21. ^ Mistaki, Diddy (December 8, 2022). "Masisi: Reprise timide des activités scolaires à Kitchanga après la panique du lundi dernier" [Masisi: Shy resumption of school activities in Kitchanga after the panic of last Monday]. Congorassure.cd (in French). Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  22. ^ "UN Secretary General serves lunch to pupils at World Vision/WFP project in DRC". www.wvi.org. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  23. ^ "Analyse de conflit: Zone autour de Kitchanga" (PDF). Sfcg.org (in French). Search for Common Ground. October 2014. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  24. ^ Zidi, Paulina (2023-01-27). "RDC: la ville de Kitchanga passe sous le contrôle de la rébellion M23" [DRC: the town of Kitchanga comes under the control of the M23 rebellion]. RFI (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  25. ^ "RDC: l'ONU alerte sur le sort des déplacés, notamment à Kitchanga" [DRC: the UN warns of the fate of the displaced, particularly in Kitchanga]. RFI (in French). Paris, France. 2023-02-06. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  26. ^ "Urbanizing Kitchanga: Spatial Trajectories of the Politics of Refuge in North Kivu, Eastern Congo". Social Science in Humanitarian Action Platform. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  27. ^ "Nord-Kivu : Ban Ki-moon dans un camp de déplacés à Kitchanga" [North Kivu: Ban Ki-moon in a displaced persons camp in Kitchanga]. www.mediacongo.net (in French). Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. February 24, 2016. Retrieved 2023-12-13.
  28. ^ "Goma: M23 rebels capture DR Congo city". BBC News. November 20, 2012. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  29. ^ World Report 2014: Events of 2013. Contributor: Kenneth Roth. New York, New York State: Seven Stories Press. February 25, 2014. ISBN 9781609805562.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  30. ^ "RDC: Ban Ki-moon à la rencontre des déplacés du camp de Kitchanga" [DRC: Ban Ki-moon meets displaced people from Kitchanga camp]. RFI (in French). Paris, France. 2016-02-24. Retrieved 2023-12-13.
  31. ^ Jones, Pete; Smith, David (2012-11-20). "Congo rebels take Goma with little resistance and to little cheer". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
  32. ^ "DR Congo: M23 Rebels Committing War Crimes". Human Rights Watch. 2012-09-11. Retrieved 2023-05-24.