Inspirational education champion for British Aid Charity Children in Crisis massacred with co-workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In the most lethal attack on aid workers so far in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Eraste Rwatangabo (pictured above), Education Manager working with the British Charity Children in Crisis, and three other colleagues were amongst seven people murdered by a Congolese rebel group as the aid workers travelled to conduct programme activities with schools and communities. The rebel group were reportedly the Mai Mai Yakutumba.

The aid vehicle was ambushed on route to the town of Minembwe on Tuesday 4th October. It appears to have been a tribally motivated attack against the Banyamulenge tribe, since 4 non-Banyamulenge were released.

Eraste and the three other men, Kandoti Tite (Deputy Education Manager), Gifota Edmond (Teacher Trainer) and Musore Ruturutsa (Driver) were staff of Eben Ezer Ministry International, Children in Crisis’s partner in the DRC.

Eraste Rwatangabo was the moving force behind a programme which has already reached upwards of 30,000 children with schools, teachers and education in the remote plateau region of South Kivu in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Eraste and his colleagues were working on a second phase of the programme which, with support from international Donors including the Baring and John Ellerman Foundations, has been running since 2007 to improve education in every single school across a plateau the size of Wales.

Koy Thomson Chief Executive of Children in Crisis said: 
"We are saddened and shocked beyond words, and extend our deepest condolences to the men’s families. Eraste was a giant of a man, physically and inspirationally, and showed us how to bring positive change to thousands of disadvantaged children in the most remote and hostile of environments. We will assess the implications of these murders on our work in the DRC, but stand ready and even more determined to support our Congolese partners to deliver their education vision on the plateau."

Sarah Rowse Director of Programmes of Children in Crisis said:
"Let this not be just another dreadful tragedy in the DRC’s dreadful history, but something that unites us all with the dignity and courage to act for peace and reconciliation in the region as never before. Eraste, Tite, Musore and Edmond were brave, courageous, dedicated men doing amazing work; their actions and kindness have enriched the lives of thousands of children from across the Plateau.

As Nelson Mandela said: ‘Education is the best weapon you can use to change the world.’ This was Eraste’s mantra. He and his colleagues were a force for peace and for positive change for children.
The rebels who did these atrocious acts have done so with impunity. It is an injustice that should not go unnoticed. 

To our colleagues and very dear friends who we have lost, we will miss you very very much."

Amy Parker, Programme Manager for Children in Crisis’s DRC Programme said:
"To have lost such passionate, intelligent and kind-hearted men who were striving to create a safe future for the children of the Plateau is incomprehensible. Men who have had such a positive and lasting impact on this forgotten region will be forever remembered. My heart goes out to our friends in the DRC; you are an inspiration."

We are hoping to build a fund to help these families into the forseeable future. The fund will be disbursed at the Children in Crisis Trustees' discretion, to support these families and other victims of the massacres occurring in the plateau region of South Kivu.

If you would like to donate to this fund please click the button below.

NOTES TO EDITORS

Children in Crisis is UK based international NGO (registered charity number: 1020488) established in 1993. Children in Crisis exists to improve the lives of children around the world affected by conflict, deprivation, poverty or other hidden crises, by working with local communities to provide education, healthcare and protection. 

Eben Ezer Ministry International (EMI) is a Congolese NGO that was established in May 1997 in response to the outbreak of war in DRC. EMI wanted to reconcile conflicting communities for their peaceful coexistence. Its continued vision is to contribute to the restoration of peace for sustainable development and, through its education work, improve the conditions of children living in remote areas and affected by war, where children have no chance to access basic quality education. 

Mai Mai Yakutumba are a politico-military movement founded in 2007 that is active in Fizi territory, in the southern part of South Kivu. Mai Mai Yakutumba were created by dissidents from war-era armed factions. Their worldview is constructed around the idea of “autochthony”, or the concept of being the “original” inhabitant of a certain zone. In this perspective, which is shared by almost all Mai-Mai groups in the DRC, the self-styled autochthonous groups are threatened by the Rwandophone communities (Hutu and Tutsi), who are seen as “foreigners” trying to take over their land and power (source: Congo Saisa)

South Kivu in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo borders Rwanda and Burundi to the East. 

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that nearly 25 incidents involving aid workers had been recorded since August in North Kivu province and some 15 in neighbouring South Kivu, and nearly 140 all told so far this year.

Click here to read Tim Adam's article in The Observer: How the teaches of hope I met in the Congo were brutally killed

A GALLERY OF IMAGES