REGION-BY-REGION PROFILE OF INSECURITY DUE TO SMALL ARMS Due to the sometimes huge differences within the provinces, districts and territories, we have established a profile of each region studied. This chapter includes both the most salient results of the questionnaire-based survey, described in the previous chapter, and the most pertinent lessons from the specific meetings arranged as part of the survey with the protagonists on the ground. In line with the terms of reference for the research, the analysts in each province/district were instructed to arrange ten or so focus group discussions and interviews with key protagonists in the region for which they were responsible. Using this method, useful qualitative information was gathered, in addition to the more quantitative information collected by means of the questionnaire. We have also added a brief explanation of the trends noted since the beginning of the survey, covering the period from the end of 2009 to the start of 2011. a) Ituri In the Ituri district, ten focus group discussions (7 in Bunia, 2 in Mahagi and 1 in Aru) and ten interviews with key protagonists (8 in Bunia, 2 in Mahagi) were organised. Profile of the respondents In terms of the profile of the respondents, it should first be noted that there are far more male respondents than the general average (22.27% of women, compared with the average of 29.77%), despite the fact that the group of pollsters for this region was the only one to be headed by a female analyst. Also, the Ituri respondents are much older than those in the other regions (less than 14% of respondents were under 30 and 53.58% were over 40, whereas 19 Small ARms IN EasTERN CONGO – A SURVEY ON THE PERCEPTION OF INSECURITY the corresponding figures for the overall data set are 28.94% and 39.41% respectively). Perception of insecurity The percentage of individuals believing that the inhabitants of their neighbourhood or village felt in danger was close to the general average (39.37% compared with 38.15%). Only the territory of Djugu features in the Top Ten territories where insecurity is perceived to be most acute, coming third with 78.85%. The territory of Mambasa, however, comes third in the table of territories where people feel the most secure (99.53%, see Tables 4 and 5 of the previous chapter). It is in this district that the difference between men and women in the perception of insecurity is the most pronounced: 43.79% of men perceive the situation to be unsafe, compared with 23.71% of women, a disparity of more than 20%. If they were to be the victims of an armed assault, a significant majority (81.77%) of respondents say they would complain; 55.28% of them to the police. Of those who would not complain, most (73.94%) would refrain for fear of it leading to problems for them or their relatives. The percentage of respondents saying that they or members of their household had not had access to the market, school or medical care because of the presence or sound of firearms since Christmas 2008 (between 15.17% and 21.75%) is in line with the general average. Arms proliferation The percentage of people denying the presence of arms in their surroundings is the highest in Ituri: 24.93%, with only 51.85% believing the opposite. Examining the results by territory, we find there are very strong variations: whereas 91.63% of respondents in Mambasa say that arms are present, only 26.43% admit this in Djugu, where a clear majority – 48.46% - say that there are no weapons. Paradoxically, however, Mambasa is the territory felt to be the safest in the district and Djugu the territory felt to be the most dangerous! While around two-thirds of respondents say they are able to recognise weapons, it is mainly automatic rifles and related ammunition that people seem to be familiar with in Ituri. 10 REgiON-BY-REgiON PROFilE OF INSECURITY DUE TO small ARms Only 4.6% of respondents saying that arms are present in their surroundings say that they themselves, or someone living under their roof, actually own one, 2.83% of the total sample for Ituri. Most of those admitting to owning a weapon (52.22%, the highest rate in all five regions) have an assault rifle-type weapon. Of those who say they do not have a weapon, only 2.77% – by far the lowest in the zone covered by the survey – would like to acquire one. According to information gathered from the focus group discussions and key interviews, civilians rarely buy arms these days. The militias that are still active are reported not to be highly armed (an FARDC major and a former head of the FRPI agreed on this). Their field of action is reported to be mainly in the south of the Irumu territory and in the east of the Djugu territory. Agents of insecurity It should firstly be noted that like elsewhere, a large number of respondents in Ituri denying the presence of arms in their surroundings had no problem about admitting the presence of armed protagonists. In the territory of Djugu, for instance, only 26.43% of the individuals surveyed recognised the presence of arms, but 99.68% said that armed protagonists existed in their locality. In the district, the FARDC are the most widely noticed armed protagonists (30%), followed by the police (26.41%), bandits (10.93%) and demobilised soldiers or deserters (9.22%). The percentages in the last two categories, along with the percentage for the FARDC, are the highest of all five regions. It should be noted that despite a huge presence in some towns, MONUC is only mentioned in 5.18% of cases. According to a large majority of respondents (71.5%), weapons cause insecurity in their environment. This situation varies widely from territory to territory, as the territories of Djugu, Mahagi and Irumu feature in the top nine territories rendered most insecure by weapons, with rates of more than 90%, although the territory of Mambasa is reported to be by far the safest in the zone covered by the survey (with more than 93% of respondents saying that arms do not generate insecurity). According to the respondents, the main agents of insecurity are bandits (31.32%, the highest of all 5 regions), followed by the FARDC (22.88%) and demobilised soldiers or deserters (16.3%, also the highest of the 5 regions). The focus group discussions and key interviews placed great emphasis on the negative role of the FARDC, whose members are reported to directly carry 11 Small ARms IN EasTERN CONGO – A SURVEY ON THE PERCEPTION OF INSECURITY out attacks or lend their arms to bandits. Also mentioned during these talks were demobilised soldiers (many of whom have reportedly turned to banditry), the PNC, various socially marginalised groups (such as hemp-smokers, street children and escaped prisoners) and UPDF1 troops in the border territories. Arms caches Of the respondents confirming the existence of arms (28.8%, compared with 45.74% who refused to reply or said they did not know), more than 40% believe they are used for banditry (the highest level in any of the 5 regions). A relative majority (34.54%) believe the arms are buried underground, 13.59% believe they are hidden in private houses and 10.87% believe they are hidden in empty buildings. In the interviews arranged by the analysts, hiding weapons in lavatories was mentioned, along with the proliferation of arms caches along the Ugandan border. Price of weapons Most respondents (54.83%) say they do not know how arms are paid for, while 23.7% believe the sales involve money changing hands. On the price of weapons, 11.27% of the respondents to this question agreed to provide estimates, in other words slightly more than 5% of the overall data set. While the range of prices supplied seems to make Ituri the most expensive region after Maniema, the low number of respondents makes these results rather unreliable. For the territory of Mahagi, however, it is interesting that the few responses gathered from questionnaires match the statements made during a focus group discussion, stating that arms were available for extremely low prices (USD 20-30). Source of weapons A slight majority (14.27%) of respondents, but strikingly different from the overall average (3.61%), say they would go to buy weapons from a neighbouring country, whereas 12.33% would buy them at the market and 11.32% from members of the PNC or FARDC. 1. Uganda People’s Defence Force, the army of Uganda. 12 REgiON-BY-REgiON PROFilE OF INSECURITY DUE TO small ARms The scale of cross-border trafficking is corroborated by the focus group discussions and key interviews. According to a manager of the DGM2, arms in Bunia are sent across Lake Albert from Uganda. According to an official at the ANR3, an arms market is held on the Sudanese border. The UPDF is said to be directly involved in this trade, sometimes swapping arms for precious materials such as gold. In the Aru territory, the main arms suppliers are said to be the SPLA4, Sudanese civilians and Ugandan bandits. There is virtually unanimous agreement (apart from an FARDC major) that the other main arms supplier is the Congolese army, which sells arms to gangsters and armed groups alike. The Congolese police force is also singled out, particularly by a manager at the DGM. According to the focus group comprising academic staff in Bunia, MONUC also supplies weapons to armed groups and, according to a group of young people from Bunia, armed groups get their weapons from “invisible hands”.