Congolese Massacre of 321 Villagers Uncovered

This week, a massacre which was purported to have occurred around Christmas last year in the Democratic Republic of Congo was confirmed. Members of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a violent group ostensibly attempting to install a Christian theocracy in the African nation, slaughtered at least 321 innocent men, women and children.

They reportedly deceived villagers into thinking they were Congolese soldiers, then turned on them when the villagers refused to carry their supplies across a river. After killing villagers with machetes, clubs, and by fire, they proceeded to abduct hundreds of villagers. This number included over eighty children to be forced into becoming child soldiers and sex slaves.

The estimate of 321 causalities is predicted to be far shy of the actual number massacred: one Lieutenant in the Congolese Army reported personally overseeing the burial of at least 268 dead.

Some of those who resisted were not killed, but had their ears, lips or nose cut off as a particularly intimidating warning. With such grim reminders of the incident, the few villagers that escaped are far from eager to return to their homes.

The UN released a statement soon after the confirmation of the massacre, admitting that their handling of the LRA must be radically altered to improve the situation and prevent further attacks.

More information on the LRA can be found here.