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Lemera

Coordinates: 3°02′07″S 28°59′08″E / 3.03528°S 28.98556°E / -3.03528; 28.98556
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lemera
Groupement de Lemera
Map
Country Democratic Republic of the Congo
ProvinceSouth Kivu
TerritoryUvira
ChiefdomBafuliiru
Government
 • Chef de groupementEdmond Simba Muhogo[1][2][3]
Area
 • Total
37,527 km2 (14,489 sq mi)
Population
 (2015)
 • Total
288,293
Time zoneUTC+2 (CAT)

Lemera is one of the groupements (groupings) within the Bafuliiru Chiefdom, serving as the chief town of the chiefdom.[4][5][6][7] Positioned in the northwestern part of Uvira Territory, Lemera spans an area of 37,527 square kilometers and, as of 2015, has an estimated population of 288,293, predominantly comprising Fuliiru people.[8] Lemera shares borders with the Itara/Luvungi groupement to the north, the Kigoma groupement to the south, the Itombwe sector in Mwenga Territory to the west, and National Road No. 5 (a road connecting Bukavu and Uvira) and the Ruzizi River to the east.[8]

Situated within the Ruzizi Plain, the region is predominantly agricultural, with residents cultivating cassava, beans, and maize. Fishing is also widespread, with local fishermen catching tilapia and other fish from Lake Tanganyika.[6][9][10]

History

[edit]
Mwami Nyamugira Mukogabwe II of Bafuliiru Chiefdom in Lemera, 1925

Lemera was established as one of five groupements forming the Bafuliiru Chiefdom when it was created on 28 March 1911 and officially ratified on 20 March 1923.[8] Serving as the chiefdom's capital, it was predominantly ruled by the Bahamba Dynasty from the Bahamba clan of the Fuliiru people.[11][12] According to historian Bishikwabo Chubaka, the name Lemera traces back to Mulemera, a chief from the Balemera clan of the Fuliiru.[11]

In the 1950s, Lemera saw its first phase of significant infrastructural development with the construction of a large, white-painted church, seating around 2,000 people, by Swedish Pentecostal missionaries from the Swedish Free Mission (Mission Libre Suédoise, MLS), now known as the Pentecostal Churches in Central Africa (Communauté des Églises de Pentecôte en Afrique Centrale, CEPAC).[13]

During the 1970s, Lemera was a modest settlement, with its population estimated at 500 to 1,000 by Swedish missionary Wanja Karlsson.[14] Most residents lived in simple mud houses, often shared by extended families of up to ten people. A notable communal house, constructed from brick, stood out among the mud structures.[14] The local economy relied on agriculture, producing fruits, vegetables, rice, beans, pork, and goat meat, supplemented by goods such as salt, fabrics, batteries, and medicines.[15] Healthcare and educational infrastructure expanded significantly during this period. Under the leadership of Jean Ruhigita Ndagora Bugwika, the CEPAC initiated the construction of Lemera Hospital in 1970, which was completed in 1971 with seven operational buildings, five residential units, six apartments for Swedish missionaries, a guesthouse, and a school for Swedish children.[16][13] In 1981, with funding from the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), Jean Bugwika oversaw the construction of halls and a hydroelectric dam to provide electricity and water to the hospital and the broader Lemera's populace.[16]

Administrative division

[edit]

Villages

[edit]

Lemera groupement is administratively subdivided into villages:

  • Kiringye
  • Kidote
  • Langala
  • Bwesho
  • Mahungu/Mahungubwe
  • Narunanga
  • Namutiri
  • Lungutu
  • Kahanda
  • Kigurwe
  • Ndunda

Security problems

[edit]

Lemera has a long history of conflict and political instability, which has led to ongoing security concerns for its residents and visitors alike. The region has experienced various periods of violence and unrest, with armed groups and militia factions operating in the area. During the Congo Crisis of April 1964, the broader Kivu Province experienced widespread unrest. Rebels launched attacks across the region, including on the Pentecostal mission facilities in Uvira, which were destroyed. In Lemera, a rebel attack on a house resulted in several injuries and one fatality.[17] The unrest forced many students at the seminary and UNESCO-affiliated educators to abandon the area, with the latter being evacuated under the protection of United Nations forces.[17] By May 1964, rebels had seized control of the Ruzizi Plain, encompassing the strategic corridor between Bukavu and Uvira, effectively entrapping missionaries stationed in Lemera.[17] After negotiations with a rebel leader, they were able to escape to Burundi in June 1964. During this tumultuous period, Lemera became a refuge for displaced persons, with the Lemera camp housing approximately 33,400 people, with each hut accommodating up to 15 people.[17]

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the First and Second Congo Wars ravaged the region. During the First Congo War, Lemera Hospital functioned as a military medical facility, providing care for both Forces Armées Zaïroises (FAZ) personnel and civilians.[18][19][20] On 6 October 1996, the hospital was attacked by Banyamulenge-led armed groups, supported by Rwanda and Uganda.[21][22][23] This event, known as the Lemera massacre, resulted in the deaths of 37 people, including two medical staff members, and involved significant vandalism of the hospital premises.[24][25]

On the night of 13–14 October 2018, four unidentified armed men abducted Ngiriho Kasome Seba, a journalist with Radio Communautaire de Lemera (RCL), along with his 16-year-old son in Kazunguzibwa, a village within Lemera.[26][27][28] The kidnappers, reportedly associated with the Mai-Mai Buuhirwa militia, held Ngiriho hostage in Luberizi and demanded a ransom of $1,200, accusing him of broadcasting reports about cattle theft by militiamen.[28] Although his son was released the following morning, Ngiriho was detained until 17 October, when he was freed after a $620 ransom was paid.[28] On 2 August 2019, an eco-guard was fatally assaulted during an incursion by Raïa Mutomboki at the Lemera post.[29] Subsequent military offensives launched by the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) on 26 November targeted Rwandan Hutu rebels affiliated with the CNRD-FDLR in neighboring Kalehe Territory, resulting in the displacement of over 3,000 civilians. Many of these displaced people sought refuge in Lemera and its surrounding areas, including Chambombo, Bihovu, Shanje, Numbi, Bibatama, Kalungu, Nyabibwe, Bushushu, Kasheke, Nyamugari and Chirimiro.[30] From 22–23 April 2021, inter-communal clashes between the Ngumino militia, predominantly composed of Banyamulenge, and the Mai-Mai Biloze Bishambuke militia, primarily consisting of Bafuliiru, engulfed villages such as Kifune, Mukono, Gaso, Bijojo, and Gongwe within Lemera, as well as the Kigoma groupements.[31] By 24 April, the violent clashes culminated in eight fatalities—four members from each militia faction. The skirmishes resulted in extensive devastation, including the incineration of villages and educational institutions.[31] On 29 April, Ngumino militias looted 75 cattle from Kanono village, located 44 kilometers northwest of Lemera.[32][33][34]

Children of Lemera

On 8 May 2021, Stijn Houben, the regional head of the International Committee of the Red Cross's South Kivu and Maniema sub-delegation, announced expanded relief efforts for displaced persons in conflict-affected zones, including Fizi Territory, Uvira Territory and Itombwe.[35] On 12 May, the Twigwaneho rebel faction (aligned with the Banyamulenge) and allies led by Colonel Michel Rukunda, alias Makanika, attacked a Mai-Mai Biloze Bishambuke camp in Masango village, in the Bijombo groupement of the neighboring Bavira Chiefdom.[36] Meanwhile, northeast of Lemera, clashes between Ngumino militiamen and the Mai-Mai coalition and Burundian FNL left seven people dead in the Kifuni village, northeast of Lemera.[36] The violence has disproportionately impacted women. According to the Association des Femmes des Médias (AFEM), between 1–28 October 2021, 73 cases of women's rights violations were documented.[37] These included rape, kidnapping, accusations of witchcraft, and lynching. Among the abductees were 11 women, including eight Burundian refugees from the Lusenda camp in Fizi Territory, one in Lemera, and two in Uvira.[37]

On 19 December, over 380 heavily armed Burundi National Defence Force (FDNB) commandos traversed Lemera en route to confront the Burundian RED-Tabara rebels.[38] Subsequently, on 3 January 2022, RED-Tabara declared via a tweet that its forces had engaged in combat against the FDNB in the highlands of South Kivu, specifically in Gashenyo and Kitembe, resulting in at least 10 fatalities and approximately 20 injuries on the opposing side.[38] In February 2022, the Femme au Fone project reported alarming statistics on witchcraft accusations, domestic violence, and lynching, with Lemera accounted for five lynching fatalities.[39] In April 2022, the resurgence of the March 23 Movement (M23), which occupied several eastern localities, precipitated an influx of displaced civilians seeking refuge in Lemera.[40][41] Eric Muvomo, coordinator of ACMEJ/Katogota, reported that nearly 100 displaced children were taken in by the NGO Espace d'Amis d'Enfance (EAE) in Kidote, situated within Lemera's middle plateau.[42]

Economy

[edit]

Subsistence farming and livestock rearing are the main economic activities. Major crops include cassava, beans, peanuts, coffee, bananas, rice, corn, sorghum, wheat, and soybeans as well as fruits like oranges, mangoes, mandarins, guavas, and avocados.[43][44] Market gardening is practiced in certain areas of the region, with cassava being cultivated extensively throughout Lemera.[43] Beans, grown centrally between Rubanga and Mulenge, serve as a staple in local cuisine, commonly accompanied by fufu—a starchy dough-like dish made from boiled and pounded ingredients such as cassava—and as an export commodity.[43][44] Beans are sold in Bukavu and Uvira, with significant quantities also exported to neighboring countries, Burundi and Rwanda.[43] Coffee cultivation, classified as one of the region's industrial crops, is significant in Lemera.[43] Additionally, peanuts are exported to Rwanda and Burundi, with a portion sold in Bukavu.[43]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Des militaires burundais signalés dans l'Est de la RD Congo". Actualite.cd (in French). 13 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  2. ^ "Local witnesses claim to have seen Burundian troops in eastern DRC". Radio France Internationale (in French). 5 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  3. ^ "Burundian Soldiers Seen In DR Congo Territory In Hunt For Red-Tabara Rebels". humanglemedia.com (in French). 6 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  4. ^ Verweijen, Judith (2016). "Un microcosme de militarisation: Conflit, gouvernance et mobilisation armée en territoire d'Uvira" [A Microcosm of Militarization: Conflict, Governance and Armed Mobilization in Uvira Territory] (PDF). Riftvalley.net/ (in French). Rift Valley Institute. p. 13. ISBN 978-1-907431-40-1. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  5. ^ Katibula, Esther Dina (11 October 2017). "Conception d'une application de la gestion des Ressources Humaines au sein d'une institution sanitaire "Cas de l'Hôpital Général de Référence de Lemera"" [Design of a Human Resources Management Application within a Health Institution "Case of the Lemera General Reference Hospital".] (in French). Bukavu, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo: Institut Supérieur Pédagogique de Bukavu (ISP-Bukavu). Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  6. ^ a b Kishamata, Jérôme Katongo. "Monographie de la Cheffeerie des Bafuliiru" [Monograph of the Bafuliiru Chiefdom] (in French). Bukavu, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo: Université Officielle de Bukavu (UOB). Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  7. ^ "Analyse morphosemantique et interpretation socioculturelle des noms de cavernes dans la collectivite Chefferie des Bafuliiru cas des groupements de Kigoma et Lemera" [Morphosemantic analysis and sociocultural interpretation of cave names in the Bafuliiru chiefdom community: the case of the Kigoma and Lemera groups] (in French). Bukavu, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo: Institut Supérieur Pédagogique de Bukavu (ISP-Bukavu). 2013. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  8. ^ a b c Mirebo, André Magumu (2015). "Attitude de jeunes gens du groupement de Lemera face au programme de planning familial" [Attitude of young people from the Lemera groupement towards the family planning program] (in French). Bukabu, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo: Université Simon Kimbangu de Bukavu (USK-Bukavu). Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  9. ^ Ngezirabona, Stany Vwima; Rushigira, Cadeau (26 November 2020). "Problématique de l'intégration de l'agriculture du Sud-Kivu à la République Démocratique de Congo dans la Communauté Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs" [Problem of the integration of agriculture in South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries]. Revues.imist.ma (in French). doi:10.34874/IMIST.PRSM/RPE/23798. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  10. ^ "Integrated Water Resources Management (Maji Ya Amani)" (PDF). Quarterly Narrative Progress Report. 31 December 2021. p. 4–13. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  11. ^ a b Chubaka, Bishikwabo (1987). "Aux origines de la ville d'Uvira selon les explorateurs et les pionniers de la colonisation Belge au Zaire (1840-1914)" [The origins of the city of Uvira according to the explorers and pioneers of Belgian colonization in Zaire (1840-1914)]. Civilisations. 37 (1): 83–126. ISSN 0009-8140.
  12. ^ Sabuni, Abel Mukunde (2007). "Bilan humain des conflits armés et ses conséquences sur le développement du territoire d'Uvira de 1996 à 2005" [Human toll of armed conflicts and its consequences on the development of the Uvira territory from 1996 to 2005] (in French). Bukavu, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo: Institut Supérieur de Développement Rural de Bukavu (ISDR). Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  13. ^ a b Karlsson, Wanja (2020). "Sjuksköterska och missionär på Lemera" [Nurse and missionary at Lemera] (PDF). Pingst.se (in Swedish). Swedish Pentecostal Movement. p. 42–43. ISBN 978-91-984588-5-5. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  14. ^ a b Karlsson, Wanja (2020). "Sjuksköterska och missionär på Lemera" [Nurse and missionary at Lemera] (PDF). Pingst.se (in Swedish). Swedish Pentecostal Movement. p. 32. ISBN 978-91-984588-5-5. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  15. ^ Karlsson, Wanja (2020). "Sjuksköterska och missionär på Lemera" [Nurse and missionary at Lemera] (PDF). Pingst.se (in Swedish). Swedish Pentecostal Movement. p. 34. ISBN 978-91-984588-5-5. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  16. ^ a b Katibula, Esther Dina (11 October 2017). "Conception d'une application de la gestion des Ressources Humaines au sein d'une institution sanitaire "Cas de l'Hôpital Général de Référence de Lemera"" [Design of a Human Resources Management Application within a Health Institution "Case of the Lemera General Reference Hospital".] (in French). Bukavu, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo: Institut Supérieur Pédagogique de Bukavu (ISP-Bukavu). Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  17. ^ a b c d Karlsson, Wanja (2020). "Sjuksköterska och missionär på Lemera" [Nurse and missionary at Lemera] (PDF). Pingst.se (in Swedish). Swedish Pentecostal Movement. p. 24–24 (22–23). ISBN 978-91-984588-5-5. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  18. ^ Kisangani, Emizet Francois; Bobb, Scott F. (2010). Historical Dictionary of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. p. 42. ISBN 9780810863255.
  19. ^ Tandema, Fulgence Alitri (2005). "Les relations entre la république démocratique du Congo et ses voisins après l'avènement de l'AFDL (Alliance des forces démocratiques pour la libération du Congo). Contraintes des enjeux géostratégiques et recherche d'une paix durable" [Relations between the Democratic Republic of Congo and its neighbors after the advent of the AFDL (Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo). Constraints of geostrategic issues and the search for lasting peace] (in French). Lemba, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo: University of Kinshasa. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  20. ^ "Hospital patients and nurses killed". Brunijazzart.com. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  21. ^ "Lemera ou la chronique des 23 années de guerre en RDC (Pr VOTO)" [Lemera or the chronicle of 23 years of war in the DRC (Pr VOTO)]. Actualite.cd (in French). 6 October 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  22. ^ Sabuni, Abel Mukunde (2007). "Bilan humain des conflits armés et ses conséquences sur le développement du territoire d'Uvira de 1996 à 2005" [Human toll of armed conflicts and its consequences on the development of the Uvira territory from 1996 to 2005] (in French). Bukavu, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo: Institut Supérieur de Développement Rural de Bukavu (ISDR-Bukavu). Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  23. ^ Dimanyayi, Christian (6 October 2022). "27 ans de massacre de Lemera (Sud-Kivu): Denis Mukwege crie "Justice" pour les victimes de ce crime" [27 years of Lemera massacre (South Kivu): Denis Mukwege cries "Justice" for the victims of this crime]. 7sur7.cd (in French). Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  24. ^ "Attacks against other civilian populations - South Kivu". Mapping-report.org. DRC Mapping Exercise Report. 15 June 2009. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  25. ^ "Massacre de Lemera, 24 ans déjà : Des dizaines de malades abattus dans un hôpital, certains par un coup de pistolet dans la bouche" [Lemera Massacre, 24 Years On: Dozens of Patients Shot Dead in Hospital, Some by Gunshot to the Mouth]. Actualite.cd (in French). 6 October 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  26. ^ Mwamba, Justin (15 October 2018). "RDC: Un journaliste enlevé par des hommes armés dans la plaine de la Ruzizi (Sud-Kivu)" [DRC: Journalist kidnapped by armed men in the Ruzizi plain (South Kivu)]. Actualite.cd (in French). Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  27. ^ "La RDC ira-t-elle aux élections sans journalistes?" [Will the DRC go to elections without journalists?]. Habari RDC (in French). 22 October 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  28. ^ a b c "Enlèvement d'un journaliste à Lemera: OLPA exige l'arrestation des ravisseurs" [Kidnapping of a journalist in Lemera: OLPA demands the arrest of the kidnappers]. Actualite.cd (in French). 28 October 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  29. ^ Mwamba, Justin (10 October 2019). "RDC: Claude Nyamugabo promet son implication pour résoudre le conflit qui oppose les pygmées au parc de Kahuzi Biega" [DRC: Claude Nyamugabo promises his involvement in resolving the conflict between pygmies and Kahuzi Biega Park]. Actualite.cd (in French). Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  30. ^ Mwamba, Justin (4 December 2019). "RDC-Kalehe: Les affrontements entre FARDC et CNRD font déjà plus de 3000 déplacés sans assistance" [DRC-Kalehe: Clashes between FARDC and CNRD have already left more than 3,000 people displaced without assistance]. Actualite.cd (in French). Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  31. ^ a b Mwamba, Justin (24 April 2021). "RDC: violents affrontements entre deux milices dans les hauts plateaux d'Uvira, au moins 8 morts" [DRC: Violent clashes between two militias in the highlands of Uvira, at least 8 dead]. Actualite.cd (in French). Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  32. ^ "Uvira: reprise des combats entre groupes armés locaux à Kanono" [Uvira: Resumption of fighting between local armed groups in Kanono]. Radio Okapi (in French). 30 April 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  33. ^ Mwamba, Justin (24 April 2021). "RDC: violents affrontements entre deux milices dans les hauts plateaux d'Uvira, au moins 8 morts" [DRC: Violent clashes between two militias in the highlands of Uvira, at least 8 dead]. Actualite.cd (in French). Retrieved 17 February 2023.
  34. ^ "Uvira: reprise des combats entre groupes armés locaux à Kanono" [Uvira: Resumption of fighting between local armed groups in Kanono]. Radio Okapi (in French). 30 April 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
  35. ^ Mwamba, Justin (9 May 2021). "Minembwe: le CICR annonce le renforcement de son assistance pour les déplacés internes" [Minembwe: ICRC announces increased assistance for internally displaced persons]. Actualite.cd (in French). Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  36. ^ a b "Sud- Kivu: de violents combats opposent deux milices à Uvira" [South Kivu: Violent fighting between two militias in Uvira]. Radio Okapi (in French). 12 May 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  37. ^ a b Mwamba, Justin (30 October 2021). "Sud-Kivu: AFEM a documenté 73 cas de violations des droits des femmes dont 8 réfugiées burundaises kidnappées" [South Kivu: AFEM documented 73 cases of women's rights violations including 8 kidnapped Burundian refugees]. Actualite.cd (in French). Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  38. ^ a b "Des militaires burundais signalés dans l'Est de la RD Congo" [Burundian soldiers reported in eastern DR Congo]. Actualite.cd (in French). 5 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  39. ^ Mwamba, Justin (12 February 2022). "Sud-Kivu: le système d'alerte précoce "Femme au Fone" présente l'application" SOS Secours" pour mettre fin au féminicide" [South Kivu: the early warning system "Femme au Fone" presents the application "SOS Secours" to put an end to femicide]. Actualite.cd (in French). Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  40. ^ "Sud-Kivu: les déplacés en difficulté à Bwegera et à Lemera" [South Kivu: Displaced people in difficulty in Bwegera and Lemera]. Radio Okapi (in French). 1 June 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
  41. ^ Romeo, Lou (21 January 2023). "Quels sont les principaux groupes armés actifs dans l'est de la RD Congo?" [What are the main armed groups active in eastern DR Congo?]. France 24 (in French). Retrieved 17 February 2023.
  42. ^ "Sud-Kivu: la présence des groupes armés à Lemera inquiète l'autorité coutumière" [South Kivu: the presence of armed groups in Lemera worries the customary authority]. Radio Okapi (in French). 11 February 2022. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
  43. ^ a b c d e f Kibinda, Didier Huruma (10 October 2017). "Chapitre deuxieme: Presentation du cadre d'etude" [Chapter two: Presentation of the study framework] (in French). Bukavu, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo: Institut Supérieur d'Études Commerciales et Financières. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  44. ^ a b Mutayubara, Yohana Patience Miruho (June 2019). "Dégradation des routes de desserte agricole et production agricole dans la chefferie des Bafuliiru en territoire d'Uvira" [Degradation of agricultural service roads and agricultural production in the Bafuliiru chiefdom in Uvira territory] (in French). Uvira, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo: Institut Supérieur de Développement Rural d'Uvira (ISDR-Uvira). Retrieved 11 January 2025.

3°02′07″S 28°59′08″E / 3.03528°S 28.98556°E / -3.03528; 28.98556

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