Finding. Funding.Promoting.

Henri Bura Ladyi is tireless in his work for peace. His dedication and commitment means he has the respect of gun toting militiamen and the international community. People listen to Henri. You can help him.

Henri’s Story

“I grew up in war and like many boys from my community, I thought about joining the local militia to protect my family. A chance meeting with the founder of Centre Resolution Conflit, Ben Mussanzi changed all of that. He became my inspiration and we worked as peace builders until Mussanzi was forced to flee for his life. Twice I was arrested and tortured by militia, with sticks forced between my fingernails. The UN offered me safe passage but not my wife and child so we fled, walking for three days through dangerous jungle and rain forest avoiding brutal militia groups hiding there.”

Eventually Henri and his family arrived in Beni, 160 km to the South, with Henri more determined than ever to dedicate his life to peacebuilding. He re-established the Centre Resolution Conflit and has been working for the last ten years rescuing child soldiers, keeping communities together, building relationships and training people from different tribes to live together peacefully.

The history of D.R.Congo is one of conflict and corruption with fighting fuelled by the country’s vast mineral wealth. What has been called “Africa’s World War” has pitted government forces, supported by Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe, against rebels backed by Uganda and Rwanda. At least five million people have been killed and DRC faces a humanitarian crisis.

How CRC works

CRC recruits and trains ‘Taskforces’ across Eastern Congo, the area most vulnerable to violence, who monitor situations and act as early warning for erupting conflicts. Together they work on:

1. Releasing and rehabilitating child soldiers.
2. Getting militia to lay down their arms and reintegrate into the national army or find other means of income.
3. Helping IDPs move back to their homes and mediating them back into their former communities.

Key Achievements

• Mediation between militia and UN forces to secure the safe release of 5,000 villagers taken hostage.
• Negotiation with the Mai Mai to secure the release of children they’d kidnapped to use as child soldiers.
• Intervention at Eringeti refugee camp, home to 30,000 ethnically diverse people, where fierce fighting had broken out. Established a peace committee involving elders from each clan, the UN, local politicians, security services and church groups.
• Training different tribes how to avoid and resolve conflicts.

We say
“There’s no doubt Henri has saved lives, kept communities together and prevented even more conflict in this volatile country. What’s impressive is that Henri is respected by everyone – from the UN to the Mai Mai.” Tom Gillhespy, head of International Programmes, Peace Direct.

How you can help

Henri has the courage and contacts to save lives but he needs your support. £5 pays for a full tank of petrol so Henri can travel by motorbike – into the jungle to meet Mai Mai or to a local village in crisis.

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TOOLS OF PEACE.
FROM EVERYDAY ITEMS.
TO CONFLICT RESOLUTION.

You may rely on your radio to get you up in the morning, but for Henri working in the DR Congo the radio is transmitting a different kind of wake up call.

Henri uses radio to communicate in the most hard to reach places, with the most hard to reach people. His radio broadcasts reach armed militia operating in the bush and local people living in village communities – to encourage everyone to work towards peace, and for the militia to lay down their arms.

Henri and the Centre Resolution Conflits (CRC) have established 6 radio stations across the Congo, making 12 broadcasts each a month. To make sure their message is heard Peace Direct has worked with Henri to secure funding from the UK government to provide radios and set up 120 village radio clubs.  CRC have found through experience that radio clubs are the most powerful way to influence people on a mass scale and their broadcasts will raise awareness, discuss topical issues and encourage communities to take peace into their own hands.

Read Henri’s account of CRC radio broadcasts in action >>>

Henri working to disarm and reintergrate child soldiers

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