Eyewitness: Bunia mother's heartbreak

By Will Ross
BBC, Bunia, north-east DR Congo

In the centre of Bunia town, the former coffee storage depot has been transformed into a makeshift hospital - a red cross crudely painted on the wall outside.

Pascalina's husband and older son were murdered at home by militia

If it weren't for the setting up of this hospital, many more victims of gunshots and machete attacks would have died from their injuries in this town in north-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Lying on a mattress on the floor is nine-month-old Baraka - bandages covering the head wounds inflicted when a militia group paid a visit to his home one week ago.

His mother Pascalina describes how the Lendu militia burst into their home, close to the town centre, clearly looking for specific victims.

"What tribe are you? We only want to know your tribe. Speak your language," they demanded.

Baraka's father began speaking but the militia were not convinced. "That's not your language. Speak your OWN language."

It was not difficult for the Lendu militia to identify Pascalina's family as being from the rival Hema ethnic group.

Their physical features are a give-away - especially their long straight noses.

Family killed

The militiamen then demanded money but Pascalina and her husband had nothing to give them.

"They stripped off all my clothes and grabbed my husband. That's when I decided to run for my life with baby Baraka in my arms," Pascalina explains.

Thoughts of what atrocities the militiamen were going to inflict on her led Pascalina to run out of the house naked.

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"I felt something hit me from behind and the next thing I knew I had dropped my baby and was on the ground. That's when they went for Baraka with a machete - cutting him on the head."

As nine-month-old Baraka lay motionless on the ground, Pascalina grabbed him, ran to their neighbour's home and hid.

"At this point I did not know if my husband was dead or alive," she says.

When it was safe to sneak home after the militia had looted it, Pascalina found her husband's body behind the house - shot dead.

At this point Pascalina adds that in the same attack the militiamen also killed her seven-year-old son and another man who had been sheltering in their home.

Now Pascalina sits in the hospital watching her bandaged baby, Baraka, sleeping.

But even after experiencing such brutality, their safety is far from guaranteed.

Unknown casualties

The United Nations has only a fraction of the required number of troops on the ground and Bunia remains tense with Hema militiamen of the Union of Congolese Patriots, UPC, hanging around the street corners brandishing their AK 47s.

The Hema militiamen have carried out similar atrocities in the battle for control of Bunia not only on the Lendu population but also on the region's minority ethnic groups.

Baby Baraka is starting to recover from the attack

Outside the town are the Lendu militias and many feel it is only a matter of time before they attack again in an attempt to capture besieged Bunia.

Officially over 300 people have been killed since the fighting erupted at the beginning of this month.

However it must be noted that the remote villages of Ituri district have been too dangerous to access.

And while the real number of people killed in Bunia town itself is still unknown, the picture in the rural areas is likely to be even worse.

Meanwhile through her recovering baby, Pascalina holds hope. The deep wound is now cleaned and stitched up.

"He is getting better," she said. "He has started to play like he used to before the attack."