Bana Mura
{{Short description|Congolese militant group}}
Bana Mura is an armed militant group active in the Kasaï region of the Democratic Republic of Congo.{{cite news|last=Dixon|first=Robyn|author-link=Robyn Dixon (journalist)|date=June 26, 2017|title=They're killing babies and torching villages: Who is behind the Democratic Republic of Congo's ugly new war?|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|url=http://www.latimes.com/world/africa/la-fg-drcongo-war-kasai-20170626-htmlstory.html}} It mostly recruits ethnic Chokwe, Pende, and Tetela, and is supported by the Congolese government.{{cite web |url=https://afrique.lalibre.be/38786/rdc-kasai-les-experts-de-lonu-sinquietent-de-limpunite-et-de-la-milice-bana-mura/ |title=RDC: Kasaï: les experts de l’Onu s’inquiètent de l’ " impunité " et de la milice Bana Mura |author=Marie-France Cros |work=La Libre Africa |language = French |date=10 July 2019 |accessdate=14 March 2020 }} According to the United Nations, the group destroyed approximately 20 villages over the span of two months in 2017.
History
Zeid Raad Hussein of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has stated that the group was created and armed by the Democratic Republic of Congo in order to counter the Kamwina Nsapu rebellion.
The group has been accused of committing numerous atrocities, including massacring civilians.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/20/world/africa/democratic-republic-of-congo-bana-mura.html |newspaper=The New York Times |title=Congolese Militia Is Accused of Atrocities |first=Nick |last=Cumming-Bruce |date=June 20, 2017}} The group has reportedly committed attacked civilians belonging to the Luba and Lulua ethnic groups.{{cite news |quote=Mr Hussein said the authorities created and armed the Bana Mura militia to fight the Kamwina Nsapu, but that the group has carried out “horrific attacks against civilians from the Luba and Lulua ethnic groups”. |url=https://www.ft.com/content/2a985808-55bc-11e7-9fed-c19e2700005f?mhq5j=e1 |newspaper=Financial Times |title=Congo security forces and local militias accused of killing 3,400 |date=June 20, 2017 |first=John |last=Aglionby}} Bana Mura members have also enslaved civilians, forcing them to work on their farms.