Godrey Olukya- 21 November 2016
The Pygmies in Democratic republic of Congo (DRC) killed three people and wounded 10 others in Muswaki village on Sunday 20 November 2016 in eastern DRC province of Tanganyika, 70 km west of Kalemie city.
There are reports that Pygmies in the area have also attacked bypassing trains and burned down over 20 houses.
According to local police officer Benon Ngungo, the attacks by pygmies have caused the displacement of hundreds of people in Muswaki and neighboring villages.
Pygmies children in the forest of the DRC (Photo source: mountain view)
Ngugo said ,”The pygmies used poisoned arrows to kill and injure the people the attack and they were shooting the arrows at whoever they saw.”
It is yet not clear why these attacks have taken place. “The latest attacks have taken place in villages which for a long time have been peaceful” stated Ngungo.
A local leader in the area, Tom Mboka said ”The situation in the area is worrying because the pygmies are now targeting passengers in trains by shooting at them with poisoned arrows.”
Dr Junior Tchimena, medical director at the nearby Kabalo hospital has confirmed the arrows used by pygmies are lethal. He said,”Any late medical intervention is often fatal for the victims of the pygmies’ arrows.”
Democratic republic of Congo harbors over 500,000 pygmies in the forests . There have been many recent reports of the pygmies population in Eastern Congo becoming restless and hostile after some people started destroying the forests for timber and land for cultivation.
