“As if it were today” | Tales from Muhanga 9
From the diary of Father Giovanni Piumatti during his time in Muhanga (North Kivu). Reflections still relevant today
Children and boys with a gun bigger than they are…
Emmanuel came to see me the other day: a boy about 17 years old. He is tired; he is the Colonel’s “guard.”
He was in 5th grade, maybe 10 years old, when the Mai-Mai “picked him up” and put a rifle bigger than him on his back. Custom-built rifles for children I haven’t seen here yet; but there are, they are known to make them in the West today.
He wants to leave, and go back to normal. Then when they shoved him into the regular army, they didn’t even ask him if he wanted to give up the rifle; on the other hand, he would have had to pay at least a goat, along with some beating.
Yet, as I said, there is big funding for this stuff, humanitarian bodies, NGOs, propaganda.
– I want to go back to the village and work … – he told me.
– Where do your parents live?
– I don’t know, if they are still there; I used to live in Bukavu… Don’t tell my leaders; if they know; they put me in cachot, they won’t let me go…
I’ve asked here and there, even the administrative authorities, religious authorities…; they can’t tell me anything, they all shrug their shoulders.
A young man from “Msf” passed the message to “Save the children.” They contacted me, because he is under 18 (which will still have to “prove”); maybe they will come and see.
But it’s still all a problem: will they leave him, or will he go to cachot??!
Emmanuel has a sweet face, so much, it makes me so tender.
This year alone, dozens and dozens of these kids came to me for help; of all ages there are.
I couldn’t do anything! And they all left with their rifles. It is so sad! So sad!
(Father Giovanni Piumatti, Feb. 25, 2010 )
Read previous articles
Source and image
- G. Piumatti, Muhanga. Parole e storie d’Africa, pp. 110