The bishops of the Democratic Republic of Congo have warned that the presence of foreign troops threatens the “balkanisation” of their country, just weeks after the visit of Pope Francis to the capital Kinshasa.
In a memorandum to the Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi on 16 February, the bishops expressed their concern at the deployment of forces from member states of the East Africa Community (EAC), according to the Crux news agency.
The forces were deployed in the east of DR Congo last August to assist in the fight against the various rebel groups in the region, where Francis had originally planned to travel during his visit but was prevented by its worsening violence.
The bishops doubted the effectiveness of current measures and said that the deteriorating situation could lead to “massacres of civilians, the massive displacement of populations and the violation of human rights”.
“Today, the security crisis affects all sectors of national life,” they said.
The bishops also expressed doubts about the presence of Rwandan and Ugandan troops in the EAC deployment. Both Rwanda and Uganda have been accused of supporting the rebels in DR Congo.
In their statement, the bishops said that the deployment “from the countries cited as aggressors of the DR Congo raises many questions” and argued that “the Congolese population is trapped between wars of influence and the battle for control of its natural resources”.
They proposed alternative internal measures, and promised to work with the government through the Congolese Church’s justice and peace commission.
“Faced with this threat, the best barrier is to consolidate national cohesion and revive patriotic spirit,” they said.
“It is appropriate to control certain opinion leaders who are known for their derogatory remarks and the political actors who disseminate speech inciting hatred and exclusion.”
They also encouraged the government to intensify its own military response in the east of the country and to encourage more people to enlist in the army.
“We will not hesitate to contribute to any initiative that will aim to guarantee national security, territorial integrity, the stability of the state and its institutions, social peace.”
Loading ...
