Unen Ufoy-Rwoth was born in Kasengu, Ituri Province, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), on 5 December 1972. He went to primary school (1978–1984) and secondary school (1984–1990) in Kasengu. He then studied at Cepromad University in Bunia from 1993 to 1998, during which time he taught at the Ujio Wa Heri Institute; he also worked as a university assistant.
Unen joined the ICRC’s Bunia subdelegation in January 2000 as an economic security field officer. Right from the start, he showed a willingness to learn and adapt to the different demands of his new surroundings. No task was ever too much for him, and he never needed asking a second time if a colleague needed assistance. It was the same when it came to helping families suffering amid ongoing conflict in the region: Unen always acted with empathy and respect. He spoke five languages – French, Swahili, Alur, English and Lingala – which came in handy when assessing the needs of communities or displaced people.
Thanks to his personal and professional qualities, and his dedication to the ICRC’s work, he was soon offered a new role in the subdelegation, tracing missing people. In this capacity, Unen was responsible for managing an ever-expanding caseload, handling dozens of Red Cross messages every week, and organizing family reunions. Unen took his work seriously. He was conscientious and meticulous – totally focused on the job at hand. At the same time he was calm, composed and kind. He was also a great listener. Tracing missing people in conflict settings is supremely challenging at the best of times. And eastern DRC was no different. Yet Unen’s determination to reunite families separated by fighting never dimmed.
On 26 April Unen and five other ICRC colleagues set off from Bunia in two vehicles marked with the red cross emblem. They were heading for Fataki to assess the needs of health centres and displaced people, and to distribute Red Cross messages. Later that afternoon, all six were found murdered near the town of Djugu. Alongside 28-year-old Unen were three other Congolese nationals – Véronique Saro, 32 a health field officer; Aduwe Boboli, 39, and Jean Molokabonge, 56, both drivers – together with Rita Fox-Stucki, 36, a Swiss nurse from Bern; and Julio Delgado, 54, a relief delegate from Colombia.
Speaking at their memorial ceremony, ICRC President Jakob Kellenberger said the loss of the six staff members was a “crushing blow” for the institution: “They reflect the image of the ICRC as a place where individuals of different nationalities, culture and background come together to follow the ideal of helping their fellows. In many countries we encounter people who express great affection for these men and women who ‘come from afar’ to bring assistance and protection. Some do indeed come from afar, while others belong to the area or country where they work. It is from their combined energies and their mutual trust that we derive our strength. Today we pay tribute to four Congolese, a Swiss and a Colombian who embodied these common values.”
Within a few short months of taking over the subdelegation’s tracing service, Unen had transformed its fortunes and was beginning to see the fruits of his labour. He was in his element and there was much work to be done, with countless families searching for loved ones. Unen was just getting started.
