Cobra Matata

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| name = Cobra Matata{{refn|group=nb|name="name"}}

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| nationality = {{nowrap|{{flagdeco|Democratic Republic of the Congo|size=23px}} D.R. Congo}}

| other_names = Banaloki Matata
Justin Banaloki
Justin Wanaloki
Justin Matata Wanaloki
Matata Wanaloki

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| known_for = Leader of the FRPI and FPJC

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Cobra Matata (also known as Banaloki Matata,{{cite news |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-congos-feared-cobra-warlord-plans-to-surrender-again/ |title=The Congo's Feared 'Cobra' Warlord Plans to Surrender — Again |publisher=Vice News |date=November 12, 2014 |access-date=July 18, 2016}} Justin Banaloki,{{cite news |url=http://www.radiookapi.net/actualite/2015/01/05/bunia-cobra-matata-transfere-kinshasa/ |title=Bunia: Cobra Matata transféré à Kinshasa |publisher=Radio Okapi |date=January 5, 2015 |accessdate=July 18, 2016 |language=fr}} Justin Wanaloki,{{cite news|url=https://monusco.unmissions.org/en/monusco-welcomes-surrender-high-ranking-frpi-militia-leader |title=MONUSCO welcomes the surrender of a high-ranking FRPI militia leader |publisher=MONUSCO |date=June 18, 2012 |accessdate=July 18, 2016 }} Justin Matata Wanaloki,{{cite report |title=Informe de la Alta Comisionada de las Naciones Unidas sobre la situación de los derechos humanos y las actividades de su Oficina en la República Democrática del Congo |publisher=United Nations Human Rights Council |date=April 2, 2009 |url=http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/10session/A-HRC-10-58_S.pdf |language=en}} and Matata Wanaloki{{cite news |url=http://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/last-ituri-warlord-signs-peace-deal-dr-congo |title=Last Ituri warlord signs peace deal in DR Congo |publisher=Agence France Presse |date=November 29, 2006 |accessdate=July 18, 2016}}){{refn|group=nb|name="name"|"Cobra Matata" is a regularly used alias. As indicated by these alternative names, sources conflict as to Matata's real name.}} is a former leader of the Front for Patriotic Resistance in Ituri (FRPI) and Popular Front for Justice in Congo (FPJC){{cite report|date=September 5, 2011 |title=Congo: The Electoral Process Seen from the East |url=http://www.crisisgroup.org/~/media/Files/africa/central-africa/dr-congo/B80%20Congo%20-%20The%20Electoral%20Process%20Seen%20from%20the%20East%20ENGLISH.pdf |publisher=International Crisis Group |access-date=July 17, 2016 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160520084139/http://www.crisisgroup.org/~/media/Files/africa/central-africa/dr-congo/B80%20Congo%20-%20The%20Electoral%20Process%20Seen%20from%20the%20East%20ENGLISH.pdf |archivedate=May 20, 2016 }} militias active in the Ituri conflict in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was previously a member of the D.R. Congo armed forces (FARDC), having integrated in 2007 before deserting to reconstitute a rebel group in 2010.{{cite news |url=http://www.irinnews.org/report/89494/drc-who%E2%80%99s-who-among-armed-groups-east |title=Who's who among armed groups in the east |publisher=IRIN |date=June 15, 2010 |accessdate=July 17, 2016}}{{cite report |title=Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo |publisher=United Nations Security Council |date=October 8, 2010 |url=http://www.securitycouncilreport.org/atf/cf/%7B65BFCF9B-6D27-4E9C-8CD3-CF6E4FF96FF9%7D/DRC%20S2010%20512.pdf}} In November 2006, Matata had agreed to disarm in exchange for amnesty.{{cite report |title=2006 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices |publisher=United States Department of State |date=March 6, 2007 |url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78728.htm}} In the FARDC, Matata attained the rank of colonel or general. The International Criminal Court classified Matata as Ngiti.{{cite report |title=Situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo |publisher=International Criminal Court |date=April 8, 2013 |url=https://www.icc-cpi.int/CourtRecords/CR2013_02705.PDF}}

Matata has been accused of leading the massacre at Nyakunde Hospital in 2002, which resulted in the deaths of at least 1,200 civilians, and the subsequent Bogoro massacre.{{cite report |title=Situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (No. ICC-01/04-01/07) |publisher=International Criminal Court |date=May 24, 2013 |url=https://www.icc-cpi.int/CourtRecords/CR2013_03891.PDF}} Matata succeeded Germain Katanga as leader of the FRPI after Katanga integrated into the FARDC in 2004.{{cite report |title=Public: Annex 5 |publisher=International Criminal Court |date=September 2, 2015 |url=https://www.icc-cpi.int/RelatedRecords/CR2015_18258.PDF}} Matata surrendered to the Congolese government on November 21, 2014, and was arrested on January 2, 2015, in Bunia, a city in Ituri, for crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the use of child soldiers.{{cite news |url=http://www.bbc.com/afrique/region/2015/01/150104_drc_cobra_matata |title=RDC : Cobra Matata bientôt face au juge |publisher=BBC News |date=January 4, 2015 |accessdate=July 17, 2016 |language=fr}}{{cite web |url=https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2016/country-chapters/democratic-republic-congo |title=Democratic Republic of Congo: Events of 2015 |publisher=Human Rights Watch |date=2015 |accessdate=July 18, 2016}} Matata was also accused of forming a rebel group, desertion, and attempting to escape detention.{{cite report |title=Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo |publisher=United Nations Security Council |date=March 10, 2015 |url=http://www.securitycouncilreport.org/atf/cf/%7B65BFCF9B-6D27-4E9C-8CD3-CF6E4FF96FF9%7D/s_2015_172.pdf}} Prior to his surrender, Matata commanded an estimated 1,000 combatants in Ituri.{{cite news |url=http://www.radiookapi.net/actualite/2014/11/11/rdc-cobra-matata-se-serait-rendu-aux-fardc-selon-mende/ |title=RDC : Cobra Matata se serait rendu aux FARDC, selon Mende |publisher=Radio Okapi |date=November 11, 2014 |accessdate=July 18, 2016 |language=fr}} The FARDC falsely claimed in 2011 that it had killed Matata.{{cite news|url=https://greatlakesvoice.com/drc-contradictions-over-the-death-label-leader-based-in-ituri/ |title=DRC: Contradictions over the death of rebel leader based in Ituri |publisher=Great Lakes Voice |date=October 5, 2011 |accessdate=July 18, 2016 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160823184448/http://greatlakesvoice.com/drc-contradictions-over-the-death-label-leader-based-in-ituri/ |archivedate=August 23, 2016 }}