As the conflict continues to ravage the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa has issued a stark warning about the real possibility of the violence spreading throughout the region. Source: Crux.
During a recent meeting in Dar es Salaam – the largest city of Tanzania – the Church leaders from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Rwanda gathered to discuss potential pathways to peace in eastern DRC.
These are the three senior bishops of the Great Lakes of Africa, and the meeting was led by their chairperson, Bishop José Moko of the DRC.
“Our sub-region has been burdened by disturbances to peace at multiple levels,” the bishops said.
The conflict in eastern DRC has been going on for decades, but it’s reached a dangerous level this year following the continued advance of the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel forces.
Disregarding calls by regional leaders for a pause in the fighting, the rebel group continued their offensive to seize more territory in the eastern DRC, capturing the North Kivu capital, Goma – a town of 2 million people – and the capital of South Kivu.
The rebels have also pressed further south, capturing Kamanyola on its way to Uvira, the third largest city in the Kivus. Another prong moved north of Goma toward Butembo, which has a population of 280,000.
The advance of the M23 means it could end up controlling the entire mineral-rich Kivus, putting the area under the control of Rwanda.
The advance of the M23 has left at least 7000 people dead and 450,000 others displaced since January 25, worsening an already precarious humanitarian crisis.
Hospitals have been overwhelmed, and reports of wide-spread human rights violations are frequent, including the rape of women and children.
The ACEAC bishops denounced what they called the culture of death in the region.
“The sub-region is on the brink of implosion, risking the generalisation of deadly wars,” the bishops warned in their statement.
The bishops urged the several armed groups fighting in the region “to stop defending their claims through the use of weapons that kill their own brothers and sisters”.
FULL STORY
Bishops express concern Congo’s war could unravel into a regional conflict (By Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux)
