Victims and members of the community in Bogoro, Ituri province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, gathered on 24 February 2026 to inaugurate a memorial monument dedicated to those who suffered harm as a result of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the attack of 24 February 2003. The ceremony, held on the 23rd anniversary of the attack, marked a moment of remembrance, dignity, and collective reflection for the community.
The Bogoro Memorial was conceived, designed, and shaped through a victim-led process, in close collaboration with the Bogoro community and with the support of a local architect. The monument stands as a permanent space of memory, honouring those who lost their lives and acknowledging the restoration and hope associated with the reparations ordered in this case by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and implemented by the Trust Fund for Victims (TFV).
The construction of the monument was made possible through contributions from the Federal Republic of Germany and the Bogoro community, which were matched by the ICC/TFV.
Henriette, a victim beneficiary in the Katanga reparations and resident in Bogoro, stated: "For us, this is a historical monument that will remind us that violence is never a good thing and that we must cultivate peace and coexistence."
The inauguration of the monument had initially been scheduled to take place in February 2025; however, the resurgence of violence in the Kivus, which had spillovers in Ituri province prevented the gathering from being held. Despite the passing of time, the importance attached by the community to the monument reaffirms the enduring relevance of initiatives of recognition and memorialisation.
According to the Embassy of Germany in the DRC, "the German contribution to the victims' reparation and the construction of the monument exemplifies the long-standing German commitment to the international criminal justice system and transitional justice. In view of our own historical experience, supporting not only the reparation component but also the construction of the monument as a shared space of memory - designed in cooperation with the community - was very important to us. Remembering and remembrance are ongoing processes, and justice is not merely limited to reparations. It is our hope that the memorial will help the young generations of Bogoro and the region to keep remembering and to transform these memories into action, so that these crimes will never be repeated in Bogoro and beyond".
The Chair of the TFV Board of Directors, Andres Parmas, reiterated the link between reparations and memory: "While the reparations programme ended in 2023, the Trust Fund for Victims continues to stand alongside the victims and the community of Bogoro. With the valued support of the German Embassy in Kinshasa, the Trust Fund for Victims reaffirms its commitment to highlighting the critical role of public recognition of past events and the role of memory in processes of justice, healing, and peacebuilding-including in contexts where violence continues to affect the lives of people in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. May this site serve as a lasting reminder of the importance of accountability and non-repetition."
The memorial constitutes a measure delivered in addition to the reparations ordered by the ICC in The Prosecutor v. Germain Katanga, the first proceeding formally closed by ICC Trial Chamber II following the full delivery of reparations by the Trust Fund for Victims on 30 January 2025. In its closing decision, the Chamber recognised the perseverance and engagement of the victims of the Bogoro massacre throughout the reparations process, as well as the support of States and the cooperation of national authorities that made reparations possible.
Background
The TFV contributes to realising the pillars of reparative justice of the Rome Statute through measures that recognise and redress the harm caused on victims and their families, by crimes under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, namely, genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and crimes of aggression.
