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News from JFDHOP (Democratic Republic of Congo)
an article by
Medard du Rocher Bope
In recent months, the organization JFDHOP (Jeunes et Femmes pour
les droits de l'homme et la paix) have realized a number of activities
in relation to its environment both politically and socially. The
following new actions of the Association respond to the new and complex
situation in the DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo) where the
country has established democratically elected institutions at both
national and provincial levels after a long period of armed conflicts
which had plunged the country into a chaotic situation.
-- In May 2008, JFDHOP helped to mediate a conflict between
the youth in Kingabwa (a district of the municipality of LIMETE) and
those of MASINA. This conflict has claimed the lives of a number of
people, as well as theft, injury and destruction of some houses. The
actors in this conflict are passengers on the Aero-city train which
goes through the Kingabwa district and who are victims of insults,
slowing of the train, theft of property, and kidnapping of children and
women. It has happened that small children have been thrown into the
river that separates the two municipalities and women have been raped.
This has led to a war of stones, bottles and other objects thrown from
the urban train. The mediations brought together a number of Kingabwa
sportsmen and some representatives of train passengers with the
contribution of the National Police, and as a result the situation has
become calm again.
click on image to enlarge
-- In June 2008, at an extraordinary Assembly convened to address
the continuing insecurity and an upsurge of violence throughout the
Republic and particularly in Kinshasa, it was decided to establish an
International Center for Training in Human Rights and Peace (CIFDHOP).
-- Our association has a major programme of awareness for all
segments of the population through seminars on the theme of "Human
Rights and Non-violence". This awareness has helped to calm the
overheated spirit of members of the MLC political party (Mouvement de
Liberation du Congo) of Jean-Pierre BEMBA the challenger of Joseph
KABILA in the presidential elections. In this regard, during July your
Association has trained adults in the Bandalungwa communities which
have sustained a record high rate of assassinations.
-- In July, your Association has awarded diplomas to the participants
of Bandalungwa, Linguala and Masina in the presence of a representative
of Mayor of the Municipality of Bandalungwa, the UNESCO representative
from the Kinshasa field office, secretariat of the UNESCO National
Commission, the Director of the United Nations Office of human rights,
gender and children's rights. A wide range of themes were developed
during the training sessions, from the culture of peace and
non-violence to the International Criminal Court and new information
and communication technology.
-- Another activity in the month of June was the development
of educational box images (boîtes à image) for the fight against
corruption, in cooperation with the IFES (International Foundation for
Electoral Systems).
-- Finally, the major programme of awareness on human rights and
non-violence continues. For the moment, your Association is working in
the community of Matete, a municipality known for its violence. We are
already invited to go to Brazzaville (capital of the Republic of
Congo), to Lodja in the province of East Kasai, DRC), and elsewhere.
However, we do not know how we can take on additional commitments
because our resources have been exhausted by the actions of July and
August, and therefore we are seeking further assistance.
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GLOBAL MOVEMENT FOR A CULTURE OF PEACE
LATEST READER COMMENT:
Evolution of the Peace Process in the Democratic Republic of Congo
submitted to CPNN in French by Solidarité avec les Victimes et pour la Paix and translated into English by CPNN
For the original article in French, see RDC Solidarite.
From the recent past to today
After
the armed hostilities in 1996 and the fall of Mobutu in May 17, 1997,
there was a period of relative calm for fourteen months. A new
rebellion began on August 2, 1998. Very early, negotiations started in
Lusaka (Zambia) and arrived at the first agreements of ceasefire dated
from July 10, 1999. It was to oversee respect of these agreements of
Lusaka that the Security Council of the United Nations set up its
resolution creating the Observation Mission of the United Nations
(MONUC).
It was in October 2006 that the first free elections were organized.
To
establish an account of the situation is difficult, but it is easier to
say that at the present time the effects of armed conflict are still
sad at various levels. There is extreme poverty in the civilian
population. Until the present a responsible solution has not been
found to assure access of children to education.
Good news today
is that the country now has a Constitution, a President of the
Republic, a Parliament and a Senate and provincial assemblies as well
as provincial governments following the democratic elections organized
in 2007.. . ...more.
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