Inside rebel territory: Treacherous trip to Kishishe ‘massacre’ grounds

Residents of Kishishe in North Kivu, eastern DRC, which has been racked by violence. PHOTO | GATETE NYIRINGABO 

We set out on an intricate clandestine journey which took us to Rutshuru in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, to investigate alleged massacres reported in a village called Kishishe.

Before our visit, what had been painted to us was a horror picture of civilians killed by M23 rebels while they prayed in an Adventist church, which was later set on fire: Fifty killed on December 1, 100 on December 2, and 300 on December 5, all announced by various DRC government spokespersons.