Congo-B: ten years after the Mpila explosion, many victims are still waiting for the promised aid
Not far from the site of the explosion, the mound of Kangabanzi, neighboring the military camp of Mpila, was nothing more than a huge field of ruins, just after the tragedy (illustrative image).
RFI/Guillaume Thibault
Text by: RFI Follow
3 mins
Ten years after the Mpila explosion, many victims are waiting for reparations.
On March 4, 2012, the Mpila district in the east of Brazzaville was blown up by explosions which caused nearly 300 deaths, more than 3,000 injuries, including 114 invalids, and 17,000 homeless, most of whom still have not found decent accommodation
Advertising
Read more
With our correspondent in Brazzaville,
Loïcia Martial
Paul is a disaster victim from Mpila.
Before
the explosion
, he lived with his family in a house with several rooms.
All that remains is a cracked section of wall where buffalo horns are hung.
Since then, he has built a shed to house his family: “
It still hurts,
he says.
We are obliged to stay
(under these conditions)
until the repair.
It's deplorable because when there's bad weather, it seeps everywhere.
We are not used to it.
I came to Brazzaville in 1969 and I had never known a shed.
I knew him just after March 4, 2021. It's complicated
, ”complains this head of the family.
No roof, door or window
Paul's shed is at the foot of the one-level house belonging to a neighbour.
Without roof, door or window, this building destroyed by the explosions looks like most of the houses in the neighborhood waiting to be repaired.
Defender of human rights, Trésor Nzila thinks that the State has dragged on too long to rehouse the victims of Mpila with dignity: “
Ten years later, the Congolese government is unable to find a lasting and satisfactory response to the situation of March 4.
We understand that the priorities are elsewhere
, ”he denounces.
For the year 2022, the State has planned to disburse six billion CFA francs, against one billion last year.
A drop in the ocean for the Collective of disaster victims which estimates all repairs at 233 billion.
Bruno Ossété chairs the Collective of disaster victims of Mpila, he has been fighting since the disaster for the State to pay these funds: "
It was painful.
There are many people who have lost their lives because they have actually lost their dignity.
Someone who has found himself squatting with a cousin or a friend cannot squat with someone for more than ten years!
There, morale is generally affected and it was very painful.
After a fairly frank discussion with the government, there were resolutions which were therefore taken concerning the six billion which had been planned by the government for the year 2022
.
Complete payment
“
You have to say
, continues Bruno Ossété,
that there are around 11,000 plots affected, so the sums given are quite derisory.
And justice will only be done when we have paid the whole file definitively, because when we pay, then we don't pay everyone.
So, it is rather necessary to maintain the rhythm of payment so that hope is reborn and also that we go to the end of the payment
”.
In 2013, six soldiers were sentenced for “arson and breach of state security”.
►
To read also:
Congo-B: a march of the victims of the Mpila explosions dispersed by the police
(
December 8, 2021
)
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_EN
Congo Brazzaville
Social issues
Justice