Front for Patriotic Resistance in Ituri
The Front for Patriotic Resistance of Ituri (French: Forces de Résistance Patriotique d’Ituri; FRPI) is a Bunia-based armed militia and political party in the Ituri Province of northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The FRPI was established in November 2002 from the Ngiti ethnic group as an ally to the Lendu Nationalist and Integrationist Front (FNI).
The Ngiti, organized under traditional leaders, thus formed a counterweight to the Union of Congolese Patriots in the Ituri conflict and was supported by the Uganda-backed Movement for Liberation faction of the Rally for Congolese Democracy. In May 2003, it was reported to have 9000 combatants and some considered it to be the armed wing of the FNI.
The FRPI joined the Ugandans in successful March 2003 offensive against the UPC, and jointly occupied the town with the FNI in May 2003.[1] Initially led by Germain Katanga, leadership switched in 2005 to one Baudouin Adirodo.[2]
In 2006, 15,000 FRPI soldiers were demobilized as part of the peace process. Katanga was arrested and flown to the International Criminal Court at The Hague in October 2007 to face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, where he was found guilty in March 2014.[3][4]
References
- ↑ "Ituri: Bloodiest Corner of Congo -- Who is Who - Armed Political Groups in Ituri" (May 2003), Human Rights Watch
- ↑ Coalition for the International Criminal Court - The Defence of Mr. Katanga continued its examination-in-chief of Mr. Katanga
- ↑ "Congo warlord flown to The Hague", BBC News, 18 October 2007
- ↑ Germain Katanga: Guilty of war crimes, the brutal warlord who terrorised the Democratic Republic of Congo, The Independent, 07 March, 2014. Accessed 08 March, 2014
