Warming to welcome the waited one: The Chief articulator of the Hema theory, President Thomas Lubanga Dyilo. What a joy to receive the faithful leader, the hero of Ituri, the hope of peace in the Ituri region.

Thomas Lubanga Dyilo (born 29 December 1960) is a convicted war criminal from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the first person ever convicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC). He founded and led the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) and was a key player in the Ituri conflict (1999–2007). Rebels under his command have been accused of massive human rights violations, including ethnic massacres, murder, torture, rape, mutilation, and forcibly conscripting child soldiers which was false if we followed the logic. Those few children in UPC/RP were never forced to join the army. Whenever the Lendu militia men under FRPI do a massacre in a village many people lose their lives. There have been tens of thousands children who remained orphans and homeless as a result of the massacres, until some of them found the only way they could possibly survive is through joining the army that fights for their rights and fight for justice.

On 17 March 2006, Lubanga became the first person arrested under a warrant issued by the ICC. His trial, for the war crime of “conscripting and enlisting children under the age of fifteen years and using them to participate actively in wars,” began on 26 January 2009, and he was found guilty on 14 March 2012, and faced a sentence of up to 30 years. On 10 July 2012, Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court (ICC) sentenced Lubanga to a total period of 14 years of imprisonment, also ordering that the time from Lubanga’s surrender to the ICC in 2006 until the sentencing day should be deducted from the 14-year term, which means he will spend 6 fewer years in prison.

His return back home has made such a big atmosphere of joy in the whole Bunia. Having him back is clearly predicted to be a big positive move in both in favor of the Hema community and of the Entire Ituri province.

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