Congolese Community Call for Action

limerick | rights, freedoms and repression | news report Friday December 12, 2008 09:06 by John Lannon

Limerick demonstration asks Irish Government to act now to save lives in DR Congo

On Thursday, just after 10.30am, Limerick’s Congolese community along with Irish friends and supporters marched from Arthur’s Quay in the city centre, up O’Connell St., to O’Connell Avenue. There, a memorandum to the Irish Government and the International Community was read, calling their attention to the ongoing tragedy taking place in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It noted that over the last decade the world has allowed the deaths of 5 million people in Congo, and that in the eastern part of the country sexual abuse of women, forced recruitment of child soldiers and displacement from villages and homes are once again part of everyday life.

The demonstration was attended by around 60 people, carrying banners, flags and placards, and was supported by the Augustinian community and Amnesty International’s Limerick group. Gardai marshaled the peaceful march as it made its way up the main street of the city, as loud-hailers were used to inform passers by and pedestrians about the desperate situation in the DRC. Morning shoppers and workers stopped to listen and read the signs calling for an end to violence against women, more effective peacekeeping – and above all, peace.

The full text of the memorandum which was read at the demonstration is included below.

Memorandum of the Congolese community in Limerick to the Irish Government and the International Communities

We, members of Congolese community in Limerick are protesting and calling upon the attention of Ireland and the international community over the awful tragedy taking place in our country, the Democratic Republic of Congo.

This protestation highlights a sad, cynical, tragic and very frustrating situation and reveals the misery in which our populations are immersed. We are very anxious, afraid and utterly traumatised by the constant insecurity in which our fellow compatriots are living. They are killed, harassed, raped, oppressed, depressed, used as child soldiers, homeless, hopeless and helpless.

Our country, the Democratic Republic of Congo is experiencing an unbearable human disaster especially in her Eastern part since more than one decade. This situation had already caused the death of over 5 million, rapes and sexual abuses to women, recruitment of child soldiers and million of displaced and suffering human beings, reduced at the stage of animal divagation. We express our total solidarity with our brothers and sisters back home who are the main victims.
Who will protect them? Who will help them? The United Nations says that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights, but their dignity and rights are violated every day. Do they not deserve protection and consideration? Are they not equal to others?

We call upon your support; the Irish population and Government as we the Congolese community in Limerick knows how kind, supportive and reliable you are. Both our countries share many historic connections from our past colonisation tragedies. We ask Ireland to stand firm against tyranny that has resulted in deaths of millions of Congolese and help promote Peace-building and conflict Management and transformation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

As you may be aware, the main reason behind this ongoing tragic war is the control of Congolese natural resources by multinationals with strong political links mostly in Belgium, France, England and American through their puppets both in rebellion sides and those installed after the questionable electoral process two years ago.

We support the various diplomatic and political meetings held over the last few weeks that have demonstrated the commitment to finding an immediate and sustainable solution that would establish peace in North Kivu and bring stability to the Great Lakes region. However we also urge the international community to move from theory to practice, by transforming the kind speeches and messages into actions. We recognize that diplomacy always takes time, but your fellow humans; our brothers and sisters are at risk now and still more people are dying everyday.

MONUC (United Nations Mission to Congo), the biggest ever peace mission in the world with 17 thousands “peacekeepers” has fallen short of fulfilling its mandate to protect civilians, openly and publicly, but no concrete action has been taken. “Powerless”, MONUC witnesses all the atrocities committed by the armed forces and groups.

We urgently ask you to assist our country at this most difficult time. It is absolutely clear to everyone that there is a need for reinforcement of troops capable of protecting civilians effectively and efficiently with the means to deal with any kind of attacks. This must be done quickly.

We therefore urge you to:
• Join the initiative of sending EU troops quickly which can provide protection and security for our brothers and sisters in the Eastern part of the country.
• Support the initiative of increasing the number of MONUC troops and provide them with mandate that allows them to sufficiently protect civilians and to do so as their top priority.

Act now and save millions of lives, tomorrow will be too late.

Yours Sincerely

The Congolese Community in Limerick