A guest blog by Karine Nohr
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is facing a crisis of unimaginable proportions. For decades, conflict has ravaged communities, leaving over 6 million people displaced. Despite the people of Eastern Congo being hugely impoverished, it is resource-rich, with rare earth metals such as cobalt and coltan, essential for batteries, for renewable energy, for our phones. It also has tropical forests and peatlands; the second largest carbon sink in the World. Large reserves of oil lie in the ground of the DRC. Needless to say, several multinational oil companies are trying to get a licence to dig for this liquid gold. The UK is one of several countries that has failed to make promised climate finance payments to countries such as the DRC, part of which was to adapt and mitigate climate effects in these countries (who have been the smallest contributors to the climate crisis). This failure hardly encourages the DRC not to sell oil-drilling licences.
The UK was the host for COP 26 in Glasgow. Environmental activists from the DRC tried to attend but were prevented from doing so because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unable to access vaccines, they were barred from entering the country. Thus was forged a relationship between these activists and environmentalists in the UK, particularly in Sheffield. Over the years, despite the physical distance, we have worked closely together, platforming their cause (at European locations, to the EU, to the British Government, at public demonstrations) co-writing funding bids for crucial work they were carrying out (such as education programmes, outreach programmes to include hard-to-reach communities, travel costs etc) and much more. The Congolese people are on the frontline of the environmental crisis and these activists are putting their lives on the line to protect their forests, vital for addressing the global climate crisis. Some folk, here in Sheffield, have said to me, “Why be interested in a story on such a faraway place?” My answer is that ‘their story is our story, their forest is ours too. Our turbo-fossil-fuelled lifestyle is contingent on what we extract from a country like the DRC. Our demand to consume is at the cost of people such as these, and for this we must be accountable. I am only more recently becoming aware of the complexities of our entanglement across the Globe, that the impact of what happens in one part of the World can have major repercussions, kept out of our field of vision, because we would rather not see, because it is too overwhelming to take it on board, because it challenges the economics on which our lifestyles depend. Accountability would impact our lifestyles, which would at the very least be inconvenient. Many people of the Global South are already paying a huge price for our unscrupulous addiction to consumption, hence the importance of discussing and understanding these issues.
However grim things were for our Congolese friends, the danger and threat to them have now gotten a whole lot worse. The Rwandan-backed M23 Army, which had invaded Eastern DRC, has taken over the city of Goma. As with many conflicts all over the world, the fundamental driver for this conflict is a fight for those very resources, previously mentioned, on which lifestyles in wealthy countries depend upon.
The M23 Army has murdered and raped thousands of people. In addition to indiscriminate killing, one of the sets of people particularly singled out for killing are those that are involved in groups that strive for the Protection of Human Rights, Environmental Rights and Rights of Indigenous People, the keepers of the Forest. These are the people who have already done so much to try and protect their people, their Ecosystems and our Planet. They are being hunted for their work in protecting their planet-vital forests. Forests need to be looked after if we are to halt the ever-rising greenhouse gases. Forests that the M23 are exploiting for their own pockets.
Many activists have sought refuge in Western Congo and in Burundi. Some didn’t get away in time and were murdered. Five young activists were assassinated last week. .https://www.luchacongo.org/assassinat-de-notre-camarade-par-le-m23-la-lucha-nabdiquera-pas/ Others have had family members raped or murdered as ‘warnings’.
A popular young Congolese musical artist Delcat Idengo, was assassinated last week in Goma.
His revolutionary songs and his music became popular. His music carried the aspirations and hopes of an entire generation. His journey was a testament to the power of art as an expression of freedom and resistance.
He was shot in the head on 13th February, while filming a video for his last song, which was released 2 days later.
Let’s share it for him and for Congo, for the Sheffield diaspora who have sought refuge in our City, may he live on through his music.
Others have also not been able to get out of Goma yet, because they haven’t had the funds to do so. We need to get the money to them so that they can escape from these assassins.
We have set up a crowdfunder and would be really grateful for any donation, however small or large, to help protect these young people. Please donate generously and share this request with your friends.
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