Democratic Republic of Congo clergy blast government apathy amid violence, disease

Church leaders in the Democratic Republic of Congo have expressed misgivings at the government’s focus on constitutional reform as citizens are caught in a vortex of conflict and disease.

Years of conflict have already inflicted unbearable pain on the people, particularly in the eastern part of the country, but the outbreak of the Ebola virus has ushered in a sense of utter exhaustion.

In a letter sent to CWR, Bishop Melchisedec Sikuli Paluku of the Catholic Diocese of Butembo-Beni decried the alarming security situation in his diocese, as persistent attacks have created a cycle of fear among the people.

“The Diocese of Butembo-Beni is suffering from almost endemic insecurity,” the cleric noted. He talked about multiple layers of violence, with parts of the region living under “foreign occupation, with the complicity of the AFC/M23.”

He recalled the recent spate of killings, citing the May 30-31 attacks in the city of Beni by the ADF-Nalu that resulted in the deaths of 21 people. A June 2-3 attack in the town of Mbau near Beni also left 16 people dead.

“People are being killed every day,” said Sr. Josée Ngalula, a professor of dogmatic theology at the Catholic University of Congo in Kinshasa, and the first African woman appointed to the Vatican theological commission.

The Sisters of Saint Andrew community of Kinshasa called what is happening in eastern DRC “an invasion,” explaining that much of the fighting is a result of foreign mineral interests.

“What is happening in North and South Kivu is an invasion. The Rwandan army entered the DRC with tanks and soldiers to seize coltan and gold mines,” Sr. Ngalula told CWR.

“These resources are smuggled to Rwanda and sold to international markets, including the EU and Qatar. Unlike other regions plagued by local militias, the Kivus face direct military aggression from a neighboring state, “she said.

She explained that Rwanda has tried, unsuccessfully, to conceal its involvement.

“Rwanda attempts to disguise this invasion by funding a false rebellion called the M23AFC. While the group may claim to be Congolese, only three of its leaders are from this country; the rest are Rwandan. These fighters do not live here; they reside in Rwanda, commuting in the morning to seize our resources and returning at night. This is why the question of North and South Kivu is directly tied to Rwanda,” she told CWR.

The fighting in eastern DRC has been further complicated by the outbreak of the Ebola virus. According to Congolese health authorities, the disease has so far killed at least 136 people, with 676 cases confirmed.

Sr Rolande Kyakimwa of the Missionary Oblates of the Assumption told CWR that there is “widespread fear “triggered not only by the prevailing fighting but also by the spread of the Ebola virus.

“Widespread fear currently surrounds the Ebola epidemic. People must protect themselves by washing their hands and avoiding physical contact—essentially, observing social distancing,” she said.

“Unfortunately, some residents are resistant to these measures, citing conspiracy theories about pre-planned schemes and financial agendas driven by certain healthcare professionals.”

While the combination of conflict and disease is blighting the lives of Congolese citizens, the country’s political class is paradoxically fixated on revising the country’s constitution.

On June 9, the country’s parliament passed a bill to organize referendums, which could pave the way for changes to the constitution. A key issue being put forward for a constitutional review is presidential term limits. Critics say President Felix Tshisekedi, whose term of office expires in 2028, is trying to prolong his stay in power. He hasn’t expressly said so, but has openly admitted he could accept a third term if the people so desire.

“I have not asked for a third term, but I tell you this: If the people want me to have a third term, I will accept,” he said in early May during a press conference in Kinshasa.

This fixation on politics is something the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Butembo, the Most Reverend Melchisedec Sikuli Paluku, says indicates a telling indifference to the suffering of the Congolese people.

“Against this bleak backdrop, we note with bitterness a gulf between the concerns of politicians and the real and legitimate needs of the Congolese people. Indeed, at a time when part of the national territory is under foreign occupation, and the populations of North Kivu and Ituri are being repeatedly massacred by the ADF-NALU, the concerns of our leaders seem to lie elsewhere,” the bishop said in a statement sent to CWR.

“They are striving with incomprehensible determination to set in motion a process of constitutional reform,” the cleric said, explaining that it doesn’t reflect the realities of the day.

“It would be more useful and urgent for them to focus on finding appropriate responses to the deep-seated expectations of the public,” the cleric said.

Bishop Paluku noted that the attitude of the President, the Members of parliament, and other government officials risks validating the very fragmentation the Congolese people fear. He issued four specific demands to the entire population, challenging everyone—leader and citizen alike—to decide whether they will build a better country or contribute to its ruin.

“Peace, justice, sovereignty, and territorial integrity are the foundations of the happiness to which our people aspire,” the Bishop said, and explained that massacres, corruption, injustice, and tribalism continue to undermine the country’s future.

Bishop Paluku urged the President to focus above all on restoring national peace, emphasizing that power is fundamentally about service. He challenged MPs and senators to reject complicity in the suffering of the people, noting that they were elected to foster well-being, not to fracture society with decisions that fuel a ‘vicious cycle of violence.’

The bishop also summoned the defense and security forces to critically assess their conduct, ensuring they remain effective in fulfilling their duties. He urged a conversion of hearts and minds among the citizenry, saying that this was “more urgent than changing the Constitution.”

He called upon the citizenry to uphold moral integrity, shun evil, and contribute meaningfully to peacebuilding. Simultaneously, he implored authorities to make security a central pillar of public policy to dismantle the recurring cycle of violence.

In January, mediation by the African Union and the United States led to the signing of a peace agreement between the DRC and Rwanda, but Sister Ngalula accused Rwanda of not keeping its own side of the bargain.

“Rwanda has unfortunately not withdrawn its troops or tanks to this day,” she told CWR.

“Rwanda is supported, among others, by France. This is because the coltan plundered by the Rwandan army is sent to France, and from there, distributed to other countries in the European Union.”

While various actors share the blame for the ongoing violence, Bishop Paluku contends that ignoring the crisis violates the fundamental rights of the Congolese people.

“The Congolese people have the right not only to live, but to live in peace, dignity, justice, and reconciliation,” the cleric said.