Breaking The Silence – The Journey

Archive for February, 2012


Posted on February 28, 2012 - by

Screening of “Crisis in Congo” in Montreal

Dawson college student union Speaker Series presents: Kambale Musavuli of Friends of Congo

When: Wednesday, February 29th

Time: 5:00PM

Location: Dawson College: 3040 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest
Montreal,QC H3Z1A4

Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/events/149341385185011/


Posted on February 26, 2012 - by

At this time, many young Iranians all over this world are watching us, and I imagine them to be very happy. They are happy not just because of an important award, or a film or a filmmaker, but because at the time, in talk of war, intimidation and aggressions exchanged between politicians, the name of their country, Iran, is spoken here through her glorious culture — a rich and ancient culture that has been hidden under the heavy dust of politics. I proudly offer this award to the people of my country. A people who respect all cultures and civilizations, and despise hostility and resentment.

Iranian film director ASGHAR FARHADI, on accepting his Academy Award for Best Foreign Film, A Separation (via inothernews)

I adored his speech. Well done.

(via mohandasgandhi)

The Separation is a MUST see! Beautiful film

(via someoneknowsmyheart)


Posted on February 26, 2012 - by

Seriously been neglecting this Tumblr thing…

There’s so much that’s been going on.


Posted on February 19, 2012 - by

Thank You For Your Support

Thank you A few days ago, I put out a call for financial support for a friend who was in need.

I can report that she is doing well. I know it was a very short noticed. I am very humbled that supporters from Africa, Europe, Canada, and USA decided to provide financial support in a critical time.

What is also moving is that while she was still in need, she still had the word “Congo” in her mouth when I reached out to her to give her the update of what people did in her support.

Again, thank you for being there for my friend. I am forever grateful.

Until Peace Comes to the Congo,

Live.Love.Light.


Posted on February 16, 2012 - by

Today marks the twenty-year anniversary of the 1992 Marche des Chrétiens in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a non-violent protest against the authoritarian regime of Mobutu Sese Seko that was violently repressed. Two decades later, the Catholic church picked this symbolic date, Thursday 16 February, as a day of non-violent mass protest against the recent presidential and legislative elections in the DRC—elections marred by fraud, irregularities, and as many as 1.6 million missing ballots. Yesterday, Wednesday 15 February, the government of the DRC declared the march illegal, claiming that its organizers failed to submit the necessary paperwork or march itineraries to the city hall for approval. The day of the march saw what some civil society actors have described as the most massive police deployment in recent history in the capital of Kinshasa. Despite heavy rain, a significant number of Congolese turned out for the march, congregating at parishes throughout the city. The police reacted, using batons and tear gas to brutally disperse groups of marchers before their numbers could grow. By the end of morning mass, police units had surrounded parishes throughout the city, trapping would-be demonstrators inside their churches and preventing them from marching. Reports have come in of priests being arrested and churches being raided by gangs of Kabila supporters. Police are apparently cracking down on any reporting activity, confiscating cameras and cell phones and preventing interviews of protesters. Radio Okapi, the UN-supported news outlet, has more information here (in French). This brutal crackdown by government forces has elicited outcry from Congolese and international civil society: A coalition of non-governmental human rights organizations in the Congo (ONGDH) has issued a statement “denouncing attacks against Catholic parishes and police brutality” (available here in French as a PDF), describing the use of tear gas and water cannons by the national police against protesters, machete-wielding gangs intimidating marchers, and brutal beating of protesters (including onlookers) by security forces. The Observatoire des Média Congolais (OMEC), a media rights group, issued a statement (available here in French as a PDF) expressing concern over the confiscation of reporting material and targeting of journalists covering the protests. The US-based Carter Center, which previously declared the election results to be “lacking credibility,” issued a statement “deploring the suppression of the Church-led peaceful march.” Meanwhile, tensions remain high outside the capital in the wake of the November 2011 elections (all stories in French): On 2 February, civil society groups in Katanga province called on the national army and police to address ongoing threats from Mai Mai groups. Four people were killed in a clash between elements of the national army and the bodyguard of an outgoing UNC deputy in the eastern city of Goma. The national army has intensified its operations against Mai Mai Yakutumba groups in the province of South Kivu. Journalist Edouard Diyi, director of Kasaï Horizon Radio Télévision, was held for questioning by the national intelligence services.

Police brutality as Congolese protest


Posted on February 16, 2012 - by

Seven international non-governmental organisations have urged the international community to take urgent action to uphold democracy and humarn rights in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as the post-election crisis shows no signs of abating. The organisations – the Africa Europe Faith and Justice Network, European Network for Central Africa, Eastern Congo Initiative, Enough Project, Human Rights Watch, Humanity United and theOpen Society Foundations – made the call in a letter to the Great Lakes Contact Group ahead of its meeting last week. They stressed that the international community should urgently strengthen its engagement towards the electoral process and its aftermath in the DRC, especially as the European Union election observation mission, EurAc, the Carter Center, and national election observation missions – most notably the Catholic Church and AETA – have all stated that the November 28th polls were deeply flawed and marred by widespread irregularities. According to the groups, “Permitting these election results to stand without serious attempts to rectify them or to correct the process that led to the flaws will be a serious blow to building democracy in the DRC and is likely to lead to instability.” In order to prevent further violence and to promote democratic legitimacy, the organisations called on the international community to immediately take the following steps: 1. Insist that any solution to the Congolese crisis must be based on respect for democratic principles. 2. Recommend a thorough reform of the Congolese Election Commission (CENI), which has lost its credibility and needs to be reconstituted with universally respected members and equitable representation from all parties. 3. Strongly and publicly condemn attacks by the security services to suppress citizens’ rights and demand accountability since Congolese citizens, opposition supporters and others have been killed, illegally detained, disappeared or otherwise harassed by state security forces during and after the electoral campaign – and the abuses continue. The leading opposition candidate, Etienne Tshisekedi, is now effectively under house arrest. The international community should insist that the Congolese authorities uphold the rule of law, ensure citizens’ rights, regardless of their political affiliation, and arrest those responsible for the illegal acts described above. 4. Support the right to peaceful protest and ensure that the march by Congolese civil society, which is scheduled for February 16th to call for justice and democratically legitimate institutions, and to commemorate the 1992 ‘March of Christians’ when Mobutu’s troops killed and wounded dozens of peaceful demonstrators, is allowed to proceed since the right to assemble is a fundamental right enshrined in the Congolese constitution. The organisations concluded by stating, “We believe that Congo is at an important juncture in its efforts to move towards democracy. Timely and constructive international involvement is needed to help move events in a positive direction.”

allAfrica.com: Congo-Kinshasa: NGOs Call for Urgent Action in Congo


Posted on February 16, 2012 - by

By Habibou Hangre (AFP) – 3 hours ago  KINSHASA — Police in Kinshasa on Thursday used tear gas to block a march by Christian groups protesting alleged fraud in the November polls that returned President Joseph Kabila and his party to power. Groups of Christian faithful had been converging since dawn on the meeting point in front of Saint Joseph’s church in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital. But riot police dispersed the growing crowd before the start of the march, which was also due to mark the 20th anniversary of the deadly suppression of a Christian pro-democracy protest but was banned by the government. “Their repression was ferocious: they fired tear gas everywhere in the compound, right into the priests’ quarters,” Father Pierre Bosangia, one of the march’s organisers, told AFP by phone from inside the besieged church compound. He said church workers had gathered information indicating that the security services had detained three priests, two nuns and two protesters. Policemen also prevented people in other parishes across Kinshasa from reaching the compound, he said. Incidents were also reported at a church in another Kinshasa neighbourhood from which a group was preparing to leave and join the larger gathering at Saint Joseph. One witness said police stood idly by when dozens of mainly teenage thugs poured out of two buses and stormed the church of Lemba parish, in the east of the city. “Four police jeeps arrived and then two buses came. We saw kulunas (thugs) aged maybe 13 to 20 who entered by the back door… they started beating the women,” the man said, shellshocked and asking his name not be published. Kabila, in power since 2001, was declared the winner of a November 28 election which was condemned by the opposition and the international community as chaotic and marred by widespread irregularities. Parliamentary polls held the same day gave the ruling party and its allies an absolute, albeit reduced, majority after a weeks-long tallying process that let resentment and distrust fester. The Roman Catholic Church is influential in DR Congo and one of the best organised forces in a country two-thirds the size of Western Europe but ranked the world’s least developed state by the United Nations. Catholic groups had the largest contingent of observers on voting day, with around 30,000 deployed across the country. The Church issued a damning report in January that said the electoral process had brought shame on the country — citing ballot-stuffing and a general climate of fear — and urged the electoral panel to resign. The organisers of Thursday’s march had planned to condemn the manner in which the elections were conducted and the votes counted. They also wanted to commemorate the February 16, 1992 march for democracy organised by Christian groups against the despotic rule of then president Mobutu Sese Seko. The march was violently repressed and the bodies of several victims were brought to Saint Joseph’s church. Father Bosangia said talks were under way with the United Nations mission in the DR Congo to secure the release of those detained on Thursday. The authorities “have once again demonstrated their persistent inclination to stifle the population’s right to express itself,” the Voice for the Voiceless rights group said in a statement.

DR Congo police teargas Christians protesting vote fraud


Posted on February 16, 2012 - by

Hey everyone!

Thank you for the follow, feel free to ask me any questions on Congo, what’s going on and how you can get involved.
I’ll make sure I answer them ASAP.
:D


Posted on February 16, 2012 - by

jewelofafrica replied to your link: Rwandans Led Revolt In Congo

So what is going on now. I know some history behind the congo but currently are the resources still being stole, women and children raped and killed?

The latest of what’s happening is that this pas november Congolese had their 3rd democratic elections, it was a fraud. At this point there’s two people who are calling themselves president, Kabila (he’s been in power since 2001 and Tshisekedi (long time opposition leader). The country is still being exploited and looted, yes woman are still being raped and killed. 

 Watch Crisis in Congo: Uncovering the truth: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLV9szEu9Ag  this shows you what’s the situation and the real issue in Congo.


Posted on February 16, 2012 - by

It’s official: The Congolese government through the city of Kinshasa governor, Andre Kimbuta, has said NO CONGOLESE to protest in Kin Feb 16


Ad