|PIC1|HEAL Africa works at the epicenter of a conflict that has raged for years, but has come to a climax in the last several days. Control for Goma currently rests in limbo between the national army (FARDC) in collaboration with the UN peacekeeping forces (MONUC) and the rebel group, CNDP, led by Laurent Nkunda who is allegedly backed by Rwanda. Yesterday Kibumba and Kabti, north of Goma, fell to CNDP and the national army retreated along the road to Goma along with 20,000-30,000 refugees who were staying in camps in the two villages.
FARDC increased the insecurity in Goma, rather than protecting its citizens they have gone on a looting spree, helping themselves to products inside stores. Stolen cars have also been reported. The prisoners broke out from the prison and have contributed to the widespread looting. The population of Goma is locked inside of their houses anxiously awaiting a confrontation between CNDP and FARDC/MONUC.
The hospital is functioning normally at the time this was written and there has not been a massive influx of injured patients. FARDC tried to steal the ambulance, but Dr. Jo Lusi refused to let them take it.
HEAL director, Lyn Lusi writes:
"We are very touched by your messages of encouragement and your promises to continue to pray and also push advocacy with the press. This is the time for people to ask what the real reason for this war is, and put the spotlight the underlying greed that fuels it. In case you didn't see this photo documentary last time, check it now: The Rape of a Nation, by Marcus Bleasdale on http://www.mediastorm.org "
Through much of the media, the unrest is presented as a tribal conflict, but it is a conflict rooted in control for resources. Resources such as coltan (in latops and cell phones), diamonds, gold, tantalum, minerals which drive the global economy. It is the people of DR Congo who are suffering for the extraction of these minerals which are sold to multinational companies. US citizens are being asked to write to their senators telling them to support Senate Bill 3058 and enforce multinationals to follow strict extraction and purchasing guidelines.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for an immediate end to fighting in the DR Congo, which he said was creating a "humanitarian catastrophe". In a statement, Mr Ban said the intensifying conflict was "creating a humanitarian crisis of catastrophic dimensions and [threatening] dire consequences on a regional scale".
The UN Security Council met in an emergency session to discuss the crisis on Wednesday evening. UK Africa minister Mark Malloch-Brown said the world was mobilising to avoid a repeat of tragedies like the 1994 Rwandan genocide, when the international community looked on as hundreds of thousands were killed.
"We all have those ghosts in the backs of our minds," he told the BBC. "We need to stop this before it escalates to anything like that level."
CNEC Partners International is requesting that all people of good faith take the time to write to our Prime Minister, Mr Kevin Rudd, the Foreign Minister, Mr Stephen Smith or the Parliamentary Secretary, Mr Bob McMullan and ask them to express the Australian government's commitment to seeing an end to the terror and violence which dominates Eastern DR Congo.
Donations for HEAL Africa's medical ministry can be made by calling CNEC on 02 9745 2840.