The United States Military Command for Africa (AFRICOM) officially began one year ago. This new command has been active in its first year training troops throughout the continent, providing supplies, and even building schools. AFRICOM has both raised great support and harsh criticism throughout Africa and in the United States. Please join us in a critical discussion of the future of United States military involvement in Africa by examining the case of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Ambassador William J. Garvelink, US Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Prosper Bunzigiye, Congolese Human Rights Activist
Lauren Ploch, Congressional Research Services

Moderated by Emira Woods, Co-Director of Foreign Policy in Focus at the Institute for Policy Studies

Thursday, October 1, 2009 12:30-2:00 PM Kenney Auditorium, Nitze Building 1740 Massachusetts Avenue, NW

For more information and to RSVP, please contact Alyssa (Alyssa@ips-dc.org)

Read (PDF) the Congolese International Congress Analysis on AFRICOM.

Remember to join us for Congo Week (October 18 - 24) - www.congoweek.org

Three female radio reporters in Eastern Congo have received anonymous death threats as they fight to expose violence against women. The threats were sent by text message. These are not idle threats considering that a number of journalists have been assassinated. Read more ...

See alert sent by the women (French)
INDIGNATION DE L’ASSOCIATION DES FEMMES DES MEDIAS DU SUD–KIVU FACE AUX MENACES DE MORT PROFEREES A SES MEMBRES.

L’association des femmes des Médias du Sud-Kivu (AFEM) s’indigne face aux menaces de mort proférées à leur endroit à travers un SMS citant nommément 3 femmes journalistes, 2 de Radio okapi et 1 de Radio Maendeleo. Ce SMS envoyé le 8 septembre 2009 en kiswahili est ainsi libellé : « Mulisha zoweya mubaya munaanza ingia mu mambo haibaone ju kuonesha kama habawezi bagusa, sasa munataka kufa ako juu munyamaze. Tulisha pata ruusa ya kuaanzia ako Kadi, kiisha Kamuntu kiisha , Kintu Namuto… risasi mu kichwa. »

Traduction en français

« Vous avez pris la mauvaise habitude de vous immiscer dans ce qui ne vous regarde pas pour montrer que vous êtes des intouchables, maintenant certains d'entre vous vont mourir pour que vous la boucliez. Nous venons d'avoir l'autorisation de commencer par Kadi, puis Kamuntu puis Namuto … une balle dans la tête »

Pendant le deuil du journaliste Bruno Koko le mois d’Aout passé, on pouvait entendre dans la foule que “ Après cela, ce sera le tour des journalistes femmes à être tuées”.

Lors du passage de Mme la Secrétaire d’Etat Américaine à Goma le 11 août dernier, dans sa présentation, l’Association des Femmes des Médias du Sud Kivu avait justement plaidé auprès de Mme Clinton pour qu’elle use de son influence afin la liberté d’expression soit renforcée en RDC, pays où plusieurs médias venaient d’être interdits de diffusion comme RFI et une Radio rurale située à Shabunda (Radio Mutanga) venait d’être détruite. A posteriori ce plaidoyer se révèle encore plus pertinent.

Face à ces menaces, AFEM se trouve en difficulté de mener a bien son travail car ne connaissant ni le mobil, ni la provenance de ces menaces.

Ceci prouve à suffisance que les journalistes continuent à être la cible des ennemis de la liberté d’expression dans une province du Sud Kivu où 3 journalistes ont été tués en 3 ans : Serge Maheshe et Didace Namujimbo de la Radio Okapi et Bruno Koko de la Radio Star.

Face à cette situation, l’Association des Femmes des Médias du Sud-Kivu souhaite mettre l’autorité provinciale devant ses responsabilités de sécuriser les journalistes avant qu’un nouveau drame ne survienne.

Au service de renseignements, AFEM demande de diligenter sans délais une enquête pour identifier les auteurs de ces menaces à partir du numéro vodacom qu’ils avaient utilisé.

A tous nos Amis et partenaires, nous lançons un appel pour nous aider dans les mécanismes de sécurisation des journalistes, ce dont nous vous remercions d’avance.

Fait a Bukavu, le 15/09/2009
Association des femmes des Medias du Su-Kivu(AFEM)

http://thestar.com/comment/article/691792

Re: Advocates for Congo rape victims brutalized, Sept. 4

The rape and mutilation faced by Congolese women is inextricably linked to the plundering of the land and the mad scramble for resources that are key to the functioning of modern Western society.

Besides being the storehouse of strategic minerals, Congo possesses 64 per cent of the world's reserve of coltan, a key mineral found in our cellphones and other electronic devices. With a war, such minerals are easily, illegally and cheaply accessed by Canadian, U.S., British and Australian mining companies, which fuels the conflict directly and indirectly via their proxies and allies, Rwanda and Uganda, who control Congo's eastern region.

The $17 million pledged by the U.S. is not the remedy as a big portion of that money will not be directed to local grassroots Congolese institutions and clinics.

Instead the U.S. should assert diplomatic pressure on its allies, Rwanda and Uganda, to stop supporting Congo rebels. Further, the U.S. needs to facilitate a political process as opposed to a military solution. The military campaign in eastern Congo has worsened conditions for women, children and men who are not armed combatants.

Also the U.S. and Canada should pressure their multinational corporations on the ground to refrain from actions that prolong the conflict and deprive the people of the Congo of a just share of the returns from their natural resources.

Bodia Macharia, President, Friends of the Congo, University of Toronto

Learn more about women in the Congo and get involved!

TO MADAME SECRETARY OF STATE of USA,
C / ° U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa, DR Congo.

We, members of national parliament, elected representatives of the people of South Kivu, welcome your visit to our country and request that you convey our best wishes for success to the current tenant of the White House on the occasion of his election as the head of the USA.

We take the opportunity given to us by your presence on the land of our forefathers, to bring to your attention that the DR Congo that you visit so far is not only affected by the result of wars of aggression unjustly imposed on our people for almost 15 years, but is also a country where the democratic process led by the United Nations is bogged down, thus bringing into question the credibility of the United Nations in a country that throughout its history, hasn’t ceased to be subjected to this huge organization, in both World Wars I & II and the Cold War.

That is why, at first, we urge the Obama Administration to consider the following two points:

1) On behalf of thousands of women raped, buried alive, men emasculated, and all those killed in eastern DR Congo in general, in South Kivu in particular, we urge you to join our voices to demand an end to impunity. First, by the immediate arrest of all those responsible for this tragedy including Laurent Nkundabatware, Bosco Ntaganda, and other accomplices at the heart of this Congolese tragedy.

In so doing, in the eyes of the world community, the USA will have contributed to bringing an end to this unjust and biased policy that ensures the longevity and support of regimes whose leaders have been accused of abusing power and lacking democracy characterized by extreme favoritism concentrated in a handful of people at the expense of the majority of the inhabitants of Central Africa.

Also, today we can confirm to you that the eastern DR Congo has become an oasis for the extermination of innocent people who are defenseless and without any assistance, in the presence of an army that consists of selectively picked executioners which includes former FDLR members repatriated to Rwanda, but recycled and then returned within the CNDP for their incorporation into the FARDC.

In short, a war of attrition is managed wisely and thoroughly fed through the plundering of our resources, the depopulation of areas affected by this war, and very soon their balkanization.

2) This policy has led to the strengthening of mono-ethnic powers in Rwanda and Uganda, where more or less 10% of the population maintains dominance over 90% of the population. It is important to point out that with the support of the USA and the UK primarily, Rwanda released its tribal hatred on the DR Congo where its support and participation alongside pseudo-insurgent movements are undeniable.

Indeed, the involvement of multinational corporations in the delivery of arms and plundering the wealth of the DR Congo in the interest of great powers on one side and on the other, the cases of Mutebusi, Nkundabatware, Bosco Ntaganda, and the flagrant presence of many Rwandan soldiers in the integrated CNDP troops in support of Rwanda confirms our assertion.

Madam Secretary of State,

Your trip to Africa in the early months following the ascension to power by His Excellency Barack Hussein Obama is followed with great interest and has generated a lot of hope among the Congolese people who have been overlooked by previous US administrations; it has not been since the 1990s that a personality of the American administration of your rank has set foot on Congolese soil.

That is why, in addition to the major concerns outlined above, we share with you a copy of a memo that we gave to members of the delegation of the Security Council of the United Nations who visited the DR Congo on May 19, 2009 - a memo which tells the tragedy suffered by the Congolese people. This memo can be summarized as follows:

"Since 1994, the superbly armed Hutu, fleeing the advance of the Rwandan Patriotic Army crossed the Congolese border with support of UN operations called 'turquoise', headed by France. These Hutus settled in the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu in flagrant violation of all international standards governing the right of asylum or refuge.

Known as the "Interahamwe" or FDLR, Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, and so on, these Hutu particularly stand out in DR Congo by practicing acts of looting, rape, massacre and so on. And since they became a pretext for the authorities in Kigali to justify the presence in DR Congo of their regular army, the results are the current massacres and atrocities suffered by our people at Makobola, Kasika Katogota, Lemera, Nindja, Kaniola , Kalambi, Bunyakiri, Kaziba, Luhwindja, Kalonge, Bukavu, Uvira, Kiliba, Katumba Kalehe, Bwegera, Kamituga, Mwenga, Shabunda, Lugushwa, Ngando, Ndola, Kigulube, Bijombo, Masango Tubimbi, Kakungwe, Mushago, Kitutu, Lubuga , Mutambala, Fizi, Minembwe, Bibokoboko, Baraka, Kagabwe, to name a few, as regards the South-Kivu.

Moreover, Rwanda's history is punctuated by cyclical and fratricidal wars driven by a spirit of intolerance and retaliation between Hutus and Tutsis. Hence, when it is the Rwandan Tutsi ethnic group that is in power, their countrymen who are in the majority, the Hutus, are in exile: and vice versa. DR Congo has become each time, the country of pilgrimage for them.

Therefore, we members of the national parliament representing South Kivu not only condemn the guilty silence of the international community, particularly the USA, nation par excellence that praises democracy and peace, but we also deplore the role of international organizations specialized in defense of human rights that are not quite vocal as elsewhere regarding this tragedy of a smoldering Congolese genocide.

Solutions for the return and the restoration of peace have been explored by the Congolese government, but unfortunately, they came up against the bad faith of external forces pulling the strings of this war in cahoots with some insiders.

These include, by way of illustration:

The meeting in Sun City in South Africa called the inter-Congolese dialogue which led to the transition 1+4 [post conflict reconciliation formula that integrated former rebels into the Congolese government from 2003 – 2006, which included one president and four vice presidents], the Conference of Goma in January 2008, and most recently the joint operations of DR Congo / Rwanda for the tracking of FDLR. The joint operations are replete with collateral damage in North Kivu and South Kivu, where we deplore all loss of life coupled with other incalculable consequences: large-scale movements of populations, famine, disease, evil destruction of property and infrastructure, looting of natural resources, rape, theft, and other degrading treatment.

Rather, the Congolese people, your brother, friend and ally, do not deserve such inhumane treatment. They have done everything to restore peace in the Great Lakes Region. They have nothing left to give to satisfy the warmongering and gluttonous appetites of its neighbors. The Congolese people had vainly obeyed and accepted fallacious schemes and pretexts that served as the basis for the imposition of unjust wars: the case of nationality, access and sharing of political and military power, establishment of a genuine multiparty democracy, mixage, integration for some, brassage for others [mixage and brassage are French security sector jargon that speaks to the integration and reintegration of rebel groups into the Congolese army], repatriation of Rwandan refugees, tracking of FDLR elements, etc.

Faced with this grim picture, We, national MPs from the Province of South Kivu, on the strength of our experience and our solidarity with people who elected us, believe that peace won at the end of the barrel is always ephemeral.

Therefore, for a secure and lasting peace for all parties concerned in the sub-region of the Great Lakes, we offer among others the following proposals:

1. That the international community require of President Paul Kagame, the organization of an inter-Rwandan dialogue that would bring together around one table all the components of the Rwandan tribes, both those inside and outside of the country to find solutions to internal problems between them.

2. The involvement of the United States of America for the establishment in Rwanda of a democracy balanced, thoughtful and non-discriminatory like the position (which we positively welcome) of your current government response to conflicts between Israel and Palestine. This is for the restoration of a lasting peace, on the one hand among Rwandans themselves on their soil and between the State of Rwanda and the DR Congo on the other hand.

3. The contribution of the USA in the strict regulation of the sale, delivery and purchase of arms and munitions to leaders implicated in the conflict in the Great Lakes sub-region, essentially Rwanda and Uganda.

4. Placing under embargo all American and Western firms trafficking in mineral resources known as "blood" (coltan, diamonds, gold, cassiterite, etc.).

5. The establishment of international justice (ICC) that punishes all political leaders and economic players in the sub-region or elsewhere involved in the war.

6. The establishment of a development plan, like the Marshall plan, with pragmatic integration projects in the sub-region of the Great Lakes in general and in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo in particular.

7. The involvement of MONUC in first, sorting out the Rwandan elements integrated within the CNDP so that they can return to their country, Rwanda, and second in assisting with removing military officers of all stripes involved in the armed conflict outside the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu.

8. The redefinition of the mission and role of MONUC in order to avoid the atrocities and abuses deplored above.

9. In the end, we members of National members of Parliament representing South-Kivu, hope that your stay in our country, unlike the bitter and sad experiences (political, diplomatic, economic, commercial, social, cultural, humanitarian ...) we have experienced and according to some analysts well versed in the history of the DR Congo, say now is the time to lay the foundations for sincere bilateral cooperation that will be beneficial for both the American and Congolese people.

Thus, in the framework of this cooperation that we hope will be reciprocal and harmonious, and taking into account the geostrategic position of the DR Congo, we recommend that the Obama administration deal directly with Congolese institutions legally established in place of intermediaries or subcontractors.

Kinshasa on 05 August 2009

National Members of Parliament of South Kivu presented in Kinshasa

1. Hon KANYEGERE LWABOSHI Samuel, (243) 990903345

2. Hon Birindwa CHANIKIRE Solide, (243) 990903329

3.Hon Masumbuko BASHOMBA Christophe, (243) 990903364

4.Hon BASHOMBERWA Martha, (243) 990903115

5. KIKA zamud Hon Marie-Jeanne, (243) 90903625

6. Hon Bapolisi Bahuga Paulin, (243) 990903113

7. Hon BITAKWIRA Hayi BIHONA-Justin, (243) 990903330

8. Hon MPANANO NTAMWENGE Roger, (243) 990902475

9. Hon BUHERWA LUPINI Désiré,

Note: Translation by Friends of Congo

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was challenged by a Congolese student in a town hall meeting in Kinshasa today. During the town hall, the student tapped into Congo's central challenge - for the affairs of the Congo and the management of its resources to be determined by the people of the Congo - since Congo was given to King Leopold II of Belgium in 1885 as his personal property.

According to the New York Times:

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton began her tour of Africa today with a stop in Kenya. She will also visit the Democratic Republic of Congo where she will apparently focus on violence against women.

One can only hope that Secretary Clinton does not follow in the footsteps of former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright under her husband's second administration (1996 - 2000). When Madeleine Albright represented the United States under President Bill Clinton, she "celebrated" the so-called new breed of leaders on the African continent. She identified figures such as Uganda's Yoweri Museveni, Rwanda's Paul Kagame and Ethiopia Meles Zenawi as model leaders for the future of Africa. Over a decade later, each of these figures have invaded another African country, ruled over authoritarian regimes and have the blood of millions of Africans on their hands with the full backing of their erstwhile ally, the United States of America.

One would expect Secretary Clinton to carry President Obama's message of change to the African continent and clearly articulate how the Obama administration will be different from her husbands and that of George W. Bush. President Obama's predecessors policies have been marked by the support of strongmen, the militarization of the continent and the prioritization of profit and corporate forces over the will and interests of African people.

With the first high-level visit from the Obama administration to the Congo being that of the military under Donald Rumsfeld initiated AFRICOM program, it appears that President Obama will follow in the same military first, corporate laden policies of his predecessors. Let's see if Secretary Clinton does or says anything to disabuse us of the fact that President Obama's policies toward the African continent and Congo in particular appear to be essentially the same as Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

Click here to read FOTC policy recommendations to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Click here to read letter to Hillary Clinton from Senator Barbara boxer.

Click here to read letter policy recommendations from progressive advocacy institutions in Washington, DC.

A coalition of advocates for Africa has laid out policy prescriptions for the African continent on the eve of President Obama's trip to Ghana. As a part of the policy prescriptions, Friends of Congo has presented the following prescriptions for the Congo:
1. Stop the militarization of Congo and Africa in general. Lead with diplomacy and take the military option off the table. U.S. support for military operations in the Congo and Central Africa has led to untold suffering.
2. End the AFRICOM program and the financing of the Rwandan and Ugandan militaries. The FDLR and LRA challenges can only be solved politically. There is no such thing as too much talking. More talk is needed and more diplomacy is warranted.
3. Pursue aggressive diplomacy, which is the real path to peace and stability
4. Support a political solution to the Congo conflict, which is the only sustainable answer
5. Pressure American allies, Rwanda and Uganda to cease their aggression and economic exploitation of the Congo. Sweden, Netherlands and Canada are excellent models to follow in this regard.
6. Implement policies that prioritize people over corporate profit, such as those presented by the Carter Center regarding Congo’s mining contract review process.
7. Call for a special envoy to Congo and the establishment of a Congo Caucus in Congress
8. Encourage the State Department to hold American corporations accountable via follow-up and implementation of the Carter Center and UN reports on corporate exploitation of Congo’s resources
9. Support civic and grassroots efforts and institutions in the Congo in their attempt to democratize the Congolese political space
10. Support current legislation in Congress that affects the Congo especially is at relates to violence against women and corporate exploitation of Congo’s minerals

Click here (PDF) to download the entire policy briefing book.

Read transcript of Obama's remarks in Ghana!

Visit our Women's Corner for more information and how you can get involved!

View brief excerpt from Lynn Nottage's "Ruined"