Avant on nous faisait croire que l’université était apolitique mais laissez-moi vous dire que je vis le contraire depuis mon parcours dans une des plus grandes universités de la République. Les Universités de notre pays sont des véritables champs politiques instaurés par un système bien mise en place pour un intérêt catégoriel. Ce principe de l’apolitisation de l’université n’est que pire distraction et une véritableformalité limitant l’autre partie politique (l’Opposition). Comment justifier qu’une Université qui se veut apolitique, soit diriger à 95% par des autorités appartenant à une classe je cite, « la Majorité Présidentielle » ? Et cela à tous les niveaux universitaires notamment, Corps académiques, dirigeants promotionnels.


Si l’Université était réellement apolitique, on donnerait l’opportunité à tout le monde sans viser sa classe politique ou son statut politique. Je peux encore affirmer que les élections sur les dirigeants des Universités sont également des pires distractions et des pires formalités. La décision finale provient de ce qu’ils appellent eux-mêmes « la hiérarchie ».

Pouvons-nous imaginer qu’un Recteur d’une Université prenne une décision je cite, No0282/2017 du 04 décembre 2017 excluantinstantanément certains étudiants définitivement de l’Universités rien que pour avoir participer à une marche pacifique du 30 novembre 2017 lancée par le rassemblement dirigé par Felix TSHISEKEDI qui est un droit pour tout citoyen. Et cela, sans avertissement, notification, convocation voire même interrogatoire, mais tenant seulement compte de la liste lui avoir dressée par une personne. Cela prouve à suffisance qu’une telle décision est prise sous pression d’une partie qui veut adopter une certaine stratégie d’étouffer une jeunesse engagée au changement.

Voici un autre point démontrant la politisation des Universités ; à chaque fois qu’il y a un petit bruit à l’Université auquel, les étudiants revendiquent leur droit, on voit la présence des Policiers, des Militaires dans l’Université comme s’ils allaient à la guerre. Une personne qui arrive pour la première fois à l’Université se croirait à l’EST du pays car les coups des balles, les Gaz lacrymogènes etc., sont injustifiables dans une Université, source du savoir qui requière du calme. Ces policiers opèrent même des actes de violations en confisquant des histoires auprès de ces étudiants. D’autres pénètrentmême jusque dans les domiciles de ces étudiants, pour ne pas dire leurs homes. La question que l’on se pose tous est de savoir, à quoi servent les gardes Universitaires?

Dans une Université, on retrouve trop de Mouchards et le service de renseignement présidentiel, pourquoi ? Parce que l’Université est devenue politisée et devient un milieu dangereux des politiciens.

Nos Universités sont devenues en insécurités, sauvez-les quand il est encore temps sinon il sera tard. Les futures cadres sortiront de là.

Depuis l’Université de Kinshasa, les étudiants engagés

Click here to support the youth movement in the Congo!

What: Press Conference
When: September 19, 2017
Time: 12:30 PM Sharp
Where: Dag Hammarskjold Park. East 47 Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues,Manhattan

Principal Speakers:
Milton Allimadi, Publisher/CEO, Black Star News
Kambale Musavuli, Spokesperson, Friends of the Congo
Imam Talib Abur-Rashid, Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood
Dr. Ron Daniels, President, Institute of the Black World 21 st Century

NEW YORK-- A coalition of African and Diaspora African advocates for accountable government in Africa, affiliated with the Pan African Unity Dialogue, will launch the STOP MUSEVENI CAMPAIGN at a Press Conference Tuesday, September 19, 12:30 PM at the Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, East 47 th Street near the U.N. The group has labeled General Yoweri Museveni, President of Uganda, “Africa’s Destablizer-in- Chief” for his destructive interventions and meddling in the affairs of neighboring nations. General Museveni has either initiated or supported wars against Rwanda (1990), Congo (1997), and South Sudan (2013), directly or indirectly leading to the deaths of millions of Africans and the destruction of billions of dollars in property. In 2005 the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered Uganda to pay the Congo $10 billion in reparations for war crimes against Congo and launched an investigation into Museveni’s activities in the region. U.S. taxpayers are the primary underwriters of General Museveni’s regime. He receives $750 million annually in U.S. financial and military aid. The U.S. claims Museveni as an ally and it is widely believed that he operates with the tacit blessing of Washington.

The Stop Museveni Coalition has adopted a Preliminary Action Plan to educate the public and build a national/international movement to compel Museveni to stop his destructive behavior:
■ Demand an arms embargo against the government of Gen. Museveni to force him to withdraw Ugandan troops from South Sudan and to prevent him from escalating the war by supplying arms to President Salva Kiir as documented by a U.N. Report to the Security Council.
■ Demand that General Museveni abide by the recommendation of the United Nation's Group of Experts' Report to the Security Council supporting dialogue to resolve the conflict between the belligerents President Kiir and exiled Vice President Riek Machar.
■ Demand that the U.S. stop Museveni from arming the brutal M23 Congolese insurgents as documented in several U.N. Reports
■ Demand that the Museveni regime enter into negotiations with legitimate representatives of the Congo to settle the $10 billion (now approximately over $30 billion with interests and penalties) in reparations awarded to the Congo in 2005 by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for war crimes by Uganda's military in the Congo.
■ Demand a Commission of Inquiry to ascertain whether the U.S. blocked an International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into alleged war crimes by Uganda's military in the Congo which could have resulted in the possible indictment of Gen. Museveni.
■ Demand that the U.S. Review its $750 million in annual aid to Uganda to ensure that none of it goes to police and Army units utilized by Museveni to suppress internal dissent.
■ Demand that Museveni regime enter into dialogue with civil society leaders and the opposition leaders including Dr. Kizza Besigye, candidate in the 2016 disputed elections which Ugandan and international observers concluded were not free, fair or credible.

Under Milton Allimadi’s leadership, the Coalition plans to hold a series of education/public awareness events and utilize social media platforms to expose General Museveni’s destructive behavior and the role of the U.S. Government in supporting him. They hope to galvanize massive pressure to Stop Africa’s Destabilzer-in- Chief in order to give peace, justice and prosperity chance to thrive in what is currently a very troubled region.

The Pan African Unity Dialogue (PAUD) is an umbrella organization of Continental African, Caribbean American, Afro-Latino and African American leaders and organizations committed to promoting Unity, Cooperation and Action among people of African descent in the U.S. PAUD is an Initiative of the Institute of the Black World 21 st Century. www.ibw21.org

For information on the Stop Museveni Campaign Contact:
Milton Allimadi: mallimadi@gmail.com – 646.261.7566

Paul Kagame of Rwanda has long been the darling of the Western media. He has aptly been called the West's friendly tyrant. However, the recent media coverage has been the most critical one has seen.

Nation Magazine
https://www.thenation.com/article/rwandas-elections-and-the-myth-of-womens-empowerment/

Financial Times
https://www.ft.com/content/df2bb400-769f-11e7-90c0-90a9d1bc9691 

Wall street journal
https://www.wsj.com/articles/rwandas-success-story-adds-a-dark-new-chapter-1501666202

Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/kagame-seems-set-to-win-again-in-rwanda-but-is-he-a-miracle-man-or-a-nascent-dictator/2017/07/31/069f832a-75fd-11e7-8c17-533c52b2f014_story.html?utm_term=.abe12d93c7bc

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/in-rwanda-little-challenge-seen-in-presidential-election/2017/08/02/e3d72b52-776b-11e7-8c17-533c52b2f014_story.html?utm_term=.6735ee8a5c6a

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/democracy-post/wp/2017/08/01/dont-be-fooled-by-those-happy-campaign-rallies-rwandans-live-in-fear/?utm_term=.d8865a5b4f9d

New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/opinion/paul-kagame-rwandas-forever-president.html

The Times
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/rwanda-voters-too-scared-to-criticise-repressive-kagame-x06q2q62m

Daily Mail
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4721282/Despot-dictator-Rwanda-sent-hitmen-UK-kill-rivals.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-4748488/Rwandas-Paul-Kagame-visionary-despot-both.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4721282/Despot-dictator-Rwanda-sent-hitmen-UK-kill-rivals.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-4743370/Ruling-partys-business-arm-dominates-Rwandan-economy.html

Express
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/832180/New-foreign-aid-outrage-scandal-money-dictator-Rwanda/amp

The Sun
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4082498/britain-gives-64million-in-foreign-aid-to-despot-rwanda-dictator/

The telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/07/30/rwanda-has-rebuilt-now-ruled-iron-fist/

Deutshe well
http://www.dw.com/fr/au-rwanda-les-femmes-qui-font-peur-%C3%A0-paul-kagam%C3%A9/a-39905748

http://www.dw.com/fr/pr%C3%A9sidentielle-au-rwanda-des-candidats-harcel%C3%A9s/a-39925876

http://www.dw.com/fr/lomnipr%C3%A9sence-de-paul-kagame-cache-des-blessures-encore-vives/a-39533348

Newsweek
http://www.newsweek.com/2017/07/21/kagame-presidency-stability-rwanda-elections-635018.html

Follow AGLAN and Congo Crisis for the latest updates on the Rwandan elections.

On Monday, July 17, 2017, Jean-Marie Kalonji and Sylva Mbikayi were released from the Military Detection of Unpatriotic Activities (DEMIAP) detention center. The two young activists were detained on June 23rd without being charged of any crimes.


According to Jean-Marie and Sylva, the soldiers who detained them were concerned that they were working with foreign governments to destabilize the Kabila regime. They encountered many other youth in DEMIAP who were detained on similar suspicions. Unlike many of the youth who remain detained at DEMIAP, Jean-Marie and Sylva benefited from an international awareness campaign and empathetic individuals of conscience who facilitated their release. Although the Minister of Human Rights, Mrs. Marie-Ange Mushobekwa tweeted that she spoke to the head of DEMIAP to secure the release of Jean-Marie and Sylva, this account is dubious at best. The one certainty from the Minister's tweet is that she felt the pressure from the letters that were sent to her and the tweets that flooded her account.


Although, Jean-Marie and Sylva are free, they are not out of danger. They are currently getting medical treatment and recovering from the harsh conditions they endured in the military detention center. Unfortunately, many youth remain locked up in the center that for all intents and purposes serves as a warehouse for hundreds of Congolese youth. Many youth have been disappeared without their families knowing their whereabouts - two such cases are Edel Mulumba and Jeff Mulungiomo of Kinshasa. In addition to the DEMIAP detention center there are other youth in jails throughout the country who have been detained; Sephora Astride Bashiya Biduaya in Goma and Nicolas Mbiya in Mbuji Mayi are two other examples. It is imperative that we advocate for the release of these youth and the countless others who linger in Congo's prisons.

Jean-Marie and Sylva benefited tremendously from the support of people of conscience throughout the globe but they represent merely a glimpse into the incarceration state that Joseph Kabila has imposed on the Congolese people, particularly the youth. The widespread arbitrary arrests and warehousing of Congolese youth can surely be classified as crimes against humanity and should draw the ire and outrage of the global community.

Join us in bringing an end to the unwarranted persecution and detention of Congolese youth.

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Friday, July 14th marks three weeks since the Congolese military picked up and detained Jean-Marie Kalonji and Sylva Mbikayi of the youth-led organization Quatrieme-Voie/Il Est Temps.

Jean-Marie and Sylva remain detained without charge or access to their family or legal representation. They are still in the Military Detection of Unpatriotic Activities (DEMIAP) detention camp where detainees are often tortured and never heard from again.

Jean-Marie Kalonji

Sylva Kabanga Mbikayi

Owing to the gravity and urgency of their case, Amnesty International has issued an URGENT appeal for the immediate release of Jean-Marie and Sylva.

The members of Quatrieme-Voie/Il Est Temps are bewildered as to why their top leaders have been shipped off to a military camp. The fact of the matter is, while partnering with Congo Love, Jean-Marie, Sylva and the rest of the Quatrieme-Voie youth have been deeply engaged in serving their communities. They have assisted women and children with legal service to get them released from jail; they assist market women by providing them with benches and chairs to improve the conditions in which they sell their products; they have worked with the handicap community to provide services to them; and they launched a scholarship initiative to provide university students with scholarships to attend school.

Quatrieme Voie Member Engages Handicapped Children & Adults

Their situation is dire. Jean-Marie and Sylva's place is not in a military dungeon.They should be in their communities serving the dispossessed and contributing to their country. Three ways you can help with the effort to secure their release are as follows:

1. Send an email to Congo's Minister of Human Rights or send the Minister a tweet to appeal for her intervention. Click here for sample letter!
Mrs. Marie-Ange Mushobekwa
Ministère des droits humain
Place Royal
Kinshasa-Gombe
Democratic Republic of Congo
Email: mushobekwa.likulia@gmail.com
Twitter: @MushobekwaMa

2. Share a solidarity statement or a 60-seconds video calling for the release of Jean Marie Kalonji and Sylva Mbikayi using these hashtags #FreeJeanMarie #FreeSylva #Telema

3. Make a financial contribution to support the effort to secure the release of Jean-Marie and Sylva.

The military intelligence department, well known as P2, arrested this Thursday 2 photography students in the town of Goma, eastern Congo DRC.

Abedi Mohamed and Elie Batumike were practicing as part of a photography training during the ongoing Congo International Film Festival when they got arrested.

“The agents went through their photos to check if they photographed anything sensitive and promised to release them” said Imani Nzabanita, Yole!Africa administrative assistant who went to follow up what was going on.

Yole!Africa’s director, Petna Ndaliko asks for their immediate and unconditional release.

Recently, another group of Congolese artists were arrested during an artistic performance denouncing massacres in the region of Kasaï and Beni. They were released on bail days later.

When Sylva Mbikayi graduated from law school and passed the bar exam, Jean-Marie Kalonji and friends came to celebrate his accomplishment. Sylva, the people's lawyer, has taken the responsibility to represent those who have been wrongfully arrested. Through a program of Quatrieme Voie, he has visited the Makala prison in Kinshasa and reviewed cases of young women jailed, some living in prison with their babies. All of this work, free of charge.



Two weeks ago, he decided to take on another case, that of a Congolese elder name Papa Biko who was arrested by Congolese police simply for fulfilling his duty as a citizen by offering his space to facilitate voter enrollment. When the news of Jean-Marie and Sylva's arrest reached the neighborhood of Papa Biko, the people there said "wait, they arrested Papa Biko's lawyer too? Now they're going to see!"

People are being mobilized on the ground for these two young men to be released and we will share more as they take action. It's been 7 days and we do not have at 100% reassurance about their well being. We remain faithful and continue to fight for their release.

Thoughts and prayers go to these valiant fighters for Congo's liberation.

We miss you Sylva and Jean Marie!

Kambale Musavuli
Spokesperson, Friends of the Congo

Le Vendredi 23 Juin, à 16h30 heure de Kinshasa, Jean-Marie Kalonji, le Coordinateur du groupe rassemblant la jeunesse Quatrième voie/Il Est Temps, a été détenu par les forces armées Congolaises. Rendant visite à un membre de sa famille, les forces de l’ordre ont arrêté Jean-Marie dans le voisinage de Salongo, dans la commune Lemba de Kinshasa. Il a été interrogé puis sommé de produire ses papiers d’identité. Il n’avait pas ses papiers sur lui. Le personnel de l’armée Congolaise l’a ensuite soudainement envoyé au camp Bumba. Aucun motif n’a été renseigné pour son arrestation.

Quand les nouvelles de l’arrestation de Jean-Marie arrivèrent à la direction de Quatrième Voie, Sylva Kabanga Mbikayi, avocate sympathisante et porte-parole de Quatrième voie, s’est rendue auprès de son collègue. À son arrivée au camp Bumba, Sylva Mbikayi fut aussi détenue. Les deux leaders sont actuellement détenus par les forces armées Congolaises à la DEMIAP (Détection militaire des activités anti-patrie) sans inculpation ni motif.


Quatrième Voie a publié un communiqué de presse à l’attention des forces armées Congolaises et du gouvernement Kabila demandant la libération immédiate de leurs leaders.

C’est la deuxième fois que Jean-Marie Kalonji est arrêté par le régime Kabila. La première fois remonte à Décembre 2015 quand il fut kidnappé par les Services de Renseignement Congolais, une détention longue de plusieurs mois durant laquelle il fut torturé dans un lieu gardé secret. C’est seulement lorsque de sérieuses interrogations sur son état furent soulevées – s’il était mort ou vivant – et grâce aux pressions exercées par la jeunesse Congolaise et des sympathisants extérieurs sur le gouvernement Congolais qu’il fut transféré à la prison de Makala. Après un temps à la prison de Makala, il fut relâché en Août 2016 mais a depuis été sous l’étroite surveillance du régime Kabila.

Les mesures répressives prises par le régime Kabila se sont intensifiées alors qu’il tente de garder le pouvoir contre la volonté du peuple Congolais. L’Église Catholique de RDC a publié une déclaration le 23 Juin expliquant qu’une minorité tient des millions de Congolais en otage. L’Église a déclaré que cela est inacceptable et encourage la population à s’engager afin de reprendre le contrôle de son destin.

Nous vous encourageons à partager ce récit largement et à appeler les autorités Congolaises à relâcher Jean-Marie Kalonji et Sylva Kabanga Mbikayi.

Mrs. Marie-Ange Mushobekwa
Ministère des droits humain
Place Royal
Kinshasa-Gombe
Democratic Republic of Congo
Email: mushobekwa.likulia@gmail.com
Twitter:  @MushobekwaMa

For Immediate Release

Goma – Monday 26 th 2017. The Nyavu Network, regrouping 7 cultural centers across the Great Lakes region and southern Africa calls for the immediate release of four artists detained by the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC.

On Friday June 23 rd , photographer Mugabo Baritegera, visual artist Benito Mupenzi, In situ performance installator Precy Numbi and Taylor Ndungo were arrested during a live performance calling for the end of the ongoing massacres in the regions of Beni (eastern DRC) and Kasaï (centre of the country). The live exhibition was going on at Signers crossroad, in the town of Goma, capital of North Kivu province.

"These artists and many of us who work through art and creativity in this country are trying to foster positive open dialogue in a moment when we need to come together in peace and cooperation. Silencing the art voices now is like stifling a nonviolent and cooperation voice" said internationally acclaimed filmmaker and activist Petna Ndaliko Katondolo, Director and Co-Founder of Yole!Africa, member of the Nyavu Network.

The four artists have been transferred to Goma central prison and waiting for their trial. Since August 2016, the death of Kasaï traditional leader Kamwena Nsapu in fighting with security forces deteriorated into a violent conflict that has claimed lives of more than 3 000 people, according to the Catholic Church. The UN discovered more than 42 mass graves in the region in the region and counted more than 1.3 millions internally displaced people as the result of the conflict.

Civil society and human rights organizations have been calling for an independent investigation to clarify responsibilities in the violence; a call that doesn’t resonate with DRC government.

“In a country that has been torn by conflict for decades, silencing nonviolent artists will reinforce among youth the dangerous perception that violence is the only language to be heard” added Mr. Ndaliko.

Being a member of the Nyavu Network, Yole!Africa, an organization that has been promoting nonviolent activism in DRC since 15 years, serving more than 17 000 youth, is closely following hopes that the government will engage in a more cooperative process when dealing with artists speaking out for the general masses.

End
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For further details or book an interview, please, contact Gaius Kowene via
email communication@yoleafrica.org or call +243 973 95 00 95.

The reality of young Congolese fighting to get their comrades Jean Marie Kalonji and Sylva Mbikayi out of military detention.

• Unknown numbers are calling the current leaders with death threats. The person on the line shared very personal information about these leaders in order to demonstrate that they have been following them for a while.

• They have been followed throughout the city by pickup trucks in the past 48 hours. Two cars of family members of the detained youth have been set ablaze.

• When going to the DEMIAP military detention center to seek information on the detained youth, the soldiers issue death threats to the advocates.

• When going to seek support from the human rights office at the UN mission (MONUSCO), the response is that they don't have anyone available on the weekends and someone will follow up next week.

• Some people in the whatsapp groups the arrested leaders were a part of are receiving anonymous calls and threats as well

• An attorney from a local and internationally known organization did not want to go to DEMIAP. He said "if they arrested Sylva knowing he is an attorney, I may get arrested if I go there too. Let me get a few other attorneys and we will go there next week."

The movement of the youth leaders is compromised. The Kabila regime has agents throughout the country, especially in Kinshasa on University campuses. The threat to the lives of the youth is real, yet they continue to go out to demand the release of their leaders from military detention. If you don't call it courage... I don't know what courage is then.

Kambale Musavuli
Spokesperson
Friends of the Congo

Take action to support the Congolese Youth!