Future:Media:Change

Karo Reid (14) with her baby, Happiness. PHOTO BY: Rankin

The crisis in Congo is often known as the ‘forgotten conflict’, yet this war has killed over 5 million people. We need your help right now to ensure the UN peacekeepers in Congo get a new strong mandate to protect civilians from violence. Please sign, and help us promote, this petition to stop the killing in Congo. Next week – Tuesday November 24th – we will deliver the names to the UN Security Council, so this is the final push.

Here are 4 ways you can help:

1. Sign the petition and pass it on
2. Sign on Facebook: http://apps.facebook.com/causes/petitions/306
3. Retweet this: @conflictvoice Save lives in #Congo. Tell the UN to act by adding your voice now http://bit.ly/1raJae
4. Use the information and video below to blog about Congo and spread the word.

The first 5 people to leave a comment below with a link to your blog post about the issue will also be invited to ‘FACEing WAR’ – a high level event and exhibition featuring portraits from Congo by fashion photography icon Rankin,  in Soho (NYC not London) on November 24th.

About the Crisis in Congo:

The Congolese military recently launched a military offensive in the east, with the goal to disarm the FDLR rebel militia by force. It is important that the rebels are disarmed, but this military strategy is doing more harm than good. The rebels are increasing attacks on civilians, and so are the poorly disciplined Congolese army who are looting villages and raping women.

For every rebel combatant disarmed:

• 1 Congolese civilian has been killed
• 7 women and girls raped
• 6 houses burned and destroyed
• 1,000 people forced to flee their homes.

This counterproductive strategy is being supported by the international community, and it puts UN peacekeepers in the crazy situation where they are supporting an army that is attacking its own population, attacks which are contributing to a massive humanitarian catastrophe.

In the beginning of December the UN will be renewing the mandate of the peacekeeping force in Congo – MONUC. It is crucial that the UN peacekeepers in Congo have a strong mandate focused on protecting civilians from violence, not contributing to the escalating humanitarian crisis.

Oxfam and other organisations are calling for the international community to stop backing this disastrous military strategy. Please sign and promote our global petition which aims to pressure the UN Security Council to work with the government of Congo to pursue a political as well as a military solution and to ensure that the Congolese national army are disciplined, accountable and complying with their obligation to protect civilians.

Here is a film about the situation in Congo. Please watch and share.

There’s more background information in this release from the Congo Advocacy Coalition:
http://www.oxfam.org/en/pressroom/pressrelease/2009-10-13/dr-congo-civilian-cost-military-operation-unacceptable

Human Rights Watch fact finding missions have revealed the impacts of MONUC’s support for the Congolese army:
http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/11/02/eastern-dr-congo-surge-army-atrocities

If you let us know, your blog will also be featured on http://conflictvoice.org Lives truly do hang in the balance. Please, spread the word.