RDC: FCC – Communique de Press – Du Front Commun pour le Congo (13.12.2018)

RDC: CENI – Communique de Presse (13.12.2018)

RDC: Lamuka – Point de Presse (11.12.2018)

DRC: In Lubumbashi there was fatal aggression against the Fayulu/Lamuka Convoy!

Today is a sad day, as the peaceful election is now squashed, maybe the pictures of the rallies around the Democratic Republic of Congo has hit the desk of Joseph Kabila and his sidekick the Emmanuel Shadari who is running against Martin Fayulu and Félix Antoine Tshisekedi. However, the rallies of the two last gentlemen clearly sparked fear in the powerful men and their armies. As they had to retaliate, not with a vision or prospects of a better future. They decided to order violence and intimidate the opposition, as they know best.

Today in Lubumbashi, as the people was gathering in and around the convoy of Lamuka, the Political Alliance of Fayulu. The Police and Presidential Guards decided to tear-gas the public, use live bullets and assault the ones gathering to welcome Fayulu. That is what they did today.

What is happening right now in #lubumbashi is intolerable! Gassing activists of #lamuka, arbitrary arrests, dispersal of the crowd coming in mass welcoming Martin Fayulu. A real election, it goes first through a real campaign, free and democratic!” (Moise Katumbi, 11.12.2018).

The current reports of loss of lives because of the state sanctioned violence against the public, is up to 6 people died, 11 severely hurt police officers and scores of the public in same condition, as the numbers of how many hurt by the guns and tear-gas is unknown.

What is also known already, is that the Presidential Guard did directly attack the cars and the convoy of Fayulu, he was singled out and targeted by the Security Forces. They we’re attacking him directly and planned to do so, when he entered Lubumbashi. That video evidence of it is striking and shows it. They are proving their real character and plans of total destruction of the opposition ahead of the polls later in the month.

Some is claiming this was trying to assassinate Fayulu, but they clearly targeted him and his motorcade/convoy of people going to the rally scheduled in the city. What is proven today, was that the crowds was starting to gather around the convoy/motorcade, but than the authorities came in with the guns blazing. Showing their ill-intention as they came with precision shooting it all down.

If Kabila and Shadari wanted to signal to the world, their intentions, they clearly did it today. They are violently planning to control the situation. They are planning to steal the whole thing and take it. They are not leaving without the bullets and assault on democratic values, as they are spreading fear. There was no issues on the roads and by the motorcade/convoy, before the Presidential Guards, the Police Officers and all other Security Forces showed up.

That is the proof of today, which has been peaceful campaign season, until now. But that dream had to be shattered by the dreams of another hostile takeover. As the political campaigning in the DRC cannot happen without bullets coming to play. Peace.

RDC: Declaration des Candidats President de la Republique et des Leaders de l’Opposition en Rapport avec les Atteintes Deliberees Portees au Processus Electoral par le Pouvoir Sortant (07.11.2018)

RDC: Bruno Tshibala – “Concerne: Suspension de missions de controle” (07.11.2018)

RDC: Red-Tabara – Communique (05.11.2018)

RDC: Declaration Commune des Forces vives et Politiques sur la Machine a Voter et sur un Scrutin Credible et Transparent en Republique Democratique du Congo (02.11.2018)

North Kivu: Violent events and fatalities in the province has surpassed last year already!

If you ever thought, it would be peaceful and not be problems in the North Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. You are wrong and sadly so. As The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) released an report on this year’s activity in the Province and the numbers are striking. They are not in the positive aspect, but more fatalities and more events that are violent have been registered this year.

This meaning, that the North Kivu are seeing and are more hurt by the FARDC and the ADF in the region. Both parties are battling and these battles are costly. The FARDC alone is registered with 19 killings, while the total in the province is 801 and that is six more than whole of last year. This is up to October, so the numbers might be worse by the time ticking into 2019.

Let ACLED explain:

“The number of violent events in North Kivu in 2018 thus far has surpassed the number of violent events recorded for all of 2017. In 2017 there were 307 violent events and protests recorded in the province, resulting in 795 reported fatalities; in 2018 to date, there have been 493 violent events and protests, responsible for 801 reported fatalities. Much of the increase in violence in 2018 is driven by an increase in the targeting of civilians by rebel groups and community militias, as well as battles between armed groups and the government, as demonstrated in the graph below” (…) “Despite the difficulties in tracking ADF activities, recorded events suggest that the group is becoming more active in 2018. Violent events involving the ADF in North Kivu have surged more than 140% from 2017, rising to 92 violent events in 2018 thus far. The government’s offensive may be behind the increased number of activities involving the rebel group, as well as behind the increase in civilian targeting by rebel groups” (…) “The Congolese security forces have also targeted civilians in North Kivu in 2018. This year, there have been 17 events in which the Congolese security sector targeted civilians, resulting in a reported 19 fatalities. This increase in civilian targeting may be a function of the difficulty of discerning civilians from rebel group members; according to the Congo Research Group, though the ADF was not founded in the Democratic Republic of Congo, it has cultivated significant ties with the local community and pursued integrative strategies” (ACLED – ‘Layered Insecurity in North Kivu: Violence and the Ebola Response’ 26.10.2018).

These reports from ACLED is really compelling as the North Kivu are hit again and again. By not only militias taking lives of civilians, but also the FARDC. This is happening, as the MONUSCO still has a mission and supposed to be the balanced force, but the province are still seeing violence and fatalities.

These sorts of reports are important, because they shows the bigger picture and also shows the signs of either progress or not. This report from ACLED is accurate and has the sources for their numbers. Therefore, I can trust these numbers as they have reported. That there is issues in North Kivu and that it is ongoing is telling.

This is happening in the year of the postponed elections. The Insecurity continues and who knows who earns on the fatalities. That is the sad thing, all of them, every single one of the fatalities is one to many, and none of them should have been lost. Peace.

RDC: Communique de la CENCO a Propos de l’Expulsion des Congolais de l’Angola (31.10.2018)