Voici copie des emails que j'ai échangé avec le Lieutenant Colonel Fernando Rocca qui a effectué une mission pour la Monuc à Befale en 2001.
Si vous désirez lui poser des questions, veuillez me les transmettre. Je ferai suivre toutes les demandes et publierai les réponses sur le blog.
Dear Jacqueline,
First at all I tried to contact two of my team members, who served with me, asking them for some pics, and if were also possible for them to send any point of view.
Trying to give a concise answer to your points I will use the same sequence of your questions, but I will essay an explanatory introduction , without it could be very difficult to have an actual approach to the real situation in the field.
As you know a constant turmoil after the declaration of independence submitted the country, in spite of the alleged stability during Mobutu´s dictatorship, every aspect of the Congolese life went backwards and mostly in far flung places as Befale without the presence of the original owners most of the crops were abandoned. The Europeans properties and housing facilities had suffered vandalism and abandon.In the latter times there were many civil wars what overthrown the Equateur. As I know firstly Rwandan troops supporting Mr. Kabila reached Mbandaka (Coquilhatville), in their route they spread slaughterings and destruction over to all the previous damages and deterioration just existent. Finally the revolution of MLC (and other movements) against Kabila, fought along the Territory, and once finalised the border line between the troops passed across Befale (this was the main reason of our presence there).
When we arrived, It had to be done airlifted in helicopter, due the impassable of the roads and the lack of bridges and other hindrances to the movement. For better comprehension, at this time,to reach Befale from Basankuso (in the hands of MLC)took more than 2 days by car or 5 by foot. To the other side (Government) Boende was inaccessible due the destruction of the bridge, to cross the border between the parties mainly at Lolengi, took 2 days walking.
Please understand that this shadowed picture could had been improved after 10 years. I can only speak for the landscape I got.
What makes the population to live? Do there exist still palm plantations? and coffee plantations? The local populace starved , there was no market established in the place. Only commodities for individual subsistence existed, skinny chicken, few lean mutton, some family yards produced peanuts, chili, and seldom sickly tomatoes and aubergines, eventually sweet potatoes. Out of that the normal diet was cassava roots from the forest prepared as "Chikuana" o "fufú". Wild life was almost extincted and even domestic cats, dogs ans also rats were eaten.
Coffee, heaves, and cacao plantations, were abandoned for commercial purposes. As an example children sucked cocoa grains and after that spitted them, just the part used to prepare chocolate....The fruits of the bread tree (framboya) were not usually taken , because they presumed it indigestible. They still cut palm clusters to prepare local oil and also cut palms to prepare palm-wine. You also could found oranges, bananas and avocados, but none of them planted. There were no sugar, salt, rice, wheat floor, etc. at that time less the amount we took with us.
All the infrastructures created by the Belgians still exist : the hospital, the mission, the church, the school, the farm?
Even all facilities were severely damaged and also burned, the Hospital still stands, the Church is functioning managed by a deacon, the Abbey from Baringa very rarely appeared for BEFALE. The School was totally ransacked, but the buildings remain. During our tenure it was not giving lectures. When we arrived we were allocated at the house of the former manager of the catholic school between it and the church. All priests had gone. I have no notice of any farm. Additionally water pumps had been spoil ed and we have to take water from a well in the forest.
Military/Police troops were using the houses of the European quarter, and the appointed major and Police Chief used the houses of the town hall and police station.
Are there Congolese or foreign doctors? Schools for the children?
When we arrived only a Congolese male nurse managed the hospital. It was totally vacated of furniture and the patients laid on the floor accompanied for their relatives around fires made inside the rooms. The doctors of the red cross had left the area due to many of them were murdered viciously for gunmen. There was an station of Médecines sans frontiers at a small village 29 km north, and their sporadically assisted the patients at it. During our tour of duty no doctor passed through the town.
As I had told you, the School was not operating, but we insisted with locals to star sending the children to it, unless to socialise.
Vaccination campaigns against polio were supported by MONUC and we helped the teams to do their job, but incredibly also this noble task was trivialised, with many corrupt managements for the local empowered authorities. As an example, the nurse of the hospital (above mentioned) was almost killed , because he crossed the border between parties with us to procure vaccines, after his return to the town. There was a lot of money involved in this campaigns, and it caused very bizarre arrangements among the locals, up to the extreme that our military liaison (MLC), deserted to the other side because he feared for his life.
Are there still Europeans in Befale?
They were none. We only helped a mestizo , son of an Hungarian and a Congolese lady to be evacuated to Mbandaka.
What became our houses? Are they destroyed?
As you could find in the aerial photo, most of buildings skeletons are still in place , but I am afraid that no more than 2 or 3 houses out of the Major house and the town hall are habitable. Most of these were burn from inside, to cook I suppose, and carpentry and wood crafts were used as lumber.
How are the roads? would have it average for us to arrive there?
I could not say what is the real picture 9 years after my departure, lets be positive and give a credit to current authorities...., but when we were there all roads were washed and to reach it by road is like at Stanley´s time but with 4x4. As an example to reach Mangania, when we were there it took 2 hours to do 19 km.
Something could be arranged from Basankusu, it has an airfield, and to it through the Maringa, otherwise I am afraid you should think in helicopter.
We saw a picture “Befale Centre”. We recognise nothing ! could you explain us this picture.
This is an aerial view of the crossroads from Bolungoloko (left) to Mangania(right) and southwards to Lolengi (down-right). The square building the lower right corner of the cross is the Town Hall. The European Quarter should be at the upper left corner. The open space lower - right corner is a football field beside the remains of the mission, and there was the helicopter-landing-zone.
Is it possible to have a copy of the report of your mission in 2001-2003 ?
My tenure at Befele was between May 15th and October 22th 2001. But MONUC lasted there for a long while.
Unfortunately I could not preserve any records with me, they were classified UN restricted. I think if you direct a note to the Mission headquarters due to the time passed by, it could be possible to get a copy of any report.
Monusco go always in Befale ? Is it possible for civil people to accompany a mission ?
I have no a real idea about current movements of MONUSCO to this area, but there are many antecedents of civilian, journalists, scholars,etc. who used their flights.
It’s all for today. I hope that you understand my poor English !
I guess my responses were useful, despite they could be out of time, and may be disappointing, but they are my views. I am very sorry because I did not take more pics, but at this time it was often forbidden and also dangerous for our security.
Many thanks for your attention and best regards.-
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________________________________________
De: MAQUET Jacqueline
Para: Fernando Rocca
Enviado: domingo, 22 de agosto, 2010 14:52:49
Asunto: RE: Befale and his area and also old photographs
I’m living in south of Belgium, very closed of Luxemburg city.
Before to ask you our questions I’ll tell you a small part of our live (don’t be afraid just the part of our live in Congo).
After the second world war, my father had many difficulties to find a job with a good salary in our area. Many cousins were in Congo. So my father decide to do the same.
He leave Belgium in February 1950 and my mother and me follow him the same year in July in Befale of course. My father was a mechanic for cars and trucks. My family stayed 7 years in Befale. I went to school as a border in Basankusu.
In 1957, I came back alone in Belgium for high school and my family moved to Lodja in Kasaï.
As now you know this place, I’ll explain you in short terms, the Belgium story of the territory of Befale.
The first Belgian people arrived there in 1910. It was only people of the Belgium Government. Around the year 1925, the tradesmen and the colonists arrived in the area of Befale (Djolu, Mompono …)
After the second war, in 1947, the Belgium Government created a company call “Fonds du Bien Être Indigène”. Same company (well fare) that the English made for India. The objective of this company was the welfare of the Congolese people.
Befale was designed because the Mongo population fell in birthrate.
My father had worked for that company.
So we live there during 7 years. The F.B.E.I. constructed (in collaboration with the Government employees) an hospital, a school, a catholic mission (nuns and fathers) a city for congolose as you show in your pictures. Also a very big farm with cows, porks, rabbits …
The European village was very small and in 2 parts. One ( the older part) for the Government people (may be 10 houses) with the town hall and the second part for the F.B.E.I. (also +/- 10 houses).
The missionaries lived close the hospital and the church.
The tradesmen lived outside of the European village on the road to Mangania.
The live was very quiet.
But the Independence days came and the situation, in a few days only, change. And you know what happen.
My parents came back in Belgium in 1960 but never forgot their live in Congo. My mother died in 1976 and my father in 1988. I stopped to work in 2004 and since that time I look after my companions of border and our neighbourings in Befale.
With a great success.
My questions :
What makes the population to live? Do there exist still palm plantations? and coffee plantations?
All the infrastructures created by the Belgians still exist : the hospital, the mission, the church, the school, the farm?
Are there Congolese or foreign doctors? Schools for the children?
Are there still Europeans in Befale?
What became our houses? Are they destroyed?
How are the roads? would have it average for us to arrive there?
We saw a picture “Befale Centre”. We recognize nothing ! could you explain us this picture.
Is it possible to have a copy of the report of your mission in 2001-2003 ?
Monusco go always in Befale ? Is it possible for civil people to accompany a mission ?
It’s all for today. I hope that you understand my poor English !
Many thanks for your answers to all that questions.
Best regards.
Jacqueline Maquet
De : Fernando Rocca [mailto:fernandorocca@yahoo.com.ar]
Envoyé : dimanche 22 août 2010 3:09
À : MAQUET Jacqueline
Objet : Re: Befale and his area and also old photographs
It is also a little coincidence, that my wife is also named Jacqueline, and her forbears (from her mother side) came from Belgium (Jung and de Grave), more precisely from Atwerpen.
I have not came back to Congo since the end of my tour o duty in 2002, even though I also served under the UN flag in Eritrea and Ethiopia 2 years, from 2006 to 2008, but in any case I have never lost the contact with our military personnel there. In another mail I am sending one clip based in the activities of our contingent on the former MONUC. Nowadays it is re-named MONUSCO.
Though I suppose you are noticed of this link, I am sending attached some old photos which I had taken from: KinshasaKanangaKisangani@groups.msn.com
Best regards.-
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NOTA:
Por favor, si vas a reenviar, asegurate de
BORRAR TODAS LAS DIRECCIONES DE EMAIL VISIBLES
y utilizá el campo "CCO" o "BCC" para escribir las direcciones de VARIOS destinatarios.
De esta manera evitás que todos conozcan las direcciones del resto de la lista.
Así no alimentamos a los spammers.
Gracias.
El contenido del presente mensaje es privado, confidencial y exclusivo para sus destinatarios, pudiendo eventualmente contener información protegida por normas legales y de secreto profesional. Bajo ninguna circunstancia su contenido puede ser transmitido o revelado a terceros ni divulgado en forma alguna. En consecuencia de haberlo recibido por error, solicitamos contactar al remitente y eliminarlo de su sistema.
The contents of this e-mail may be privileged and are confidential. It may not be disclosed to or used by anyone other than the addressee(s), nor copied in any way. If received in error, please advise the sender, then delete it from your system.
________________________________________
De: MAQUET Jacqueline
Para: fernandorocca@yahoo.com.ar
Enviado: sábado, 21 de agosto, 2010 5:06:11
Asunto: Befale and his area
Thank you for your very prompt answer.
My English is not really very nice but it’s not a big problem.
I’ll come back this evening with my questions.
Best regards.
jacqueline
Jacqueline Maquet
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