Friends of the Congo supports the social justice pursuits of the people of the Rif region of Morocco and elsewhere in the country. This region of Morocco is steeped in anti-colonial resistance and social justice actions in the face of tyranny.

The Moroccan political regime's attacks against peace loving and justice seeking activists in Morocco's northern Rif region is disconcerting, especially considering the region's deep anti-colonial history. As a solidarity organization that works with Congolese youth who are under incessant attacks by the Congolese security forces, Friends of the Congo has a keen understanding of what it is like to be pursued by state security forces that fire live bullets at demonstrators, carry out mass arrests and crush social justice advocates.

Friends of the Congo is wholly familiar with baseless charges against social justice activists throughout the African continent under the guise of threatening state security, offending a head of state or disturbing public order. It is outrageous for the Moroccan government to sentence 53 social justice advocates to 300 years of jail time. The courageous Hirak movement is reminiscent of the #Telema youth movement that challenged the Congolese government in 2015.

We stand in solidarity with our Moroccan brothers and sisters fighting for social and economic justice. We extend our sincere concern to the family and loved ones of the Rif detainees who have been wrongly and excessively sentenced. We call on the Makhze (The Moroccan political regime) to immediately release Nasser Zefzafi and all the other detainees.

Finally, we appeal to social justice seekers throughout Africa and the globe to join us in standing in solidarity with the people of Morocco fighting for justice and human dignity.

Synopsis
Réunis en conclave à Atlanta, USA, un groupe d’intellectuels congolais s’est penché sur la crise
que traverse la République Démocratique du Congo (RDC) depuis plus de deux décennies. Au
bout de deux jours d’intenses débats, ils se sont convenus sur beaucoup de points dont voici les
principaux :

Constats

• La crise en République Démocratique du Congo est une crise à plusieurs facettes: politique, économique, sociale, culturelle, leadership, sécuritaire et éducationnelle ;
• Le pays est occupé par des pays étrangers, spécialement le Rwanda et l’Ouganda ;
• Les occupants sont assistés par des forces extérieures de l’Occident et d’ailleurs, y compris de certains pays africains qui bénéficient énormément de la crise ;
• Les soi-disant dirigeants sont illégitimes et illégaux car ils gouvernent sans mandat ;
• Bref, dans sa configuration actuelle, la RDC est un pays pris en otage et dont l’existence est sérieusement en danger.

Propositions
Face à ces constats, les participants à ce conclave ont proposé quelques actions à prendre:

• Demander aux pays du monde de ne plus reconnaitre le régime en place;
• Résister, lutter contre l’occupation en solidarité avec les compatriotes qui résistent et luttent pour la même cause, où qu’ils soient;
• Soutenir et défendre la transition immédiate de l’occupation à un collège de transition qui sera chargé d’organiser des élections, d’assurer la continuité dans le fonctionnement de l’Etat;
• La transition devra se faire sans la participation du régime d’occupation ;
• Transformer les forces armées, les services de renseignement et la police nationale;
• Transformer le système de l’éducation d’aval en amont;
• Bâtir un Etat de droit dans lequel le peuple sera souverain.

Cliquez ici pour télécharger le document entier!

The Lay Coordinating Committee issued a call for a third march on Sunday, February 25th. The march was organized in the same fashion as the previous two marches on December 31, 2017 and January 21, 2018, whereby attendees went to mass and demonstrated after church. The committee's demands remained consistent - For Kabila to declare that he would not run for a third term and that he would adhere to key elements of the December 31, 2016 Saint Sylvestre Agreement, which called for actions such as the expansion of political space, release of political prisoners, cessation of arbitrarily arrests and the return of exiled leaders.

Prior to Sunday's march, there was a great deal of international attention and moral pressure exerted on the Kabila regime. Members of the US Congress and foreign affairs offices of the U.S., U.K. and E.U. issued statements calling on the Kabila regime to avoid using lethal force on demonstrates and allowing them to march freely and peacefully.

Keenly aware of the increased attention generated by its repression of peaceful marchers, the regime adjusted its tactics in form but not in substance. On Saturday, February 24th, the night prior to the march, the youth wing of Joseph Kabila's political party, the Peoples Party for Reconstruction and Development (PPRD) attempted to occupy one of the main churches in the Lingwala neighborhood of Kinshasa, the capital of the DR Congo. The PPRD youth claimed they were coming into the churches to arrest the priests and pass them over to the police. Youth from the Lingwala neighborhood led by Quatrieme Voie members mobilized to protect the members of the church from the Kabila regime's goons in red berets.

Unfortunately, the day of the March was another bloody affair. Police officers literally staked out churches commando-style as if they were in pursuit of well armed enemy combatants (see below photo).

“A policeman takes cover in front of Notre Dame Cathedral in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, February 25, 2018. Reuters/ Goran Tomasevic”

According to the Lay Coordinating Committee, dozens were injured and arrested and at least three people were killed by Kabila's security forces. Most notably, youth activist Rossy Mukendi of activist group "Collectif 2016" succumbed to the bullet of a Congolese police officer. his death has touched the activist community deeply (see below photo).


In spite of the brutal repression from the Kabila regime, the resolve of the Committee is as strong as ever. In a communique issued the day of the march, the committee warned the Kabila regime that there will be no let up on the regime as long as the people is denied their dignity and liberty.

Let us not let up either. Click here to sign the petition demanding justice for the victims of the Kabila regime.

The Lay Coordinating Committee called for its third non-violent march on Sunday, February 25th. According to the Committee, the two previous marches on December 31, 2017 and January 21, 2018 mobilized over 3 million people but they were violently repressed by the Kabila regime.

The central demand of the Committee is the implementation of the December 2017 agreement (Saint Sylvestre Accord in French). The Committee says that the Kabila regime's response to their demand has been bloody violence.

The Committee no longer believes in the good will of the Kabila regime. The government has rejected every window of opportunity offered  to it. The Kabila regime has demonstrated clearly that it wants to hold on to power undemocratically.


In calling for the people to stand up against the Kabila regime, the committee issued a warning to those who would:

• stand against democracy
• twist the words of the committee to justify violence and barbarism 
• oppose an independent investigation into the crimes and oppose a process to identify and bring to justice the perpetrators and those who issued the orders to repress the people
• seek to snuff out the aspirations of the Congolese people who are seeking a democratic alternative

The Lay Coordinating Committee called on the United Nations, European Union and the African Union to go beyond mere declarations in the face of the Kabila regime blocking the elections and carrying out violence against the Congolese people.

During the previous two marches, the government shut down the Internet in an effort to block images of security forces violence against the people from reaching the global media. Those of us outside the Congo, can help by amplifying the voices of those on the ground and spreading their message to the larger global community.

Click here to sign the petition to demand justice for the marchers in the Congo.

The University of Kinshasa has been experiencing a very intense tensions today. This morning, the students arrived at the university with the objective of protesting against the payment rate set by the University. In fact the officials are paid at a rate of $58 and yet the University sets a rate of $100 but based on what?* They forget that these officials are our parents and it is thanks to them that we pay our academic fees. This is why the students wanted to protest against this.

Unfortunately, as we are in a state where freedom of expression is violated, the university has become a war zone with uniformed men everywhere, launching tear gas and firing bullets into the students' homes.

What are the consequences? several wounded, property losses and even arrests. We deplore such behavior on the part of the university and the state in an academic environment. Leaders must know that we are in our rights to protest.
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*The crux of the problem is that the rate hikes only apply to students who pay in Congolese francs, which is mostly everyone. Those students who pay in American dollars do not have to pay the higher $100 fee, they only pay $58 for their school fees.  This is a concrete example of how poor economic performance and the volatility of the Congolese franc have had a direct impact on students. Other sectors such as teachers, nurses, doctors, etc have all experienced similar challenges due to the weakness of the franc against the US dollar.

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Version Française

Bullets & Teargas canister collected by UNIKIN students

l’Université de Kinshasa vit depuis cet avant midi une tension tres intense. Ce matin, les étudiants sont arrivés à l’université avec objectif de protester contre le taux de payement fixé par l’Université. En effect les fonctionnaires sont payé avec un taux de 92000 franc congolais et pourtant l’Université fixe un taux de 160.000 franc congolais, sur base de quoi? Ils oublient que ces fonctionnaires sont nos parents et c’est grace à eux que nous payons nos frais académiques. C’est pourquoi les étudiants ont voulus protester contre cela. Malheureusement comme nous sommes dans un État où la liberté d’expression est bafouée, l’Université s’est transformée en une guerre avec les hommes en uniforme partout jetant des gaz lacrymogènes, des coups de balles jusqu’à la résidence des étudiants.

Conséquences: plusieurs blessés, plusieurs pertes des biens et même les arrestations. Nous déplorons un tel comportement dans les sites universitaires, les dirigeants doivent savoir que nous sommes dans nos droits.

Etudiant à l'UNIKIN

Click here to get the latest updates and support youth action in the Congo

Testimony: Jean-Marie Kalonji in below photo
Location: Notre Dame
Commune: Lingwala. Kinshasa

Riot police officers fired tear gas during a protest in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, on Sunday. Credit Kenny Katombe/Reuters

Church started at 6:30 am and the sermon was over around 8:20 am. The priests and the people started to march for about 100 meters (30 min), then the population was attacked by surprise from behind and in the front with jeeps and guns.

Given the people were close to the priest the police tried to find a way to separate the people from the priests. The people were kneeling and praying, than getting up and continuing while singing.

The people sat and laid down on the floor on three occasions when attacked by the security forces:
1. First, when the marchers were surrounded the priests instructed the people to sit on the floor. The priests started arguing with the police to let the people march.
2. Second time when the marchers saw that the police managed to separate one of the priests from the group, everyone sat on the floor again while other priests negotiated with the police.
3. On the third occasion, same thing people were kneeling, sitting and standing in one place.

Kabila's security forces started pulling the priests away from the people in an attempt to separate them and drive them back to the church. The marchers quickly recognized the strategy to take the priests back to the church so that the people would be isolated from religious leaders. The people insisted on following the priests back to the church. The police began preventing the people from walking back to church, and came in the middle of the crowd to pull away the priests. The police started pushing people with their guns to try to disperse crowds. Once they managed to separate the people from the priests, they started firing tear gas in the group of people and within a matter of seconds at least 20 tear gas canisters were released. People started running in different directions and others laid on the ground and took cover.

MONUSCO sent one Jeep that was filming and and the press was documenting the repression. The police are currently shooting in the air and going on avenues trying to disperse people from gathering and marching.

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Click here to demand justice for the Congolese people!

Dear fellow Congolese,

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." - said Martin Luther King. This quote was the basis of this morning's preaching, December 28, 2017, at the Catholic parish of my neighborhood in Kinshasa, DRC.


This preaching has invited Congolese to be Christians with light in their actions that reflect the teachings of Jesus-Christ.  "Mo Kristo azali mwinda": A Christian is a light.

The salubrity that characterizes many cities in the DRC, particularly Kinshasa, is a sign of willful blindness or self delusion that the Congolese people are in ignorance while languishing in misery.

It was pointed out that the humanitarian and socio-economic situation in the DRC is dramatic and is getting worse all over the DRC. Ignorance, poverty, malnutrition, infectious diseases such as cholera and others are raging in the DRC while bad governance, violence, corruption, salubrity, ignorance, moral depravity, mediocrity and injustice are ruling the country.

Any religion that is unable to respond to the socio-economic and political problems of a society, in which it lives, has no reason for existence.

It is therefore essential that Christians receive training on constructive social doctrine of Christianity, to be able to act and live in the world according to the evangelical values.

The Catholic Church has therefore constantly reminded Christians in texts or speeches that are not often unambiguous, but at least have the merit of being clear, the injunction made to Christians to feel concerned by policies /politics. If you do not take care of politics, politics will take care of you.

What is observed is that many Christians are sensitive to the shadows and burden of political action. But those who suspect the politics of infamy often have a short idea. In reality, regardless of its frivolities, its failures and its corruptions, political action has a formidable stake: to tend towards a society in which each human being would recognize in any other human his brother or sister and would treat him or her as equal and with love.

Thus, every Congolese Christian should feel concerned by politics in the DRC. Whenever he/she can, they are called to be active citizen always taking care to minimize the results of their action. In today's society, there are several places where the future of humans is determined. We can act individually or collectively at the level of a family, a company, a region, an association, a neighborhood, a political party, a government, a country etc. The wider is the field of political action, the more Christians are demanded to demonstrate thoughtful commitment.

Indeed, it is the entire daily life (work, nutrition, housing, health, education, leisure etc.) of each human that depends on economic, cultural and state political decisions. Political choices do not only have immediate effects but also long-term ones, they also engage future generations.

All Congolese Christians have therefore been invited to commit for change and freedom in the DRC, a country that is being held hostage by a minority of people who are enriching themselves and exploiting the majority who are languishing in the most abject misery as well as in a dehumanizing insecurity.

A vibrant tribute was paid to all victims and survivors of exploitation and violence in the DRC.

The Congolese laity urged the DRC populations to overcome fear and take their responsibility  by mobilizing for the 31st  December 2017 Christians march in solidarity to claim their rights as well as to act individually and collectively to emit a Christian light in the DRC.

Congolese must no longer be silent about things that matter.

Peace and solidarity
A human being who adheres to Christian values as taught by Jesus-Christ, which are fundamental and universal.

Chers Compatriotes Congolais,

"Nos vies commencent à se terminer le jour où nous devenons silencieux à propos des choses qui comptent." – dixit Martin Luther King.

Cette citation était à la base de la prédication de ce matin, 28 décembre 2017,  à la paroisse Catholique  de mon quartier à Kinshasa, en RDC.

Cette prédication a invité les Congolais à être des chrétiens ayant une lumière dans leurs actions qui reflètent les enseignements de Jésus-Christ. « Mo Kristo azali mwinda »: Un Chrétien est une lumière.

L’insalubrité qui caractérise de nombreuses villes en RDC, particulièrement Kinshasa, est un signe d’aveuglement dont souffrent les populations Congolaises qui sont dans l’ignorance et croupissent dans la misère. 

Il a été rappelé que la situation humanitaire et socio-économique, en RDC, est dramatique, et qu’elle ne fait que s’empirer, partout en RDC. L’ignorance, la pauvreté, la malnutrition, les maladies infectieuses telle que la cholera et d’autres sévissent pendant que la mauvaise gouvernance,  la violence, la corruption, l’insalubrité, l’ignorance, la dépravation des mœurs, la médiocrité et l’injustice font la loi.

Toute religion qui n'est pas capable de répondre aux problèmes socio-économique et politique dans laquelle elle vit, n’a pas de raison d’exister. 

Il est donc indispensable que les chrétiens reçoivent une bonne formation sur la doctrine sociale du Christianisme, pour pouvoir agir et vivre dans le monde selon les valeurs évangéliques.

L’Église catholique n’a donc cessé de rappeler aux chrétiens dans des textes ou discours qui ne sont pas souvent sans ambiguïté, mais qui du moins ont le mérite d’être clairs, l’injonction faite aux chrétiens de se sentir concernés par la politique. Si tu ne t'occupes pas de la politique, la politique, elle, s'occupera de toi.

Ce qu’on observe, c’est que beaucoup de chrétiens sont sensibles aux ombres et aux pesanteurs de l’action politique. Mais ceux qui soupçonnent la politique d’infamie s’en font souvent une idée courte. En réalité, même à travers ses frivolités, ses défaillances et ses corruptions, l’action politique a un formidable enjeu : tendre vers une société dans laquelle chaque être humain reconnaîtrait en n’importe quel autre humain son frère ou sœur et l’en traiterait comme tel, en égal et avec amour.

Ainsi, tout chrétien Congolais devrait se sentir concerné par la politique en RDC. Chaque fois qu’il le peut, il est appelé à être citoyen actif en se gardant toujours de minimiser les résultats de son action. Dans les sociétés actuelles, les "lieux", où se joue le devenir des hommes, se multiplient. On peut agir individuellement ou collectivement, au niveau de la famille, d’une entreprise, d’une région, d’une association, d’une commune, d’un quartier, d’un parti politique ; d’un gouvernement, d’un pays etc.

Plus s’élargit le champ de l’action politique, plus s’impose aux Chrétiens l’exigence d’un engagement réfléchi.  En effet, c’est toute la vie quotidienne (travail, nutrition, habitat, santé, éducation, loisirs etc.) de chacun qui dépend des décisions politiques des pouvoirs économiques, culturels, étatiques. Les choix politiques ont non seulement une portée immédiate mais aussi une portée à long terme, ils engagent les générations ultérieures.

Il a donc été demandé à tous Chrétiens Congolais de s’engager pour le changement et la libération en RDC, un pays qui est pris en otage par une minorité de gens qui s’enrichissent et exploitent la majorité qui croupit dans la misère la plus abjecte ainsi qu’une insécurité déshumanisante. Un vibrant hommage a été rendu à toutes les victimes et les survivants de l’exploitation et des violences en RDC.

Les laïcs Congolais ont exhorté les populations  à vaincre la peur et se prendre en charge en se mobilisant pour la marche des chrétiens du 31 décembre 2017,  en solidarité pour réclamer leurs droits ainsi que d’agir individuellement et collectivement pour émettre la lumière Chrétienne en RDC.

Les Congolais ne doivent plus rester silencieux à propos des choses qui comptent.

Paix et solidarité
Un être humain qui adhère aux valeurs chrétiennes telles qu’enseignées par Jésus-Christ, qui sont fondamentales et universelles.

VOICI CE QUI A ÉTÉ DÉCIDÉ APRÈS CONCERTATION ENTRE LE CLC ET LES CURÉS

Marche du 31 décembre 2017

Il n'y aura qu'une seule messe dans chaque paroisse de 6h30 à 8h30. Ensuite les paroissiens avec leurs curés débuteront la marche selon un itinéraire qui sera donné le même dimanche lors de la messe.
Il y aura différents points de ralliement selon les paroisses et les zones géographiques.


Quelques consignes:
* Ne jamais fuir devant les forces de l'ordre , mais serrer les rangs et chanter les cantiques ou se mettre à genoux

* Rester solidaires et s'ils veulent arrêter quelqu'un nous constituer tous en prisonniers

* Face aux gaz lacrymogènes, se servir des serviettes mouillées et avoir de l'eau.
Appliquer la margarine bleu band sur le visage

* Objets à avoir: Bible, rameaux, chapelet, etc démontrant qu'on est chrétiens

* Pas trop boire ni manger.
Se munir de sa carte d'identité ou autres références de son identité, etc.

* Ne pas arborer des calcots ou autres effigies des partis politiques, mouvements citoyens etc.

* Tenues : vêtements de l'église, moklisto azali mwinda, Marie, etc. Ou tout simplement Tshirt blanc, chemise blanche, autre vêtement de couleur blanche.

Messages aux points de ralliement. Numéros de téléphones à avoir absolument:
0819677757 Leonnie Kandolo
0999999519 Jonas Tshombela
Comité laïc de coordination

The U.S. Department of The Treasury sanctioned Israeli businessman, Dan Gertler for his corrupt business dealings in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He and his associated 20 entities have been placed on the U.S. sanctions list.

Dan Gertler infamously said about his business dealings in the Congo “I should get a Nobel Prize.”  “They [Congolese] need people like us, who come and put billions in the ground. Without this, the resources are worth nothing.” Evidently the U.S. Department of The Treasury thought otherwise. The Treasury Department said Dan Gertler "has amassed his fortune through hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of opaque and corrupt mining and oil deals." 

Dan Gertler and Joseph Kabila

The Treasury Department noted that "between 2010 and 2012 alone, the DRC reportedly lost over $1.36 billion in revenues from the underpricing of mining assets that were sold to offshore companies linked to Gertler." And in 2013, "Gertler sold to the DRC government for $150 million the rights to an oil block that Gertler purchased from the government for just $500,000, a loss of $149.5 million in potential revenue."

The sanctions prohibit U.S. citizens from doing business with Mr. Gertler and his companies and any  assets held by him in the U.S. will be frozen. His main corporate partner in the Congo, Glencore, has already ceased royalty payments to him.

The Treasury Department highlighted the fact that "Gertler has acted for or on behalf of Kabila, helping Kabila organize offshore leasing companies."  The sanctions against Mr. Gertler could possibly affect Joseph Kabila's access to financial resources he needs to sustain his patronage network.

Source:  United States Sanctions Human Rights Abusers and Corrupt Actors Across the Globe, United States Department of The Treasury, December 21, 2017.

Select Sources on Gertler in the Congo:
Room Of Secrets Reveals Glencore’s Mysteries
https://www.icij.org/investigations/paradise-papers/room-of-secrets-reveals-mysteries-of-glencore/

Meet Dan Gertler, The Israeli Billionaire Diamond Dealer In The Paradise Papers
https://forward.com/news/national/387134/dan-gertler-orthodox-israeli-diamond-mine-billionaire-paradise-papers-congo/

Och-Ziff Capital Management Admits to Role in Africa Bribery Conspiracies and Agrees to Pay $213 Million Criminal Fine
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/och-ziff-capital-management-admits-role-africa-bribery-conspiracies-and-agrees-pay-213

Gertler Earns Billions as Mine Deals Leave Congo Poorest
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-12-05/gertler-earns-billions-as-mine-deals-leave-congo-poorest

Glencore and the Gatekeeper
https://www.globalwitness.org/en-gb/archive/glencore-and-gatekeeper/