At the conclusion of a plenary assembly in Kinshasa, the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) called for a national reawakening to save the nation from a “balkanization plan”, denounced many times. After expressing “shock” over the continuation of the “war in East, North and South Kivu, which is killing peaceful Congolese citizens”, the Bishops announced a large-scale sensitization campaign in all the Catholic parishes of the nation.
“The populations must realize that our country is at war and must defend every square centimeter of our national territory”, said CENCO secretary general Father Léonard Santedi, urging legislators and government leaders to consider the war in the East as “a first priority”. According to Fr. Santedi, outside action is also needed to ensure that the international community “realizes that the Congolese population is rising up just to say no to the macabre plan of balkanization and crumbling of our nation”. In interviews released to Radio Okapi, part of residents in the capital Kinshasa attribute the conflict in the east to “bad government” and “inaction of the authorities (…) who don’t tell the truth on what is occurring”.
Reports in circulation are often confused or contradictory, though many sources confirm the possibility of an offensive by the rebel March 23 Movement (M23) against Goma, where Congolese troops and MONUSCO peacekeepers are about to be deployed. An estimated 2,000 rebels in the past days seized control of Bunagana, on the border with Uganda, and six other areas of the province, including Rutshuru. Confirmation arrived last night of the withdrawal of the rebels from Rutshuru, now under control of national police units, also made up by former rebels of the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP, tutsi) headed by the General Bosco Ntaganda – wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague – who demand the application of accords signed in 2009 with the government of Kinshasa, under which they were integrated in the security forces. The situation in North Kivu today will be the focus of a UN Security Council meeting and tomorrow an emergency ministerial meeting of Great Lakes nations will be held in Addis Ababa in a bid to reduce the growing tension between Kinshasa and Kigali, accused of backing the M23 rebels with men and means. [VV/BO]
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