Who fears Yole!Africa?

Cultural center Yole!Africa has been preparing to launch a celebration of its 10th anniversary in Goma in July, 2012.  However, on 24 April, after falling victim to 5 armed robbers – three of whom wore local police uniforms – who stole the majority of the organization’s equipment and bound and severely beat the night watchman, instead of celebrating the organization is faced with some rather troubling questions and reflections.  Within the past 12 months, Yole!Africa has been robbed 3 times – 15 laptop computers have been taken, as well as 2 professional cameras, 4 semi-professional cameras, 3 amateur cameras, 2 still cameras, and 3 external hard drives.  The total value of the stolen goods exceeds $21,000 in monetary terms; but beyond the money, the fact of continued undermining from the same community this cultural center has served for 10 years is deeply disturbing.

When Yole!Africa started in Goma during circumstances of war and conflict as the country was divided.  That the cultural center faced numerous threats, obstacles, and challenges in that period was to be expected.  However, after struggling for 10 years to offer youth in the region access to free cultural activities and free artistic training, the systematic sabotage that Yole!Africa continues to experience is taking on a new character.

Currently the center serves the local community by offering workshops, concerts, and ongoing programs. All members of Yole!Africa have access to training in digital arts, music, and dance, access to practice space and equipment free of charge. Yole!Africa also organizes the Salaam Kivu International Film Festival (SKIFF) that brings together over 14,000 people in the course of 10 days.  In this way, Yole!Africa contributes directly to community cohesion, peace and cultural development in the region.  However, in the face of ongoing theft and in the absence of official denunciations, one has to ask, “who benefits if Yole!Africa shuts down? Who stands to gain if the youth lose access to the tools with which to speak out?”  These and similar questions are augmented by the fact that the hard drives stolen in the recent incident contained footage shot by youth film students who were documenting the recent controversial presidential and legislative elections.

This is not to say that there is no recognition of Yole!Africa from official channels, the organization have been delighted to see successful members of Yole!Africa receive public accolades and tokens of appreciation for their accomplishments from government representatives.  The question at hand is how are these officials channels activated in times of crime and violation?  Is one to understand that the organization is to fend for itself in the face of danger?  Or is it time, after a history of service to the community, for official recognition of both the triumphs of and the crimes committed against Yole!Africa?

At this point of looking back at the past 10 years and into the future, Yole!Africa is indeed at a crossroads.  The organization is looking to the community to see signs of their commitment to the continuation of Yole!Africa and the events it brings to the region.  As Yole!Africa beings to try to recover from this most recent theft committed 24 April, 2012,  the organization invites participation from the community. Yole!Africa’s primary needs at this time are of financial support to replenish the stolen equipment, and for the community to put pressure on local officials to publicly and officially denounce the ongoing crimes committed against this cultural center and to secure the right of artists to speak freely in this nation.

Yole!Africa press

Support Yole!Africa
1. Make a financial contribution
2. Visit YOle!Africa on Facebook for regular updates: http://www.facebook.com/yoleafrica.
3. Donate equipment (Laptops, video cameras, digital cameras, printers, etc) to Yole!Africa to replenish what was stolen. Send equipment to:
Friends of the Congo
1629 K Street, NW Ste 300
Washington, DC 20006


Qui a peur de Yole!Africa ?


Le Centre Culturel Yole! Africa était jusqu’à ces derniers jours en pleine préparation pour lancer la célébration de son 10ème anniversaire à Goma en juillet 2012. Cependant, le 24 avril dernier, 5 bandits armés – dont trois en uniformes locaux de la police - ont volé la plus grande partie des équipements de l'organisation après avoir ligoté et sévèrement battu le gardien de nuit. L'organisation depuis au lieu de préparer cette fête doit face à certaines questions et réflexions troublantes.

Lors les 12 derniers mois, Yole!Africa a été volée 3 fois ! 15 ordinateurs portables ont ainsi disparu ainsi que 2 appareils camera professionnels, 4 Cameras semi-professionnels, 5 appareils photo amateurs, et 3 disques durs externes. La valeur totale des marchandises volées dépasse 21,000 $ ; mais au-delà du préjudice financier, cet acharnement continu contre la même communauté de ce centre culturel qui travaille depuis 10 ans est profondément inquiétant.

Quand Yole! L'Afrique a démarré ses activités à Goma, c’était dans des circonstances de guerre et de conflits qui déchiraient le pays. Que le centre culturel ait du faire face à de nombreuses menaces, obstacles et défis lors de cette période devait être attendu. Cependant, après avoir lutté pendant 10 ans pour offrir à la jeunesse dans la région un accès à des activités culturelles gratuites et à des formations artistiques gratuites, le sabotage systématique que Yole!Africa continue à subir prend un nouveau sens.

Actuellement le centre est au service de la communauté locale en offrant des ateliers, des concerts et des programmes réguliers. Tous les membres de Yole!Africa ont accès à des  formations dans les arts numériques, la musique et la danse, ils ont aussi un accès gratuit aux espaces et équipements pour pratiquer leur discipline. Yole!Africa organise également le Salaam Kivu International Film Festival (SKIFF) qui rassemble plus de 14 000 personnes pendant 10 jours par an. De cette façon, Yole!Africa contribue directement à la cohésion communautaire, la paix et le développement culturel dans la région. Cependant, face à ces vols récurrents et en l’absence de dénonciations officielles, on se doit de poser la question "qui tirera un bénéficie si Yole!Africa s’écroule et ferme ses portes ? Qui gagnera à ce que la jeunesse perde l'accès aux outils qui lui permet de s’exprimer ?" Ce genre de questions et d’autres similaires prennent tout leur sens par le fait que les disques durs volés dans le dernier cambriolage contenaient des séquences filmées par les étudiants qui documentaient les élections présidentielles et législatives controversées récentes.

Ceci n’est pas pour dire qu'il n'y a aucune reconnaissance de Yole!Africa par les canaux officiels, l'organisation a été enchantée de voir des membres de Yole!Africa ayant réussi recevoir des accolades publiques et des mots de remerciements pour leurs œuvres de la part des représentants gouvernementaux. La question qui se présente est : que font ces échelons officiels dans les temps de crime et de violation de droits ?  y en a-t-il un pour comprendre que l'organisation ne peut compter que sur elle-même face au danger ?   Ou bien est ce que le temps peut être venu, après une longue histoire de services à la communauté, pour une reconnaissance officielle tant des triomphes enregistrés que des crimes commis contre Yole!Africa ?

À ce point, regardant en arrière ces 10 ans passés et vers l'avenir, Yole!Africa est en effet à un carrefour. L'organisation compte sur la communauté pour voir des signes de son engagement pour la poursuite de Yole!Africa et la continuation des événements qu’elle procure à la région. Etant donné que Yole!Africa commence à essayer de se remettre du vol le plus récent perpétré le 24 avril 2012, l'organisation invite la communauté à participer. Les besoins premiers de Yole !Africa en ce moment sont un appui financier pour remplacer l’équipement volé et de la communauté pour faire pression sur les officiels locaux afin qu’ils dénoncent officiellement les crimes récurrents perpétrés contre ce centre culturel et qu’ils garantissent et sécurisent le droit des artistes de parler librement dans cette nation. Toute personne souhaitant en savoir plus sur les façons de soutenir Yole!Africa, peuvent se rendre sur la page Facebook de l'organisation : http: // www.facebook.com/yoleafrica;


Adam Branch Tackles The Kony Issue

Adam Branch
Senior Research Fellow
Makerere Institute of Social Research

March 8, 2012
Kampala, Uganda
From Kampala, the Kony 2012 hysteria is easy to miss. I’m not on Facebook or Twitter, and I don’t watch YouTube—but over the last twenty-four hours, I have received dozens of emails from friends, colleagues, and students in the US about the video by Invisible Children and the massive on-line response to it.

I have not watched the video. As someone who has worked in and done research on the war in northern Uganda for over a decade, much of it with a local human rights organization based in Gulu, the Invisible Children organization and their videos have infuriated me to no end—I remember one sleepless night after I watched their “Rough Cut” film for the first time with a group of students, after which I tried to explain to the audience what was wrong with the film while on stage with one of the filmmakers.

My frustration with the group has largely reflected the concerns expressed so eloquently by those individuals who have been willing to bring the fury of Invisible Children’s true believers down upon themselves in order to point out what is wrong with this group's approach: the warmongering, the self-indulgence, the commercialization, the reductive and one-sided story they tell, their portrayal of Africans as helpless children in need of rescue by white Americans, and the fact that civilians in Uganda and central Africa may have to pay a steep price in their own lives so that a lot of young Americans can feel good about themselves, and a few can make good money. This, of course, is sickening, and I think that Kony 2012 is a case of Invisible Children having finally gone too far. They are now facing a backlash from people of conscience who refuse to abandon their capacity to think for themselves.

But, as I said, I wouldn’t have known about Kony 2012 if it hadn’t been for the emails I’ve been receiving from the US. I have heard nothing about Kony 2012 here in Kampala because, in a sense, it just does not matter. So, as a response to the on-line debate that has been going on for the last couple days, I want to explain why, from here, Kony 2012 can be ignored.

First, because Invisible Children is a symptom, not a cause. It is an excuse that the US government has gladly adopted in order to help justify the expansion of their military presence in central Africa. Invisible Children are “useful idiots,” being used by those in the US government who seek to militarize Africa, to send more and more weapons and military aid, and to build the power of military rulers who are US allies. The hunt for Joseph Kony is the perfect excuse for this strategy—how often does the US government find millions of young Americans pleading that they intervene militarily in a place rich in oil and other resources? The US government would be pursuing this militarization with or without Invisible Children—Kony 2012 just makes it a bit easier. Therefore, it is the militarization we need to worry about, not Invisible Children.

Second, because in northern Uganda, people’s lives will be left untouched by this campaign, even if it were to achieve its stated objectives. This is not because things have entirely improved in the years since open fighting ended, but because the very serious problems people face today have little to do with Kony. The most significant problem people face is over land. Land speculators and so-called investors, many foreign, in collaboration with the Ugandan government and military, are trying to grab the land of the Acholi people, land that they were forced off of a decade ago when they were herded into camps. Another prominent problem is nodding disease—a deadly illness that has broken out among thousands of children who grew up in the government’s internment camps, subsisting on relief aid. Indeed, the problems people face today are the legacy of the camps, where over a million Acholi were forced to live, and die, for years by their own government. Today’s problems are the legacy of the government’s counterinsurgency, which received full support from the US government and international aid agencies.

Which brings up the question that I am constantly asked in the US: “what can we do?”, where “we” tends to mean American citizens. In response, I have a few proposals. The first, perhaps not surprising from a professor, is to learn. The conflict in northern Uganda and central Africa is complicated, yes—but not impossible to understand. For several years, I have taught an undergraduate class on the conflict, and although it takes some time and effort, the students end up being well informed and able to come to their own opinions about what can be done. I am more than happy to share the syllabus with anyone interested! In terms of activism, I think the first thing we need to do is to re-think the question: instead of asking how the US can intervene in order to solve Africa’s conflicts, we need to ask what we are already doing to cause those conflicts in the first place. How are we, as consumers, contributing to land grabbing and to the wars ravaging this region? How are we, as American citizens, allowing our government to militarize Africa in the name of the War on Terror and securing oil resources? That is what we have to ask ourselves, because we are indeed responsible for the conflict in northern Uganda—however, we are not responsible to end it by sending military force, as Invisible Children tells us, but responsible for helping to cause and prolong it. In our desire to ameliorate suffering, we must not be complicit in making it worse.

INVISIBLE CHILDREN has made a First Class propaganda film that will help pave the way for U.S. imposition of AFRICOM (the U.S. Africa Military Command

By Milton Allimadi
This is Classic propaganda. Look at the way the exploit U.S. children and then transplant the audience to Uganda, where again they take advantage of Ugandan children, who are the victims of both the LRA and the Ugandan government. Dr. Joseph Goebbels' would have been proud of this piece by Invisible Children; and he would have made something similar himself had he lived in our dot.com era of the 21st Century.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4MnpzG5Sqc

If Invisible Children was serious, the outfit would show that the first person who needs to be arrested is Uganda's and East Africa's biggest nightmare Dictator Yoweri Museveni, the biggest U.S. ally in Africa since Ronald Reagan's days. (And a first class racist African who told Atlantic Monthly Magazine, in September 1994: “I have never blamed the whites for colonizing Africa: I have never blamed these whites for taking slaves. If you are stupid, you should be taken a slave” But ironically, these are the kind of perverted minds that some White folk like. That's why Invisible Children only goes after Kony and leaves Museveni alone when in fact they are two sides of the same coin).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1TL6T-sv4U

These young folks of Invisible Children are really super dangerous. They don't understand the conflict in Uganda, yet they have made themselves the spokesperson. It's like a bunch of White boys coming to Harlem and saying let me tell you what the solution to you woes are. Who would accept that. They would be run out of Harlem, right? Does anyone really think it would work? And who really believes it's a GOOD thing for the United States to be sending troops to Uganda or anywhere in Africa? Why would they act any differently than in Iraq and Afghanistan? The U.S. government and Invisible Children (which are allies of the U.S. and Uganda governments) are using the brutal Joseph Kony as a bogeyman to justify the U.S. long-term plan to impose AFRICOM on Africa. The U.S. knows all African countries oppose AFRICOM. So what does the U.S. do? Pick a "devil" and in this case Kony and say we are really going to Uganda to help them get rid of a "devil." And since everyone knows about Kony's atrocities, who would object if the U.S. sends 100 U.S. "advisors" to help Uganda (then 200 troops, then 300, then 1,000 troops...Then we suddenly have the AFRICOM command in Africa). IF THE US GOAL WAS TO GET JOSEPH KONY don't you think they could just use one or two PREDATOR DRONES? I don't for a minute believe Invisible Children is an independent do-good outfit. They are paving the way (with Kony, brutal as he is, as the bogeyman) for AFRICOM which would then make it easier for U.S. to control the rich oil fields in the northern part of Uganda, in South Sudan, in Congo's lake Albert region, and in Central Africa). The U.S. only needs ONE PREDATOR DRONE to take out Kony. Invisible Children have either been duped or are being manipulated by clever grown ups. Kony is a nightmare, but Museveni, who is a DISASTER and a friend of Invisible Children and the U.S. government has caused the deaths of millions of people in Rwanda, Uganda and Congo. In 2005 the International Court of Justice found Uganda liable for what amounts to war crimes in Congo (which lost 6 million people after Uganda's occupation of Congo) and awarded Congo $10 billion; not a dime has been paid. Congo then referred the same crimes to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague for war crimes charges. On June 8, 2006, The Wall Street Journal reported that Gen. Museveni personally contacted Kofi Anan, then UN Secretary General and asked him to block the criminal investigation. It's clear that the U.S. and ICC Prosecutor Moreno Ocampo have indeed blocked that investigation and shielded Museveni from war crimes indictment.

http://www.friendsforpeaceinafrica.org/index.phpoption=com_content&task=view&id=60&Itemid=110

I will make some time to do a rebuttal piece on Not-so-Invisible Children's clever propaganda. A apologia for U.S. military imperialism in Africa and an apologia for the U.S. to side with one of Africa's worst dictators. In the meantime, please also watch the following short documentary. And, as you share Invisible Children's propaganda please also share the following short documentary.

But better, don't take my word for it. Google "Yoweri Museveni and genocide" and "Museveni and Congo genocide" and "U.S. support for dictator Museveni" and become better informed so you'll be able to withstand clever, slick propaganda such as Invisible Children's....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09I-GRBf3Cw&feature=related

Martyrs of Democracy, February 16

Twenty years ago, on February 16, 1992, Congolese Christians responded to a call by the Catholic Church to protest peacefully and demand the reopening of the Sovereign National Conference (Conference National Souveraine - CNS in French). The conference was a democratic forum composed of delegates who represented all layers of the society in the Congo (Zaire at the time) from members of civil society, political parties, the military, the diaspora, as well as the president himself. This conference was tasked with interrogating the country’s history and finding a way to deal with the multidimensional national crisis (political, economic, social, cultural, and moral) that the country was facing in 1990.

On January 19, 1992, then-Mobutu-appointed prime minister Nguza Karl-I-Bond announced the suspension of the Sovereign National Conference on radio and television. This decision to suspend the CNS angered many Congolese who had high hopes that this democratic process would help the country extricate itself from dictatorial rule. The Catholic Church, which at the time distanced itself from Mobutu's regime and became more vocal about Mobutu's human rights abuse, made a call to all Christians and civil society groups for a massive demonstration to reopen the Sovereign National Conference. Thousands of marchers from all backgrounds converged on the Tata Raphaël stadium. Police and soldiers opened fire on the marchers before they could reach their destination, killing more than forty people. This incident, which caused international outcry as news began to enter the western world, forced the government to reinstate the CNS in April 1991 and served as a pivotal point in Congo's struggle toward democratization.

In his book "The History of the Congo," Dr Didier Gondola revisits this important date and give us the reason why Christians in the Congo took to the streets. He says: "In early 1992, Mobutu decided to disband the Sovereign National Conference (Conference Nationale Souveraine - CNS), an assembly whose main task was to create a new constitution and organize democratic elections. In response to this decision, strong opposition mounted among Kinshasa's independent churches. On February 16, 1992, thousands of church members took their grievances to the streets of the capital in what was dubbed by its organizers as the "March of Hope" (Marche de l'Espoir). Marchers held banners demanding the reopening of the CNS, and they chanted songs against violence and dictatorship. The peaceful march ended in a bloodbath when the army intervened and gunned down dozens of demonstrators. The March of Hope has since been held up as a major turning point in the relations between the church and state. It was also an event that precipitated the end of Mobutu's regime."

Today, the Catholic Church is repeating a similar call for action from the Congolese people and their allies. Through The Congo Council of Catholic Apostolate of the Laity (Le Conseil de l'Apostolat des Laïcs Catholiques du Congo -CALCC in french), the church urges the participants to demonstrate peacefully and non-violently. Political parties and civil society groups also joined the call, sharing that they will demonstrate in solidarity with the Christians in demanding the truth of the polls.

CALCC Spokesperson, Bishop Thierry Nlandu, insists that participants in the demonstration must conform to the organizers' request and abide by the fundamental desire of the Congolese, which is "that the truth of the poll be exposed in broad daylight." The march has two objectives:

1. To determine the truth of the November 28th polls
2. To call on the Independent National Electoral Commission to step down

ASHADO, a premier human rights organization in the Congo, has demanded that Congolese officials ensure that the constitutional right to peacefully assemble is not violated by the security forces and asks of the organizers to show respect for law enforcement officials.

Click here to see cities participating in the commemoration of the March of Hope!

Plane Crash Kills President Kabila’s Main Adviser

A private plane crashed in Bukavu, South Kivu today. Major players in Congo's political landscape were on the plane and have been pronounced dead. Most importantly was Augustin Katumba Muanke who served as special adviser to President Kabila. It is widely reported that he was the main figure in a parallel government that shaped policy for the Kabila regime. Also on board and suffered injuries were Matata Mponyo Mapon, Minister of Finance, Marcelin Cishambo, Governor of South Kivu province and presidential adviser Antoine Ghonda.

The plane crashed when it overshot the runway. The crash occurred at 1 PM local time at the Kavumba Airport in Bukavu, South Kivu. Soldiers from Congo's military and the United Nations Security Mission in the Congo, Called MONUSCO rescued several injured passengers from the plane and . The two pilots of the plane died in the crash.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the most dangerous places to fly in an airplane. However, the crash presents the greatest danger to the Kabila regime. The loss of Katumba Muanke is potentially fatal for the Kabila government.

U.S. Congressional Hearing on Congo, Thursday, February 2, 2012

ARE THESE YOUR CONGRESS PEOPLE ? IF YES THEY ARE MEMBERS OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON AFRICA, GLOBAL HEALTH, AND HUMAN RIGHTS. THEY ARE HOSTING A HEARING ON "U.S. Policy Toward Post-Election Democratic Republic of the Congo"

CONTACT THEM ABOUT THE D.R. CONGO

If you live in the following states - Massachusetts, California, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Hampshire, Illinois, Delaware, New Mexico, Tennessee, Idaho, Florida, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Georgia, Wyoming, and Utah - we need your support in calling your senators and posting info on their facebook page about the situation in the Congo.

Here is a script:

Hello, my name is ___________. I am a constituent of Congressman/Congresswoman ___________. I am calling in regard to the Hearing on Thursday February 2 on Congo's elections that Africa Subcommittee will be hosting. I want to thank Congress for holding this hearing.

President Obama said in his State of The Union address "We will stand against violence and intimidation. We will stand for the rights and dignity of all human beings - men and women; Christians, Muslims, and Jews. We will support policies that lead to strong and stable democracies and open markets, because tyranny is no match for liberty."

It is US policy to support democracy in the Congo according to section 102 (1) of Public Law 109-456 yet the United States has not fulfilled this law or adhered to the country's democratic principles when it comes to its Congo policy.

In concert with U.S. law and stated U.S. policy, we urgently request the US government change the manner in which it is engaged in the Congo from one that supports strongmen to one that supports strong institutions and democracy by doing the following:

1. Respect the will of the people as expressed at the polls on November 28th by supporting efforts by the Catholic Church and other Civil Society organizations to arrive at the truth of the polls;

2. Cease recognition of the Kabila regime until the truth of the November 28th polls are determined;

3. Denounce the violence against civilians as documented by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and other local NGOs.

Thank you

Note: Get as many of your family, friends, and people in your network to call these Congressmen and women especially if they live in the states listed above. Don't forget to leave comment on their facebook walls and tweet them.

Here is the contact info of the House Members on the committee hosting the hearing on February 2nd. Remember to ask your member of Congress to assure that a Congolese representative is invited to testify about his/her country.

Congressional Contacts:

Congressman Chris H. Smith - Republican
New Jersey's 4th Congressional District
DC office: 202-225-3765
Email: http://chrissmith.house.gov/zipauth.html
Website: http://chrissmith.house.gov/Contact/


Congressman Jeff Fortenberry - Republican
Nebraska's 1st Congressional District
DC office: 202-225-4806
Email: https://forms.house.gov/fortenberry/webforms/issue_subscribe.html
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jefffortenberry
twitter: https://twitter.com/jefffortenberry
Website: http://fortenberry.house.gov


Congressman Tom Marino - Republican
Pennsylvania's 10th Congressional District
DC Office: 202-225-3731
Email: https://marino.house.gov/contact-me/email-me
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/CongressmanMarino
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RepTomMarino
Website: http://marino.house.gov


Congresswoman Ann Marie Buerkle - Republican
New York's 25th Congressional District
DC Office: 202-225-3701
Email: https://buerkle.house.gov/contact-me/email-me
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RepBuerkle
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RepBuerkle
Website: http://buerkle.house.gov/


Congressman Robert Turner - Republican
New York's 9th Congressional District
DC office: 202-225-6616
Email: https://bobturner.house.gov/contact-me/email-me
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CongressmanBobTurner
Twitter: https://twitter.com/USRepBobTurner
Website: http://bobturner.house.gov/


Congressman Donald M. Payne - Democrat
New Jersey's 10th Congressional District (counties: Essex, Hudson, Union)
DC office: 202-225-3436
Email: https://payne.house.gov/contact/email-me.shtml
Website: http://payne.house.gov

Algene Sajery Yvette Clarke - Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health and Human Rights
New York 11th Congressional District
DC Office: 202-225-6231
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/US-Rep-Yvette-D-Clarke/135031389892682?v=wall
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/YvetteClarke
Email: http://clarke.house.gov/Contact/
Website: http://clarke.house.gov/


Congresswoman Karen Bass - Democrat
California 33rd Congressional District
DC office: 202-225-7084
Email: https://karenbass.house.gov/contact-me/email-me
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RepKarenBass
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RepKarenBass
Website: http://karenbass.house.gov


Congressman Russ Carnahan - Democrat
Missouri's 3rd Congressional District
DC office: 202-225-2671
Email: https://forms.house.gov/carnahan/webforms/issue_subscribe.htm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/congressmancarnahan
Twitter: https://twitter.com/repcarnahan
Website: http://carnahan.house.gov

MESSAGE OF THE CENCO TO THE CATHOLICS AND TO THE CONGOLESE PEOPLE. « COURAGE AND TRUTH »

Version Francaise!
The Congolese is thirsty for Justice and Peace.

Courage and Truth (see. II Corinthians 7, 14)

Message of the extraordinary plenary assembly of the CENCO to the Catholics and to the Congolese people.

Introduction
1. May God bless the people of the Congo. May God be good and full of grace. May God manifest his goodness and grant the Congolese people with peace ! (see. Numbers 6, 24-26).

2.We, the Cardinal, Archbishops and Bishops, members of the National Episcopal Conference of the Congo (CENCO) have come together in an extraordinary plenary session in Kinshasa from January 9 to 11, 2012, and we have analyzed the observation report conducted by our Church regarding the elections.
In a spirit of prayer and faith in the future of our country, we address this message to the Catholics and to the Congolese people in order to learn the lessons from the current electoral process.

Achievements of the election process
3.We welcome the determination, maturity and civism of our people, who, in November 2011 went to the polls in difficult conditions in order to designate sovereign rulers. We congratulate our government for being able to largely finance the elections, which proves that we can succeed in building our country if we put resources and goodwill.

We acknowledge the logistical efforts of the INEC to deploy electoral material despite the challenges and the poor infrastructures of our vast country. We also congratulate all the electoral observers and witnesses who have made many sacrifices to perform their duty.

Failures
4. However, the result of this work has disappointed many Congolese. In our message called “Election year: what should we do?” (Ac 2, 37) published on February 25,, 2011, we said we wanted the elections to be transparent, truthful and peaceful , so that Congo can be part of the respectable and dignified nations of the world. [1]. In the message of December 3rd, 2011, the CENCO reaffirmed that our goal was not to publish the results and that its observation mission encouraged the Congolese people, the political actors, and the INEC to rely on the election results. On December 8, 2011, the General Secretariat of the CENCO highlighted the positive aspects of the election process, as well as its serious irregularities and weaknesses. This is why, on December 12, 2011, the Cardinal Archbishop of Kinshasa issued a statement denouncing the non-conformity to truth and justice of the provisional results released by the INEC.

5. Today, it is clear that, according to the final report of the Election Observation Mission of the CENCO and testimonies gathered by the various dioceses and other sources, that the electoral process took place in a chaotic environment. There are many failures, cases of proven and planned fraud, fatal incidents, deaths, and a climate of terror in order to force people to fill the ballot boxes. There is more. What is now happening in the compilation of the legislative election results is unacceptable. It is a shame for our country.

6. We believe the election process was marked by serious flaws that question the credibility of the election results. We call upon the organizers to demonstrate courage, honesty and accept the consequences. We believe recognizing one’s own mistake is a sign of greatness. However, if politicians take the risk of governing the country by challenge, the internal tensions that are controllable on the short term will result in a serious and inextricable crisis. We encourage an inclusive approaches and dialogue in order to serve the best interests of the Congolese nation. It is time for courage and truth.

Our prophetic mission
7. We remain faithful to our mission of watcher for the people of God (see. Ez 3, 17), we see several challenges to overcome in order to establish the rule of law in the DR Congo, and for the well being of the Congolese people. However, we do not intend to fight a political battle for the creation of a fair society. We do not plead for a political party either. As Pope Benoit XVI said “the Church cannot and shall not replace the State, but the Church cannot and shall not stay away from the fight for justice. This is why, “in our prophetic mission, each time the people asks the Church for help, the Church wants to be ready to give hope (see. 1P 3, 15), because a new day has come (Ap 22, 5) [3]. We borrow words from Pope Benoit XVI : “Because of the Christ and by loyalty to his life lessons, our Church feels that it has to be present where people are suffering and has to break the silence about the persecuted innocents »[4].

8. Therefore, we will not stop denouncing situations that jeopardize the creation of a democratic state. You do not build the rule of law in a culture of fraud, lies, terror, militarism and flagrant violation of the freedom of expression. If democracy is a power of the people, by the people and for the people, the people must be respected. In the current situation, the Congolese people are being hurt and feel extremely frustrated. They are the powerless witnesses of a process that does not reflect their will and looks more like an arrangement between political actors.

Peace in the Truth
9. «The Church has a duty of truth to accomplish, a vital mission, it is a favor made to the liberating truth » [5]. The election process will consolidate a democratic culture and the pacification of the country. We want peace. The peace we want shall not exist without truth, justice and respect for the people. It is in the name of peace that the Church encourages Congolese leaders to promote justice and show their love for the truth. What will be the values of our youth if the only thing they know is the anti-value system?

Attack on the integrity and dignity of people
10. In this context, we condemn the public campaign orchestrated by the Cardinal. All these insults have shocked the Catholics and many others. This shows the emergence of a single thought which condemns all contradictory opinions. We condemn all the insults and threats against the president of the CENCO, because democratic debates don’t allow personal attacks.

11. We cannot remain silent in front of all these abuses: physical threats, human rights violations, kidnappings, intimidations, and the confiscation of public means of communication by a political family. Because of their political opinion, bishops, clergy and peaceful citizens are still the victims of these threats.

12. We encourage the Catholics and the Congolese people as a whole not to resort to violence, because violence breeds violence. It provokes destruction and misery. We call upon the Congolese Diaspora, those who share our concern for a better Congo, and those we know make great sacrifices to help the Congolese living in Congo, not to resort to violence and find peaceful means in order to contribute to the construction of a truly democratic Congo. As our divine Master did, we must respond to violence with love. (see. Mt 5, 43-44).

Recommendations:
13. We recommend:
- The Congolese people must not become pessimistic, hopeless, violent, tribal and xenophobic. The Congolese people must come together around the Christian and democratic values of justice and truth, they must grow together in the awareness of their national unity and sovereign power and use it in legality and vigilance;

- The politicians must prove that they are mature actors that have the capacity to organize, take their responsibilities, improve the political debate by stopping all injures , lies and by expressing their deep concern for the civism and well being of the population;

- The current INEC team must have the courage to question its own actions. They must absolutely correct the serious mistakes that have broken the trust the Congolese population had put in them. They shall otherwise resign.

- The Parliament must urgently review the composition of the INEC which is no longer trusted by the population. The Parliament shall also include civil society representatives for more independence and abstain from amending articles of the Constitution;

- The government shall learn the lessons from this election debacle and invest the adequate material for the elections and use these resources on time for future elections. The government shall also abstain from using public funds for personal gain and realize that the people want change.

- The National Police and the Armed forces must be professional, protect the population and most importantly refuse to obey unfair orders.

- The Supreme Court must be independent and conscious when making decisions in electoral disputes. The credibility of the judicial power lies in it.

- The international community shall primarily take into consideration the interest of the Congolese people, not be complaisant, support the quest for justice, peace and respect the self-determination of the Congolese people.

Conclusion
14. Our country is currently going through times of uncertainty and anguish. Our faith in God and our trust in humanity, which was created in the image of God, convince us that these feelings can be overcome if there is a change in the hearts, the mentality and the actions. It is necessary to love the country and to abandon selfish interests in order to find ways to bring about peace in the DR Congo. The peace we want can only be found in justice and love for the truth. The peace that is granted without justice is only ephemeral and illusory. The justice of men, if it not the fruit of reconciliation, truth and love remains uncompleted. It is love, justice and truth that trace the paths of the real justice and peace we want for the DR Congo.

15. May the prayer of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace and Notre-Dame of Congo, whose heart is always oriented towards the will of God, support any conversion, consolidate all initiatives for reconciliation, dialogue and strengthen all efforts for a Congo that is thirsty for justice and peace.

Kinshasa, January, 11, 2012
[1] Cf. CENCO, Election Year: What should we do ? (Ac 2,37), n° 23.
[2] Benoît XVI, Lettre encyclique Deus caritas est, n° 28.
[3] Benoît XVI, Exhortation apostolique post-synodale Africae munus, n° 30.
[4] Benoît XVI, Exhortation apostolique post-synodale Africae munus, n° 30.
[5] Benoît XVI, Exhortation apostolique post-synodale Africae munus, n° 22

Martyrs Day

Today, January 4th 2012, marks the 53rd anniversary of the courageous uprising of young Congolese in Kinshasa, then Leopoldville, to demand an end of Belgian colonialism. As the people took to the streets, several hundred died as they were shot with live fire by Belgian security forces though this was a peaceful march. Nine days later the King of Belgium announced that in due time Belgium would grant Congo full independence. The courageous stance by that generation of Congolese served as a key catalyst for Congo’s independence in 1960. This day is known as the Day of the Martyrs of Independence.

As we remember the courageous fighters of that time, we should know that Congolese today inside and outside are organizing to regain control of their country. From Kinshasa to Lubumbashi, Brussels to Seoul, London to Washington, Congolese have risen with one voice demanding that their voice be heard and their will be respected in spite of the fraudulent attempt to steal the November elections.

With this awakening, the youth of the Congo are more than determined to resist the hijacking of the future of their country. They aim to fulfill their founding mothers' fathers' prophecy that they will write their own history. A grassroots movement throughout the Congo and outside has begun with one word... INGETA... a word in Kikongo meaning "So be it." Young Congolese have come together to develop a platform connecting them worldwide and celebrating the martyrs of their country.

On this day, we hope you join the Congolese in their pursuit of true independence... and that day will come sooner than one might think.

Click here (Francais) to learn more about Ingeta!

More information on Martyrs Day:

http://congofriends.blogspot.com/2011/01/day-of-martyrs-of-independence.html

http://www.newsaboutcongo.com/2011/01/day-of-the-martyrs-of-independence.html

Congo: Elections, Democracy and The Diaspora Awakening

The November 28th Presidential and legislative elections were fraught with tremendous irregularities and widespread charges of fraud. The National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI in French) announced on December 8th that Joseph Kabila won the elections with 49 percent of the vote and long-time opposition, Etienne Tshisekedi garnered 32 percent.

The Supreme Court validated the results published by CENI and dismissed a challenge to the results by the opposition, led by presidential candidate Vital Kamerhe. The opposition categorically rejected the results as fraudulent. Nonetheless, Joseph Kabila was sworn into office on Tuesday, December 20th, where only one head of state (Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe) attended although 12 other African heads of states were expected to attend. Ambassadors from foreign nations, including the United States, were present for Kabila's swearing-in.

Rejecting the results, Etienne Tshisekedi announced that he would have his own swearing-in among the people at the 80,000 capacity Martyrs Stadium on Friday, December 23rd. Being under virtual house arrest, Tshisekedi was confined to his residence by the Kabila regime. The government also prevented the population from entering the stadium with a heavy show of force from the police, armed forces, and presidential guard. The regime blocked routes leading to the stadium with heavy tanks and artillery. Instead of a swearing-in at the stadium in front of a large audience, Etienne Tshisekedi had to perform the ceremony at home in his garden. In addition to domestic pressure, the government is experiencing intense international pressure; the European Union has said it will re-evaluate its cooperation with the DRC and make judgments based on how the political crisis unfolds and Mme Christine Lagarde, head of the International Monetary Fund said she is following the situation in the Congo with a particular focus on the rule of law and the political climate, especially the pre and post-electoral periods.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is at a critical juncture in its tenuous march towards peace and stability. The Kabila regime suffers from a severe crisis of legitimacy and the future of the democratic project is in the balance. Stability will be fleeting without legitimacy. What is at stake in the Congo is not merely an election but respect for the will of a people and the future of democracy in the heart of Africa.

The Carter Center said the Presidential results announced by the CENI "lacked credibility," while the Archbishop of Kinshasa, Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo, said that the results announced by the CENI reflects "neither the truth nor justice." The European Union chimed in, noting that the process evinced a lack of transparency, with its missing polling stations and lost results totaling an estimated 1.6 million votes. South Africa noted that the elections were"generally OK," while the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU) found little wrong with the elections. Nonetheless, the CENI has ceased the counting of the legislative results and invited an international technical team from the United States and England to help with the counting of the legislative results, which are expected to be announced by January 13th - a constitutional deadline that will be difficult to meet.

Congolese in the diaspora have responded with universal outrage and have taken to the streets throughout the globe. Demonstrations have occurred in London, Brussels, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Johannesburg, Tel Aviv, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, New York, Washington and numerous other cities around the world. The central demand of the demonstrations is that the will of the Congolese people be respected. Click here to see videos of Congolese demonstrations!

Due to greater access to information combined with the freedom to express themselves, Congolese in the Diaspora have voiced the frustrations and concerns of their countrymen and women. The Congolese population inside the country has been under a military clamp-down with tanks in the streets, omnipresent security forces, SMS shut down (a major tool of communication for Congolese), and opposition television shuttered. Moreover, the Kabila regime has already demonstrated a willingness to use its armed and security forces to fire on unarmed civilians (see Human Rights Watch Report) and round-up and disappear civilians (see Amnesty International and Voix Sans Voix Statement).

The best option to rescue the country from a descent into a deeper crisis is the activation of a national mediation mechanism supported by the international community (Southern African Development Community (SADC), African Union (AU), European Union, United Nations and United States). However, political will on the part of the political class to prioritize the people's interests over partisan interests is a necessary prerequisite for this option to be successful.

Continue to take action and support Congo's pursuit of democracy:
"Our offices have gotten quite a bit of input from the Congolese Community in the US for which we are grateful." U.S. Senator Christopher Coons

1. Contact key world leaders and demand that they refrain from recognizing Joseph Kabila as President of the DRC.
2. Demand that the technical team from the United States and England assess both the legislative and presidential results.
3. Participate in teach-ins to learn about what is at stake in the Congo and the nature of Congo's democratic movement. (Click here for comprehensive list of actions!)

On January 17, 2012, the 51st anniversary of the assassination of Patrice Lumumba, Friends of the Congo and its allies will join in solidarity with the Congolese people by organizing a rally, teach-in and Lumumba Commemoration in Washington, DC and New York City. We call on our supporters and people of goodwill throughout the globe to join in solidarity with the people of the Congo as they continue the over 125 year pursuit to control and determine their own affairs.

Stay abreast of the latest developments on the elections by visiting our elections corner or follow us on Facebook or Twitter for regular updates.