November 2008, Kando village
Written by Lenka Klicperová
"I am currently attending my first year of high school and I enjoy school very much. I am happy, that I can go to school. It is thanks to Clotilde, who had taken care of me. I have been by her already for few years. I come from Ikinga, a village, where the head office of Hutus is. Firstly I got to Mai Mai militia, they were running away from the village, when the Hutus occupied it and took me with them. I was preparing colors for their tattoos and various potions for higher energy and against vulnerability.
I was preparing all necessary things for their rituals, by which the fighters of Mai Mai attracted their strength and power. I also had a weapon, I served also as soldier with a gun in his hand. I did not go to school at that time. Finally I managed to escape from the camp. Mai Mai soldiers were looking for me, they were searching everywhere. I had been saved by colonel FDLR Domonique (Hutu) and that is how I got to Hutu´s camp. I worked as his assistant and valet, I was with him all the time. Once my father came to Domonique, I do not know, how did he find out that I am there. Domonique let my father be killed. I saw on my own eyes how the soldiers broke his neck.
I spent approximately one year and a half with the Hutus, maybe longer, I do not know exactly. When they burned down the village, they took usually men with them to be able to carry loot and later they killed them. However it was still better than by the Mai Mai, because there was also a school in the camp, where I was allowed to go. I used to attend it with the Hutus not only to school, but also to loot and murder. They needed me, because I knew well the terrain as well as the villages, I was the explorer.
I killed the first two people, when the FDLR sent me to get some food. I met a woman in the forest, who promised to give me something, she was afraid. When we came to her home, she started to screem and called for two Tutsies, who came with the pangas to help her. I shot them. It was the first time, I had killed someone. Then I kept killing on, it was a war, I do not know anymore, how many other people I had killed. But I have never raped anyone. I was a madicine man, spiritual guide and I was not allowed to touch women. However Domonique used to often sent me to get some women for him. To be able to make the rituals, I was not allowed to wash myself, not even to stand only in the water. I also could not sleep with women. I was not allowed to eat meals, prepared by women, I only ate the meat and could not break any bone while eating. They chose me for this function, because I was still young, pure and I had never gotten to know the violence before. Each leader has his own kadugu (medicine man). When Domonique was preparing for a crusade, I had to implement special ceremonial, so the bullets would miss him and he would not be vulnerable. Dominique also took drugs, it was quite normal for him. I was afraid of drugs, I never took anything.
Then my leader headed to journey to Tanzania. I did not want to go to Tanzania, I was Congolese, what would I do in Tanzania? So, I decided to escape, even though I was terribly afraid. Hutus were looking for me, went to visit my mom and searched for me in my home village. My mother told them I was abducted by Mai Mai militia, so they killed her. One of my close friends told me the whole story later.
I tried to live by one of my cousins in Kambali before I met Clotilde. I told her my story and she took me to her house and paid for my school. I am the oldest from all the children, who live by Clotilde. Now all of them are my siblings. When she is not her, I take care of the children. I do not like remembering on that times, when I worked with the soldiers. I do not like thinking about it, it was terrible, now I know it. I am trying to finish school now, I want to learn good French and also English. Later I would like to start working for some non profit organization and help other people. I would like to help at work to Marketa from Czech Republic (note. - from the non profit organization of People in Need) |