Submit this form
Home News Videos Music Photos Facebook Twitter Friends Newsletter Podcasts Mobile RSS
Aru: Congolese flag flies again in Kengezi base

MONUC - February 6, 2008

After a successful meeting held in southern Sudan on 2 February 2008, between the governor of Orientale province, Medard Autsai Asenga, and his Sudanese counterpart of the Province of Central Equateur, Major General Clément Wani Konga, an agreement was concluded to put an end to an old frontier conflict, exacerbated by the incidents of 24January last in Kengezi base.
©MONUC

After a successful meeting held in southern Sudan on 2 February 2008, between the governor of Orientale province, Medard Autsai Asenga, and his Sudanese counterpart of the Province of Central Equateur, Major General Clément Wani Konga, an agreement was concluded to put an end to an old frontier conflict, exacerbated by the incidents of 24January last in Kengezi base.

Kengezi base - a Congolese border post between Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) - is located around 120km north of Aru. This part of the territory was occupied since 1996 by the SPLA (Southern Sudan Liberation Army), which used it as a base against possible infiltrations of the LRA (Lord' s Resistance Army) in South-Sudan.

In 2004, during the creation of the mixed FARDC integrated brigades, the troops of the 1st brigade were deployed 5km from Kengezi, in Rumu, but did not have instructions to evacuate the SPLA, with whom they were living peacefully.

In July 2007, Governor Autsai Asenga, on mission in Aru, ordered an FARDC meeting for border troops. The Congolese soldiers then left Rumu barracks to settle in a new base in Kengezi, built 900m from the border. A barrier was set up 300m from the border, and several border services were established there.

Chronicle of a crisis

On the evening of 23 January 2008, according to the authorities of Aru territory, a high ranking SPLA officer arrived at the barrier, dismantled it and drew down the Congolese flag. On 24 January, the FARDC replaced the barrier and returned to their new barracks.

Briefs contacts followed between officers of the two camps, without results. The Sudanese ex rebel were uneasy with the new FARDC barracks and demanded the FARDC to leave their base and return to their old base in Rumu.

The FARDC did not agree with the proposal. The SPLA then launched an ultimatum to the FARDC to leave, set for 1pm. The commander of the 1st brigade ordered a company based in Kumuru, 24km from the border, to arrive as reinforcements.

On their arrival, and shortly after the expiry of the ultimatum, the SPLA fires and the FARDC retaliate. According to the Congolese territorial authorities, only one soldier is wounded in the FARDC ranks.

In the following days, humanitarians present in the area counted more than 3,000 displaced persons from the surrounding villages.

Diplomatic talks and a historic agreement

Intense negotiations took place on 25 and 26 January, and military and territorial authorities from both sides refuse to budge. The Sudanese side insists that the negotiations should be held at the higher governor level. In the meantime, a seven day truce is concluded.

Upon his arrival in Aru on 1 February last, Orientale governor Medard Autsai Asenga informs MONUC of his intention to go to Kaya in Sudan the following day, to meet his counterpart from Central Equateur province, Major General Clément Wani Konga, “to calm the spirits” of the soldiers and the local populations.

Its important to note that the mission of Governor Autsai and his delegation - in particular General André Kinkela, FARDC Ituri operations commander, Colonel Hassan Masudi, commander of the 1st integrated brigade of Aru and Mahagi, Mr. Mawa Enzoronzi, administrator of Aru territory, and a representative of the Police chief of Ituri district – appears to have been a success.

Indeed, the agreement signed on 3 February last in Sheba, in the district of Morobo, not only brought an end to the Kengezi base crisis, by reiterating the will of the two countries “to reinforce their good neighbourliness in order to consolidate peace in the area”, but marked an unambiguous return to the layout of the borders inherited from colonisation.

The agreement also envisages a calendar of quarterly meetings for better effectiveness in the fight against fraud and smuggling at the border. The two governors also addressed the populations.

Thereafter a symbolic ceremony was held in Kengezi base where the two delegations re-hoisted the Congo flag at the border post.

As of 5 February, the independent measures decided by the Sheba agreement were applied. All SPLA troops left the locality, which is now made secure by the Congolese National Police.

In relation to the 3,000 displaced persons around Kengezi base, this agreement also gives hope that they will return to their villages soon. This is what UNICEF and OCHA want to encourage, after an evaluation mission by the NGO Solidarité which ended on 2 February last. The World Food Programme (WFP) also envisages to supply emergency food aid.


Related articles


  1. 'Deadly environment' plus 'political and social' obstacles hinder Ebola fight, Security Council hears (July 24, 2019)
  2. Ebola outbreak declared an international Public Health Emergency (July 17, 2019)
  3. Jean-Pierre Bemba Returns to DR Congo (August 1, 2018)
  4. At least 30 dead after massacres in Ituri (March 2, 2018)
  5. Botswana Urges Joseph Kabila to Step Down (February 26, 2018)
  6. No elections in DR Congo in December without electronic voting machines: INEC (February 13, 2018)
  7. DR Congo reach final of African Nations Championship (February 3, 2016)
  8. Political tensions 'running high' in DR Congo ahead of 2016 elections (October 7, 2015)
  9. DRC Army Putting Pressure on FDLR (April 1, 2015)
  10. Police Open Fire on Crowd Protesting Election Law Change (January 19, 2015)
  11. DR Congo: The country that knows how to beat Ebola (December 11, 2014)
  12. ICC Confirms 14-Year Sentence Against Thomas Lubanga (December 1, 2014)
  13. Ebola Epidemic Resurfaces in DR Congo's Equateur Province (August 25, 2014)
  14. ICC sentences Germain Katanga to 12 years (May 23, 2014)
  15. 15 dead in football match stampede in Kinshasa (May 12, 2014)
  16. Security Council extends UN mission, intervention force in DR Congo for one year (March 28, 2014)
  17. U.S. sending more personnel to Uganda to hunt LRA leader Joseph Kony (March 24, 2014)
  18. Death toll in Lake Albert boat accident rises to 108 people (March 24, 2014)
  19. ICC finds Germain Katanga guilty of war crimes and crime against humanity (March 7, 2014)
  20. Bosco Ntaganda Attacked Civilians on Ethnic Grounds, ICC Prosecutor Says (February 10, 2014)
  21. New DR Congo amnesty law welcomed by UN envoys (February 5, 2014)
  22. Colonel Mamadou Ndala Is Killed in Ambush (January 2, 2014)
  23. No 'Peace Deal' With Defeated M23 Rebels, DR Congo Says (November 11, 2013)
  24. Congo Will Not Sign a 'Peace Deal' With Defeated M23 Rebels, Government Says (November 6, 2013)
  25. Congo Army Takes Control of Mbuzi Hill From M23 Rebels (November 4, 2013)
  26. Kabila Congratulates Congo Army for Defeating M23 Rebels (October 30, 2013)
  27. Advancing Congo Troops Take Control of Rumangabo From M23 Rebels (October 28, 2013)
  28. Congo Army Liberates Rutshuru, Kiwanja and Kibumba From M23 Rebels (October 27, 2013)
  29. Congo Army Dislodges M23 Rebels From Strategic Town of Kibumba (October 26, 2013)
  30. Ban Ki-moon Confirms M23 Rebels Shelled Rwanda (August 31, 2013)


Live TV Congo Radio en ligne Radio
Available on App Store
Get it on Google Play



Contact Us | About Us | Édition en Français | French Edition

© CongoPlanet.com. All rights reserved.