Bunia, February 24th, 2026 (CPA) – A memorial in memory of the victims of the Bogoro massacre was inaugurated on Tuesday in Bunia, the provincial capital of Ituri, in the northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as part of the reparations process ordered by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Germain Katanga case. “The memorial for the victims of the Bogoro massacre is not only the completion of an infrastructure but constitutes an act of recognition, a collective commitment, not to forget the women, men, and children who lost their lives during the tragic events in Bogoro in 2003, located 15 km from the city of Bunia,” stated Me Céline Bungisabo, advisor to the military governor of Ituri. She indicated that this memorial is a space “where the families of victims can gather, where the youth will learn the history, and where the entire society will renew its commitment to peaceful coexistence,” before thanking, on behalf of the provincial authority and the entire population of Bogoro, the Fund for Victims (FPV) of the ICC for making this project possible.
Attorney Bungisabo also emphasized that this infrastructure is not just a building but a symbol of the promotion of restorative justice aimed at contributing to social cohesion.
Testimony of the Resilience of Survivors
For her part, Ms. Deborah Ruiz, director of the FPV, stated that the present monument is a testament to the resilience of survivors and their will to ensure these crimes are never forgotten. It also reminds us that justice is not limited to judicial decisions but also encompasses recognition and the transmission of memory. “The reparations provided by the FPV have offered concrete support to victims through individual and collective measures aimed at facilitating the rebuilding of lives shattered by crime. This monument complements these efforts by providing a permanent space for reflection and remembrance for present and future generations,” she stressed.
It should be noted that this project was financed by the German Embassy in the DRC.