Social Justice: Central Africa: Bishops blame governments for starvation, and destitution of people

(Social Justice South Africa; c.f. Zenit News (Catholic; Independent; American: Spanish Edition) 09 / 02 / 2009)

Article by Marc Aupiais

According to a release, in a Spanish Language article on Monday by a Catholic news agency : Zenit News: the Bishops conference of Central Africa: Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa Region (Acronym of: ACERAC): has placed the blame for poverty: which often includes starvation: on a lack of transparency, on corruption, and in the lack of adequate systems dealing with corruption, and protecting the environment, and peoples of the region: in Resource Rich Central African Regions: according to Zenit: the countries encapsulated by the Central African bishops conference: include: Gabon, Congo, Cameroon, Chad, Central African Republic and Equatorial Guinea.

Kenya, drought a "National Emergency"- Kenyan government

(Social Justice South Africa; c.f. Reuters' Alertnet (Article by Reuters:Secular; Independent; Based in great Britain; Global)09 / Jan / 2009; CRS (Catholic; Independent: answer to USCCB though; Relief Organization; American Based)13 / 01 / 2009)

Article by Marc Aupiais

The Kenyan Government, has declared a "National Emergency", after a drought "has" allegedly rendered +-10 000 000 (Ten Million) Kenyan Citizens "Food Insecure"; according to a Reuters article; via AlertNet: which quotes the Kenyan government. This situational report, by Reuters: is largely based on a release, by the office of Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki's office, even as Reuters, but not the Kenyan government: notes the role of violence in the situation. Kenya, has seen human rights violation related accusations, and electoral violence in recent times, and accusations: of death squads, and the resulting reduction in tourism, a recent drought has hit it hard.

Kenya, will now, among other measures: begin to import: 5 000 000 (Five Million) additional bags of maize due to a shortfall: largely blamed on 2007 election violence, which resulted in +-1 300 (One Thousand, and Three Hundred) deaths, and +-300 000 (Three Hundred Thousand) people being driven from their homes, due to violence.

Both the Kenyan government, and working independent of them, Catholic Relief Services, are attempting to minimize the damage done by an alleged Drought and Famine, which is affecting many citizens in Kenya. The role of election violence, and allegations of Government death squads, and political persecution in this, possibly, could have increased vulnerability to the situation. Most of the efforts, seem to focus on basics, such as food, water, and farming products. CRS, is helping supply food, according to their dispatch (CRS (Catholic; Independent: answer to USCCB though; Relief Organization; American Based)13 / 01 / 2009).

For those who want to help:

CRS, forwards one to a donation page: from the article they wrote on their efforts:
https://secure2.convio.net/crs/site/Donation2?1080.donation=form1&df_id=1080

It seems to be their general donations page, but I may be mistaken on this, but possibly, one can write in the "Special Request" section, where they want the money to go: I am unsure of this.

A good thing about, our source on this: US based CRS: is that CRS, has a good ratio: of direct funding towards communities, versus the cost of their work.

Kenya: more general Overview:

Kenya, was once one of Africa's so-called: shining stars, however, electoral violence, and purported human rights abuses, along with drought, and famine: have harshly affected, what once was a nation, seen, perhaps falsely as a hope for many.

In previous articles, we have covered, the political situation in Kenya, having stabilized somewhat at this stage. Recent events, however: show a government, made up largely of people, seemingly more interested in their own political success, than in the success of their country. The global economic downturn, will likely also affect such nations: but with such a makeshift government, the chances are, that problems in Kenya, won't be ultimately solved overnight. Efforts, at helping populations make it through such trying times: however, can make differences in lives, just as efforts in Zimbabwe, and the DRC (Congo), have paid off somewhat.

Corruption, and accountability in Africa

What Kenya, and much of Africa: truly need at this point, is accountability for actions, politically, and in business. That a situation, such as the one: over, or perhaps caused by alleged vote rigging, and alleged political human rights abuses: has occurred: has made Kenya less able to deal with life threatening situations.

Somalia- Rebels control most of the country- Administration's head admits

(Social Justice South Africa ; c.f. Reuters 16/11/08)

Article by Marc Aupiais

With many unsuccessful attempts at governance since 1991, when a dictator was disposed of, Somalia has had many failed governments, with a warlord currently "president", and yet with a current insurgency still fighting for control, and it seems succeeding. The insurgents now control more territory within the Somalian Nation: than the administration of the North African country. When it is noted Somalia has a crippled government- that is to say that they have a government which hardly controls the country- and is basically unable to govern- as an internal war continues. The country is a danger to surrounding countries- in the region, and if it were not for recent intervention from Washington- the nation would not have its current government, salvaged as insurgents of Islamic background recently took the capitol, and were pushed out of it again.

For this protection- Somalia has Ethiopian troops to thank, who were spurred on by American support to save the militarily nearly conquered government, yet just last week the rebels advanced significantly again, and the government itself is divided by politics and feuds. Only a third- of the aid so needed needed to sustain over 3 million starving Somalians has been secured, after the the United Nations this year appealed for it.

Africa, Great Lakes Region, DRC, Congo- Caritas internationalis- Congo's Bishops say that the World are not protecting Congo from "Silent Genocide" as Congo's resources are carved up

(Social Justice South Africa; c.f. Caritas Internationalis 14/11/08)

Article by Marc Aupiais

International Humanitarian umbrella organization- Caritas Internationalis, has warned of urgent statements of the DRC Catholic bishops, who claim that the war in DRC largely involves resources, even as human rights are abused daily, and that the United Nations is not protecting the people, nor upholding International Law in the DRC, as mandated to. The Bishops claim the international community has for the time being betrayed the people of the war ruined region, through inaction.

Caritas Internationalis themselves, have appealed for a clear mandate for the United Nations Peacekeepers on the ground- Monuc- to act against those instituting violence, and breaking peace treaties.

The Congo, they continue to claim in their bitter, urgent, hopeful pleas- is being disected and divided between powers, and the people are losing out- as her resources are harvested via conflict. The bishops have asked the people of the vast region not to let their nation be divided in such a manner. The DRC Catholic bishops urgently urge the international community to no longer condemn them via apathy and ineffective means of solving their dire and deathly circumstances- but rather to act effectively, and uphold international law.

They, like Caritas Internationalis are asking for also: an increase of aid to sooth the bleeding wound of the humanitarian situation in Congo.

To see more see:
http://www.caritas.org/newsroom/press_releases/bishops_condemn_silent_genocide_in_congo.html

To read statement in french:
http://www.caritas.org/includes/pdf/congobishopsstatement.pdf
Google Translation
Translation- we hope it will work

Africa- Great Lakes Region-DRC-Congo- Goma Violence continues- claims of looting of refugee camps, and torching of these surface!

(Social Justice South Africa; c.f. CNN (Secular) 31/10/08- thanks to a friend for pointing this out to me; IHT (Secular) 21/11/06; BBC World News 29/10/08)

CNN, like other news services is reporting on the harsh situation in the Kivu region around Goma. They have mentioned that there are reports being investigated, of camps being burnt. They note of 1 000 000 people who have fled Congo's violence.

We have already noted in previous articles, that even before this- camps had reached capacity- and many, even thousands- of the desperate refugees were having to find shelter elsewhere. Recently, when food aid was once again given out- a fence was scrambled over, and those being aided almost stampeded in a quest for the food. Catholic Relief Services, and many others have been forced to withdraw from the immediate area, to safer areas in the Congo. They (CRS) will still be supplying aid in Goma, but via the structures of Caritas Internationalis. Organizations such as Caritas Internationalis- are still doing a large portion of the work on the ground- via use of locals to distribute food to thousands, and also by tactical distribution of other products to ensure life- such as hygiene products, and blankets.

Rwanda, who the BBC (See one of our previous articles for c.f. or see link to BBC above), noted that the UN have reported to have been implicated somewhat in violence:

Rwandan troops shot at UN attack forces- at a helicopter, deny claims of being instrumental in this violence, or of responsibility for it. The fighting seems shockingly to involve the same two tribal groups who were involved in the Rwandan Genocide- the Rebels in Congo are of the tribe which was attacked in the Genocide, they claim to be protecting their tribe against "Rwandan Rebels" they claim are in the area. The conflict however is not ethnic, people of every group are dying or starving or fleeing because of the actions of the rebels, and there is no real visible presence of any enemy which they claim to be fighting, except the Congolese army, and the United Nations. The Rwandan president has still refused to appear before a French court for the death of his predecessor, whose death is widely thought to have been the Catalyst for the Rwandan genocide. Instead, French is now no longer an official language in Rwanda.

The British Minister to Africa, believes that the world risks another Rwanda in the DRC, if correct actions are not guided into place. France wants to send in thousands of EU troops to aid the situation, but this requires co-operation in Europe.

Violence is taking place during crop planting season- this means there will not be crops planted in the affected areas this year- resulting in threats to food security. Many have lost everything in recent weeks, and soldiers on both sides have been accused of human rights violations, as the Congolese government gradually loses control of their troops. A barely holding peace treaty is barely maintaining peace in the region, with some fighting continuing after dark.

DRC- Congo- Kivu Region- Catholic Relief Services pulls two relif workers out of country. Only grass roots organizations like Caritas Internationalis still easily operate in wartorn region

(Social Justice South Africa; c.f. Catholic News Service 30/10/08; Caritas Internationalis 30/10/08; BBC World News (Secular) 29/10/08)

Article by Marc Aupiais

Catholic Relief Services has pulled two relief workers out of the DRC into neighboring Rwanda- due to unsafe conditions of operation, however they claim this is an isolated event, and not a general withdrawal. The Relief workers can't wait to get back to the CRS headquarters in the southern Congo, where the organization's efforts are based.

In recent days a UN peace-keeper helicopter was shot at, purportedly, if UN sources quoted by the BBC (29/10/08) are to be taken as accurate- not by rebels, but by Rwandan troops, and DRC troops have been noted as shooting across the border when they saw weapons fire. The BBC's representation- noted exchanges of fire. Rwanda denies involvement in the conflict. Rebels however claim to have a purpose of fighting Rwanda's own claimed rebels they claim to be in the Congo. We cannot verify any of these claims, by the Rebels.


Caritas Internationalis is appealing for an end to violence. After a recent cease fire called for by rebel forces, and a UN condemnation of rebel activities, as rebels have attacked UN troops- there was still the sounds of gunfire under the shadows of the dark African night.

Caritas Internationalis needs better conditions to ensure 16 000 persons who they are supplying with food necessities get this. Other organizations, including Catholic Relief Services, are appealing western governments to intervene diplomatically. Much of the important work on the ground, however- is still being done by Caritas Internationalis, whose use of local grassroots people has enabled them to continue operations where some other organizations have needed to reassess the aid they are giving. Both Catholic Relief Services, who are appealing for US diplomatic support, and Development and Peace (who are asking the Canadian government for intervention), plan to use Caritas Internationalis in order to supply needs in the Goma Region, where Caritas has structures still in place.

Sites of those mentioned for their aid of efforts:

Caritas Internationalis
Catholic Reflief Services
Development and Peace

Africa- DRC- Congo- UN Security council recognises crisis, plans to send in thousands more troops- Rwanda denies funding CNDP - Kivu Rebels,

(Social Justice South Africa; c.f. BBC World News 30/10/08)

Article by Marc Aupiais

The BBC reports- that the UN Security council has made a non-binding statement- condemning Nkunda's CNDP's violence, and calling for further troop deployment.

The rebels, who have consistently advanced against UN troops, are suspected to be funded and assisted by a regional foreign power. As the UN Security council asks Rwanda and the DRC to sort out their problems, and take concrete steps to create stability in the region- so hurt by the conflict- Rwanda is denying funding of the Rebels.

The rebels claim to be protecting Congolese from Rwandan rebels- who they claim aided the 1994 genocide. The Rwandan president was recently desired in a French court to face charges of murdering the man whose death sparked the genocide- his 1994 predecessor. Rwanda recently removed French from their official list of languages, and as a language in which children can be taught in schools, or people can contact the government. They have also pulled out of a group of French speaking nations, and since France asked for their president to appear in court have accused French soldiers, who were assigned by the UN to protect civilians in the region- of helping conduct the genocide. Others facing accusations, from the government whose leader has been accused by a French judge of murder- include the Catholic church.

The DRC Kivu rebels themselves have caused mass flights from towns whenever they have stormed different urban areas, have shot at UN MONUC troops, and of late have directly been fighting UN peacekeepers- who recently launched air attacks on the rebels who responded with anti-air fire.

The UN has noted that rape, and mutilation of sexual organs are a weapon of war in the DRC, and have asked for human shields to not be captured or used. Which side they are referring, on the second issue of human shields we have not been able to ascertain, as the government of the country has also began to lose control of their soldiers.

There was firing of weapons across the Rwandan border, and firing into the air- by Congolese defense force troops, whose government is gradually losing control of the terrified soldiers, as the rebels continue to take more ground.

Yesterday, the rebels- accused of kidnapping child soldiers recently- announced they wanted a peace treaty- having themselves broken the previous one at an opportune time, and are the cause of even further food insecurity in Congo- as villagers should now be planting crops. They are not however prepared to disarm, until "Rwandan Rebels", they claim are in the area- are "out" of the area.

Caritas Internationalis- from their position on the ground in the country are desperately looking for 1.5 million US dollars to help with immediate, basic needs. They were already desiring this when the number of refugees had not completely burst the capacity of refugee camps around Goma, a regional capital in Kivu.

The UN intervention may be needed to stop the constant loss of territory by the African UN task-force- and to possibly prevent what some (United Kingdom minister Mark Malloch-Brown- to Africa) are claiming could be a massacre on the scale of the Rwandan Genocide in 1994. This comes After calls by Caritas Internationalis for global action and immediate relief of some of this humanitarian crisis.

Perseveering spirit, an African trait the world needs to learn

(Journey in a Broken World)

Article by Marc Aupiais

A friend of mine asked, commenting on some of my many articles- what happens after these genocides, and situations- can people recover, how do they recover- financially that is? And I am so glad they asked this- because it has such application to the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour, Jeshua, or to use English- Jesus Christ.

When a country is restored, it requires will-power, political zeal, and a desire to look beyond quick fixes to humanitarian problems.

Citizens must live on hope, and endure against all odds, charity must be given to the most needy, and business must continue to run against all the fear, because risks must be taken in such dire situations.

These people daily face far greater challenges than that faced by many of the world's heroic greats, at least as regards personal survival. Winston Churchhill is so famous for never giving up, yet these people gain no fame, sometimes not even pity, as without much notice- they are either eradicated, or somehow survive. They are martyrs of of sort, nor is that saying always- religious martyrs, though, some like in India right now are, but rather- in the original sense- people who are witnesses by their actions, and being and existing- to something that is happening.

Some see evil and for it cease to believe- I see it and cannot help but believe, as those who endure these horrors, in their very actions, and testimonies teach us of the unseen God, whom I also know.

In such a circumstance, we see desperate people, who constantly flee, and then return, and continue as they always have, perhaps minus a few friends, limbs, or joy, and sometimes with huge terrors in their dreams, but they get up in the morning, and they go to work, or pray, or beg, or do something to survive. In Africa we know about perseverance, and from this we know her source- which we must always aspire to- hope. We know that existence cannot possibly be as bad as what we see- we understand there is more- and seek for this more- or else for lies sold us from the west. Let us always succeed to hope in Christ, may God give us hope, peace and truth- for by these three, in sanity, beyond sanity, and in justice and love- we can rebuild, even our broken fallen world, and our pathetic continent, buoyed on every crisis, where when the world tightens their belts- in Africa- people die.

Caritas Internationalis- The weekend's and week's fighting- is at time when fields are used to sow crops, refugee camps past capacity- needs desperate

(Social Justice South Africa; c.f. Caritas Internationalis 28/10/08)

Article by Marc Aupiais

Caritas Internationalis, the umbrella body of over 160 Catholic aid agencies, is asking, as they had at earlier stages for a desperate 1.5 million US dollars, in order to supply basics, such as blankets, or hygiene products, to over 90 000 people, in the Eastern DRC. Refugee camps have breached capacity, as another 30 000 people are heading for Goma, as two more towns fell to foreign backed Kivu rebels.

Refugees are sleeping at relatives, schools and government buildings- as humanitarian organizations are ill-funded to adequately sort out this problem, and as the UN task team continues to lose ground against the Human Rights abusing, criminal rebels, who recently broke an UN sponsored peace treaty.

As the situation continues to worsen- Caritas Internationalis is warning of lack of food and water, and hygiene necessities among refugees. There have already been several outbreaks of disease this year, worsened by combatants raiding the medical supplies of humanitarian organizations.

Caritas Internationalis, who have a proven record of dealing with, and stabilizing humanitarian situations, and of supporting the poor- claiming that their work is "Justice, not Charity", in their motto- have warned that until areas are secured, refugees cannot return to their villages- also they have noted the dire fact, that these battles will prevent crops being planted when they should be- and help contribute to food security problems in the region. They are asking for the world to mobilize, and for those responsible for this infringement on Congo's sovereignty, and on human rights and dignity- to be held responsible for their unspeakable actions.

DRC- another town falls to Rebels- despite UN insistence they would halt advance- Rebels claim

(Social Justice South Africa; c.f. Reuters (Secular) 28/10/08; South African Catholic 28/10/08)

Article by Marc Aupiais

On Monday, the UN force, MONUC, was attacking rebel positions outside of Goma, following the falling of another town to the Human Rights abusing, foreign backed, criminal, Kivu Rebels. On Tuesday the UN force was vowing to protect urban areas. By the end of Tuesday, the town of Rutshuru had, if claims of the Rebel forces are to be given any credence, already been the latest victim of the rebel onslaught, as tens of thousands were likely forced to flee, or face the wrath of the infamous foreign backed rebel group- who don't blink at killing UN forces, or volunteers. The UN is claiming that rape and mutilation of sexual organs are weapons of war in the DRC, where children are captured, kidnapped, and forced to fight, even addicted to drugs to ensure loyalty.

The rebels, under their leader Nkunda, accused of human rights abuses, and normal criminal activities, including fraud and kidnapping, and use of child soldiers, also known as the "National Congress for the Defense of the People", or "CNDP" have abused their status as Tutsi- in order to pretend that this is an ethnic conflict.

DRC- Civil Society claims failure by UN, Government- to stop advance of foreign backed Kivu Rebels- calls for March- which should happen, or have happened today

(Social Justice South Africa; c.f. Agenzia Fides 27/10/08)

Article by Marc Aupiais

Two days ago- Agenzia Fides informed the world of a press release given to them of a request given to the DRC government, to allow a peaceful march- with the aim at promoting peace in the Kivu region, eastern Congo- where rebels- having foreign assistance- have advanced with seemingly unstoppable force against UN (United Nations) MONUC troops, who tried to halt them with attack helicopters recently, and against the Nation's National Army. Civil society also regrets that the DRC national army has also failed to halt the foreign backed rebels from taking over the vast Virunga National Park area.

The march will remember an Archbishop murdered 12 years ago in previous conflict, on returning from comforting refugees. Civil society, organizing the march, believe that peace is needed in the region, they also have called on the government to improve basic living conditions in the "two provinces", by which they likely mean those in the Kivu Area.

Africa- Uganda- Agenzia Fides- African Nations meet to discuss ideas of free-trade area throughout Africa

(Social Justice South Africa; c.f. Agenzia Fides 22/10/08)

Article by Marc Aupiais

As other sources also have since confirmed to have occurred, Agenzia Fides, on Wednesday the 22 reported on a meeting in Uganda, by Regional Representatives throughout Africa- to discuss among other subjects, the possible creation of a free-trade area throughout Africa.

Other issues covered included the improvement of infrastructure to allow this.