Tearfund is immensely saddened by the news that Maheshe Chishagala Evariste, a water and sanitation supervisor for the Baraka water supply system has been killed in South Kivu, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Maheshe Chishagala Evariste, a Congolese national, who had been seconded to Tearfund from the hydraulic institute (SNHR, Service National d'Hydraulique Rurale) based in Bukavu, was killed on 24 July 2003. He had been working on a water project to supply water to the town of Baraka since February this year.
Maheshe Chishagala Evariste was undertaking an investigation into an upland water source in the hills to the west of the town at the time of his death. He was working alongside ten members of the local water committee in Baraka who were also killed.
“We are immensely saddened by the loss of Maheshe and his colleagues and our thoughts and prayers are with their families as they seek to come to terms with this devastating news,” says Graham Fairbairn, Deputy Director for Tearfund.
Tearfund’s Disaster Response Team in South Kivu is currently investigating the circumstances of the deaths and is asking for privacy for the families as they grieve during this difficult time.
Tearfund is calling for all warring factions in the DRC to respect the peace process that is currently underway and deplores the direct infringement of international law , under which warring parties should respect the rights of civilians. Maheshe Chishagala Evariste was working on a water project to provide assistance to a needy community and under international humanitarian law was entitled to protection from attack.
Tearfund welcomes the planned expansion of MONUC, the UN Mission in DRC, but far more is required from the international community and the parties of the DRC to bring an end to the humanitarian suffering.
Tearfund has been working in South Kivu since July 2002.